Historical Carnival of Giffoni

A papier-mâché tradition at the foot of the Picentini Mountains

Giffoni Valle Piana is world-renowned for its children's film festival, but for nearly forty years, another event has mobilized the entire town: the Historical Carnival of Giffoni. In the heart of winter, with the snow-dusted Picentini Mountains as a backdrop, the streets of this town in the province of Salerno, Campania, fill with confetti, brass bands, costumed groups, and, above all, massive allegorical floats that slowly parade through crowds of spectators.

The event is organized by the APS Associazione Carnevale Giffonese, and in 2026 it reached its 38th edition—a milestone that speaks volumes about how deeply rooted this festival is in the local identity.

The district floats: months of work for a few hours of glory

The hallmark of the Giffoni Carnival is that the floats are not brought in from outside; they are built by the local districts and hamlets. Each group works for weeks in town workshops, using wood, iron, and papier-mâché to create animated figures and elaborate lighting displays. The result is a friendly yet fiercely competitive contest that concludes with a final awards ceremony.

Alongside the main floats, mini-floats created by children and schools parade through the streets, serving as a way to pass down the techniques and artistry of traditional construction to the next generation. It is a heritage of craftsmanship that in Giffoni is literally handed down from father to son.

The Carnival Village

The logistical and recreational heart of the festival is the Carnival Village, set up at the Cittadella del Cinema, the same venue that hosts the Giffoni Film Festival in the summer. Here you will find:

• play areas and creative workshops for children;
• food stands serving traditional Campanian Carnival sweets;
• the starting point for the inaugural parade;
• makeup and hair stations for those wanting to dress up at the last minute.

Over the years, the Village has also become a space for socialization and awareness. In the 2026 edition, for example, the "Anna Borsa" anti-violence center set up a stand with games and costumes designed to spark lighthearted conversations about gender stereotypes.

Parades and routes

The parades take place over several days and follow different routes to cover both the town center and the hamlets. The inaugural procession traditionally departs from the Carnival Village and travels along via Aldo Moro, via Angelo Russomando, piazza Umberto I, and via Sandro Pertini. Another day is dedicated to the Vassi hamlet, starting from piazza del Popolo. The final parade brings all the floats back to the town center for the grand finale and awards ceremony.

Beyond the floats: dance, music, and entertainment

The Giffoni program goes beyond just the processions. Local dance schools—such as Arte Danza and Spazio Danza in recent years—perform in the squares, while evenings are filled with concerts and tribute bands that keep the audience dancing late into the night. There are also unique events like the "4-Legged Carnival," dedicated to pets, and workshops for children hosted in municipal spaces.

When to go and what to expect

The Giffoni Carnival follows the movable calendar of the holiday, generally concentrating between Carnival Sunday, Shrove Tuesday, and the following Sunday, between February and March. Parades start in the early afternoon, around 3:00 PM, and continue until evening, when the illuminated floats offer the most enchanting image of the event.

For those visiting Campania out of season, this is a rare opportunity: an authentic popular festival, not manufactured for tourists, in a village that preserves the monumental Convent of San Francesco and a historic center perfect for walking. It is a different way to discover the Picentini territory, just a few kilometers from Salerno and the Amalfi Coast.