Comeliano Carnival – Mascarada di Santa Plonia

One of the most archaic masks in the Dolomites

The Mascarada di Santa Plonia is the most representative and anticipated event of the Carnival in Val Comelico. It takes place in Dosoledo, a hamlet of Comelico Superiore (province of Belluno), and takes its name from Saint Apollonia ("Santa Plonia" in the local Ladin dialect), celebrated on February 9th. The tradition is so deeply felt that the villagers identify the people of Dosoledo as "Chei d'Santa Plonia".

The main masks

The main figures are the laké and the matazin, who open the procession wearing refined costumes: tall velvet-covered headdresses (the calòta), adorned with necklaces, brooches, and precious objects, striped stockings, embroidered shoes, silk trousers, and colorful scarves. Alongside them is the matazera, introduced in 1953 as a "poor" counterpart to the matazin. The laké and the matazin lead dances and jumps to a characteristic polka, a unique music passed down orally since time immemorial.

The ritual of the day

The masked figures parade from house to house with a hopping gait, without ever stopping, reaching the squares and the tabiés (the typical terraced hay barns of the village) that frame the center. The festival culminates in the collective dance of the laké, the matazin, the matazere, and all the wooden masks. The day is marked by gatherings, afternoon parades, and dancing evenings.

A carnival spread throughout the valley

The Comeliano Carnival is not confined to Dosoledo: during the Carnival weeks, it also involves other hamlets and municipalities in Val Comelico, with masked parades taking place in Padola, Candide, and Casamazzagno. However, the Mascarada di Santa Plonia remains the highlight, recognized as one of the most fascinating historical carnivals in the Dolomite region.