La Carrivalata (San Cono Carnival)

La Carrivalata, the equestrian Carnival of San Cono

In the heart of inland Sicily, in San Cono, a small municipality in the Province of Catania nestled between the Erei Mountains and the Catania plain, Carnival takes on a truly unique form. Here, there are no papier-mâché floats, but rather masked horsemen who ride through the town reciting folk poetry: this is La Carrivalata, one of the most original and identity-defining Carnival events in all of Sicily.

A traveling equestrian theatrical performance

On Carnival Sunday, in the early afternoon, masked men mount their horses and traverse the neighborhoods and squares of San Cono, stopping to recite. Each rider embodies the allegory of a month, a season, or a trade, declaiming verses that tell of the life, hardships, and customs of the old peasant world. The show winds from square to square, turning the entire historic center into a sprawling stage and involving the inhabitants as both spectators and participants.

Verses in the San Cono dialect

The heart of the Carrivalata is dialect poetry: the texts are written in strict San Cono dialect, composed in rhyming couplets by local poets. Among the most prolific authors is Angelo La Loggia, to whom we owe famous carrivalate such as La Scala della Vita, I mesi dell'anno, U Carrivali sicilianu, and La rosa dei venti. This tradition has its roots in the profane performances that once accompanied propitiatory rites and civil festivals throughout Italy, and it has survived in San Cono precisely thanks to the living presence of dialect poets who have guarded the genre.

An identity-focused Carnival in the province of Catania

Unlike the large Sicilian carnivals filled with spectacular floats and masks, the Carrivalata of San Cono focuses entirely on the spoken word, memory, and community identity. It is an event eagerly awaited by the entire town and many curious visitors, organized by the Pro Loco San Cono, which coordinates the performances, times, and routes through the village squares each year.

• Traveling equestrian theatrical performance
• Verses recited in the strict San Cono dialect
• Allegories on the months, seasons, and trades of the peasant world
• One of the most unusual Carnival traditions in Sicily

Those visiting San Cono during the Carnival period also have the opportunity to discover the surrounding area: the village is famous for its prickly pear cultivation and is located in an area of inland Sicily rich in agricultural and gastronomic traditions, ideal to combine with a visit to the event.