Children's Carnival of Sala Bolognese

A Carnival Tradition Over Sixty Years Old

The Children's Carnival of Sala Bolognese is one of the most beloved events in the plain northwest of Bologna. Organized by the Pro Loco Sala Bolognese, for over sixty years it has brought popular carnival traditions to the streets with a special focus on children. The parades of floats, carefully built and decorated, wind through the streets of the Municipality of Sala Bolognese, in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna.

Floats, Confetti, and Lots of Merriment

The heart of the festival is the colorful launch of confetti, balloons, and plush toys from the floats towards the crowd of children and families that fills the streets. The atmosphere is that of the old village festivals: masks, music, entertainment, and the smiles of the children, the absolute stars of the day. The parades start in the early afternoon and transform the inhabited centers into a large shared play space.

Three Sundays Between the Capital and Hamlets

One of the most distinctive features of this carnival is its itinerant nature: the parades are not concentrated in one place but, on the different Sundays of February, they visit the capital of Sala Bolognese and the hamlets of Osteria Nuova and Padulle. In this way, the entire community of the Municipality participates in the festival, with each locality having its own event.

• Parades of floats in the early afternoon
• Throwing of confetti, balloons, and plush toys
• Animation and entertainment for children
• Food stalls with local specialties

Flavors of the Bolognese Plain

As is traditional in Emilia, during the parades, there are always food stalls along the streets: crescentine, piadine, carnival sweets, and mulled wine accompany the festival and warm up the winter afternoons. The combination of float spectacle and popular cuisine makes the Children's Carnival an event suitable for the whole family.

A Free-Entry Popular Festival

The event has free admission and is particularly aimed at families with children, but it has always involved the entire community of Sala Bolognese. It is an opportunity to rediscover popular carnival traditions in an authentic setting, far from large tourist flows, in the heart of the Bolognese countryside in Emilia-Romagna.