Comeliano Carnival

An ancient carnival in the Dolomites

The Comeliano Carnival is the traditional carnival celebration of Comelico Superiore, a municipality in the province of Belluno in the upper Val Comelico, an area with a strong Ladin identity amidst the Dolomites. More than just a festival, it is a rite passed down through centuries, varying from village to village, and involving the hamlets of Dosoledo, Casamazzagno, Candide, and Padola.

Lachè, matazin, and wooden masks

The main figures are the lachè and the matazin, accompanied by the matazera and the vecia. They wear top hats decorated with pearls and colorful ribbons, striped socks, embroidered shoes, silk trousers, and colorful scarves. Their faces are carved wooden masks, a distinctive feature of the Comeliano carnival. The matazin and lachè lead the procession early in the morning, going from house to house without ever stopping, dancing and jumping until the final dance dedicated to them.

Dosoledo and the feast of Sant'Apollonia

In Dosoledo, the maskarada is celebrated every year on the Sunday closest to February 9th, the day of Sant'Apollonia, the patron saint of the hamlet. It is the most anticipated moment, with the grand parade in Piazza Roma, while in Casamazzagno the representation, which is rarer, retains unique features such as the rejection of the matazera figure.

A living tradition

The Comeliano Carnival is accompanied by traditional music – polka played on accordion, double bass, guitars, and violin – and concludes with dancing in the Regola hall. For visitors, it is an opportunity to immerse themselves in one of the most authentic expressions of Ladin culture in the Dolomites, very different from the more well-known town square carnivals.