Castelvetere Carnival

The Castelvetere Carnival, the winter highlight of Val Fortore

Castelvetere in Val Fortore is a small mountain town in the province of Benevento, perched over seven hundred meters high in the upper Fortore valley, where Campania meets Molise. With just over a thousand inhabitants and a historic center clustered around Piazza Dante, the town undergoes a complete transformation once a year for the Castelvetere Carnival, organized by the Pro Loco of Castelvetere in Val Fortore.

On a Sunday in February, the streets fill with floats, masked groups, music, and the scent of fried treats. It is the moment the village welcomes back its emigrants, neighbors from the Fortore valley, and curious visitors from Benevento and the Molise side.

Papier-mâché floats, built by the districts

The heart of the event is the papier-mâché floats, crafted over the preceding months by local associations and neighborhood groups. Each float is a collective project: intricate structures, detailed scenery, and mechanical movements that bring the parade to life, all centered around a theme that tells a story, a popular tradition, or a parody of current events.

Surrounding the floats are masked groups with choreography and costumes prepared specifically for the occasion: dozens of participants, from children to adults, accompany the procession along the entire route.

The route: from Via Bebiana to Piazza Dante

The parade has followed the same route for years: starting from Via Bebiana, descending along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, and arriving at Piazza Dante, the main square in front of the town hall, where the stage for the evening festivities is set up. The village can be crossed on foot in a few minutes; those who arrive early can secure a spot along the main street.

The 2026 edition: Banfy as guest of honor

The 2026 edition took place on Sunday, February 8, 2026, with a gathering in Piazza Dante and the parade starting at 3:00 PM from Via Bebiana. The guest of honor was Banfy, the stage name of Valentino Casagrande, the singer who went viral in 2025 with the track "Bam Bam". The evening continued with a DJ set and food stalls. The party lasted until late at night, so much so that Mayor Gianfranco Mottola signed an ordinance closing schools of all levels for Monday, February 9, to allow for the cleaning of areas adjacent to school buildings—a detail that shows how much this Carnival matters to the life of the town.

The scroppella, the Shrove Thursday treat

The Castelvetere Carnival also has a distinct flavor: the scroppella (or scruppella), the fritter that is traditionally prepared in Castelvetere on Shrove Thursday and served simply dusted with sugar straight from the pan. The local Pro Loco has obtained the PAT (Traditional Agri-food Product) recognition from the Campania Region for the Castelvetere scroppella, which requires proof of a production method passed down for at least twenty-five years. A summer festival is also dedicated to this treat on August 5th.

Part of the Sannio Pro Loco Carnival

The Castelvetere Carnival is part of the Sannio Pro Loco Carnival program coordinated by UNPLI Benevento: in 2026, the calendar brought together about twenty-six Pro Loco associations between February 7 and 22, from the Fortore to the Valle Caudina. For provincial president Renzo Mazzeo, it is a network that binds together popular traditions, folklore, community participation, and cultural tourism in inland areas.

A tradition dating back to the Fifties

Carnival traditions in Castelvetere in Val Fortore have been documented since the 1950s and 1960s: local chronicles particularly recall the 1959 and 1960 editions, featuring theatrical performances inspired by medieval tales. Since then, the format has evolved into the float parade seen today, but the spirit remains the same: a homegrown Carnival where the spectators personally know the people who built the floats.

Why it's worth the trip

• An authentically local Carnival, without tourist filters, in one of the highest villages in the Sannio region.
• Papier-mâché floats built by hand by local districts, with scenery and mechanical movements.
• Popular musical guests and DJ sets until late at night in Piazza Dante.
• Food stalls with Fortore products and the PAT-certified scroppella.
• Guest masked groups from neighboring towns, between Campania and Molise.