Eco Carnival – First Municipality

A Carnival dedicated to recycling in Catania

The Eco Carnival is the Carnival celebration promoted by the First Municipality of Catania, in Sicily, which reinterprets carnival tradition through an ecological lens. The project was created to spread a culture of environmental respect and social growth, raising awareness among citizens and children about the importance of reusing materials and reducing waste. Tradition and innovation meet in a calendar of activities, workshops, and moments of sharing designed for families, schools, and citizens of all ages.

The masked parade through the city center

The most anticipated moment is the masked parade that travels through the streets of the historic center of the Municipality of Catania. The event stands out for its use of recycled and creative materials: masks and floats are crafted from recovered plastic, paper, and fabrics, transforming waste into colorful works of art. The parade particularly involves local schools, which are the protagonists in preparing the costumes and decorations.

The exhibition at the Giovanni XXIII metro station

Alongside the parade, the project includes the exhibition «The Ecological Carnival – The cheerful world of floral nature», set up at the FCE Giovanni XXIII metro station. The exhibition showcases works created by local primary schools and combines carnival imagination with environmental education, aiming to sensitize new generations to respect nature.

An educational and community project

Eco Carnival is much more than a party: it is an educational journey that actively involves the local school and association network. Numerous primary schools from the First Municipality participate in workshops and activities in collaboration with local associations. The initiative is part of the municipal public education events and represents an example of how a traditional recurrence can become an opportunity for active citizenship and sustainability.

Carnival in Catania, between tradition and sustainability

In the landscape of Sicilian carnivals, dominated by large allegorical float parades, the Eco Carnival of the First Municipality of Catania offers an original, neighborhood-based formula that is accessible and free, placing children, families, and environmental values at the center. An event that colors the historic center of Catania and, edition after edition, has become a small symbol of a «green» Carnival in the Etnean city.