Historical Carnival of Offida

An ancestral ritual in the heart of Piceno

The Historical Carnival of Offida is much more than a masked party: it is a collective popular ritual that dates back to 1524, the year it was mentioned in the municipal statutes. Considered among the oldest and most distinctive carnivals in Italy, it involves the entire medieval village of Offida, a gem in the province of Ascoli Piceno, in the Marche region, every year. This town is famous for its bobbin lace and Rosso Piceno wine.

The historic Congregations

The beating heart of the event are the historic Offidan Congregations (such as the Congrega della Guazza and the Congrega del Ciorpento), groups that preserve and pass down the tradition from generation to generation. They animate the squares and cellars of the town center for over a month, dressed in the characteristic guazzarò, the white tunic with a red bandana and bow, which is the true uniform of the Offida carnival.

Lu Bov Fint

The most iconic moment is the race of 'lu Bov Fint', the 'fake bull': a wooden and iron structure shaped like a bull that is chased through the crowd in an ancestral and boisterous bullfight along the streets of the historic center. It takes place in three versions on the same day, for children and adults alike, transforming the village into a single white and red tide.

The Vlurd, rivers of fire

The grand finale, on the evening of Fat Tuesday, is dedicated to the 'Vlurd': bundles of dry reeds soaked and set on fire, which participants carry on their shoulders in a fiery procession, converging into a huge liberating bonfire in Piazza del Popolo. It is the symbolic image of the carnival, a suggestive fire ritual that closes the celebration.

Between dances, tradition, and gastronomy

• Masked balls at the 18th-century Teatro Serpente Aureo
• The handover of the city keys on Fat Thursday
• Mask and group contests, with "Children in Masks" and "Masks in Celebration"
• The chichì ripieno, a typical stuffed focaccia from Offida, a must-have on festive tables

Organized by the Pro Loco of Offida together with the Congregations, it is a deeply felt celebration by the community: for the people of Offida, carnival is not an event, it is an identity.