Mascarata Serinese - Serino Carnival
The historic Carnival of Irpinia featuring masks, tarantella, and imaginary weddings
About Mascarata Serinese
The Mascarata Serinese, the historic Carnival of Irpinia
In Serino, a town in the province of Avellino, Campania, Carnival is not a parade of floats: it is a dance. The Mascarata Serinese is a sweeping, choral round dance where men and women, hidden behind colorful masks and festive attire, perform the imaginary wedding of a bride and groom while moving through the town streets to the driving rhythm of the band. It is one of the most authentic expressions of Irpinian folklore and is included in the inventory of the intangible cultural heritage of Campania.
From the origins in Casalbuonomini to the three districts
The tradition has its roots in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Casalbuonomini area, where a local family created a ritual destined to spread and evolve. Over the decades, the Mascarata has become deeply rooted in three districts of Serino — San Biagio, Rivottoli, and Canale — each with its own group and unique nuances. Until the 1970s and 80s, participation was reserved for men, following a custom reminiscent of the Commedia dell'Arte: today, women parade alongside them, and the festival has become the heritage of the entire community.
The characters and the 'A Mascarata tarantella
The procession is led by the bell'ommo (the handsome man), who opens the line and sets the pace, followed by the belli e belle (the handsome men and women), the wedding guests in flamboyant outfits. The soundtrack is the Serinese tarantella 'A Mascarata, passed down orally from generation to generation and performed by an unmistakable ensemble: two bass drums, two snare drums, two saxophones, two clarinets, and a tuba. This creates a sound with an almost Rossini-esque flavor, accompanying rhythmic, sweeping steps for hours without ever relying on recorded music.
- The Prim'ommo: the iconic mask of the Serinese tradition
- The bride, groom, and wedding party: the narrative core of the dance
- The band: live brass and percussion only
- The Carnuale Muorto: the closing ritual on Shrove Tuesday
Organizers
The event is managed by the Associazione MA.BI. Mascarata Serinese APS/ASD, based on Via Terminio in San Biagio di Serino, supported by other local historical groups — Rivus and Mascarata Canalese — and backed by the Municipality of Serino. The association is a member of the National Coordination of Italian Masks and brings the Mascarata far beyond the borders of Irpinia.
A national recognition
Since March 1, 2026, the costume of the Prim'ommo has been on display at the Museum of Civilizations in Rome: a recognition that places the Mascarata Serinese among the most significant Italian Carnival traditions, alongside the most famous masks of the peninsula.
Twinning with Courmayeur
In 2026, the Mascarata established a twinning with Lé Beuffon de Courmayeur, a historic group from the Aosta Valley Carnival at the foot of Mont Blanc. The two communities discovered a surprising similarity in their rituals, costumes, and sense of belonging: a cultural bridge between Irpinia and the Alps that led the Serinese to perform at high altitude and the Aosta Valley group to parade through the streets of Serino and Ravello.
When to go
The Mascarata takes place from late January to Shrove Tuesday, with events spread across San Biagio, Sala di Serino, and neighboring towns, culminating in the grand One Hundred Carnivals of Irpinia festival in Avellino. The parades are free and held outdoors: just show up in the square, preferably in costume, and let yourself be carried away by the rhythm.
Mascarata Serinese — edition 2026
An edition marked by the Alpine twinning
The 2026 Carnival of Serino, in the province of Avellino, was the first to bring friends from Lé Beuffon de Courmayeur, a historic group from the Aosta Valley Carnival, to Irpinia. The meeting between the two traditions — the rural one of the Sabato Valley and the Alpine one at the foot of Mont Blanc — revealed surprising similarities in costumes, rhythms, and the communal value of the ritual.
The two groups also paraded together outside Irpinia, bringing masks and drums through the streets of Ravello, on the Amalfi Coast, before returning to Serino for the official presentation of the twinning.
The edition closed on Shrove Tuesday, February 17, with the joint gathering of the Serinese groups and the traditional Carnuale Muorto, the symbolic funeral of the Carnival that marks the beginning of Lent. A few days later, on March 1, 2026, the costume of the Prim'ommo entered the collections on display at the Museum of Civilizations in Rome.
Programme Mascarata Serinese 2026
Saturday, January 31, 2026 — San Biagio di Serino
- 7:00 PM — Masked parade through the streets of the district
- 9:00 PM — Traditional costume dinner at the Caritas Center in San Biagio with the group Lé Beuffon de Courmayeur
Sunday, February 1, 2026 — Ravello and Sala di Serino
- Morning — Masked parade through the center of Ravello, on the Amalfi Coast, with Lé Beuffon de Courmayeur
- 2:30 PM — Gathering in Piazza Ciccarelli in Sala di Serino, official presentation of the twinning and grand parade with music, colors, and folk dances
Sunday, February 8, 2026 — San Biagio di Serino
- 1:30 PM — Departure of the procession from Piazza Forcellata
Sunday, February 15, 2026 — Avellino
- 10:00 AM — Official parade as part of the «One Hundred Carnivals of Irpinia»
- Afternoon — Return of the groups and parade in Serino
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 — Serino
- 2:00 PM — Joint gathering of groups in Sala di Serino
- 8:00 PM — Grand finale in San Biagio with the «Carnuale Muorto» ritual
Highlights Mascarata Serinese 2026
- Official twinning with Lé Beuffon de Courmayeur, a historic Aosta Valley Carnival group
- Joint parade in Ravello, on the Amalfi Coast
- The grand procession in Piazza Ciccarelli in Sala di Serino, the heart of the festival
- Participation in the «One Hundred Carnivals of Irpinia» in Avellino
- The Carnuale Muorto ritual on Shrove Tuesday in San Biagio
- Exhibition of the Prim'ommo costume at the Museum of Civilizations in Rome from March 1, 2026
Prices Mascarata Serinese 2026
Practical information — Mascarata Serinese
How to get there
Serino is located a few kilometers from Avellino, along the SS574 state road of Monte Terminio. By car: A16 Naples-Canosa motorway, take the Avellino Ovest exit, then follow signs for Serino; from Salerno, head up the Sabato Valley. The main parades take place in the San Biagio district (Piazza Forcellata) and in Sala di Serino (Piazza Ciccarelli).
Public transport
Serino is connected to Avellino and Salerno by regional bus lines; the reference train station is Avellino, while the nearest airports are Naples Capodichino and Salerno Costa d'Amalfi.
Admission
Street parades are free and open to everyone, with no tickets or reservations required. Social costume dinners organized by the association, however, require booking.
Rules
During the parades, the use of spray, eggs, flour, and irritants is prohibited.
Contact
Associazione MA.BI. Mascarata Serinese APS/ASD — Via Terminio 106, San Biagio di Serino (AV) — email: [email protected] — phone: +39 335 1296901 — website: carnevaleserinese.it
Tips
Dress in layers: in late winter, Irpinia is cold and the processions last several hours. Arrive a little early to find parking in the districts, where roads are closed to traffic during the passage of the Mascarata.
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Where does it take place — Mascarata Serinese
Frazione San Biagio di Serino e piazza Ciccarelli (Sala di Serino)
Via Terminio 106, 83028 Serino