MascherAscea - Ascea Carnival

MascherAscea, the Carnival that unites the village and the coast

MascherAscea is the major Carnival celebration in Ascea, a town in the Province of Salerno overlooking the Cilento sea in Campania. It is not just a single parade, but a festive journey spanning several days that traverses the town's iconic locations: the center of Ascea Paese, the Stampella sports field, and the Ascea Marina seafront. The event is promoted by the Municipality of Ascea in collaboration with local associations and is designed to combine creativity, music, and community participation.

Three days, three different locations

The MascherAscea formula is now well-established: it starts high up in the village and ends by the sea. The first day is dedicated to the presentation and parade of the floats in Ascea Paese, accompanied by the choreography of costumed groups, highlighting the work of participants and the commitment of volunteers. The second day shifts gears and moves to the Stampella sports field, transformed into a large space for children with creative workshops and entertainment activities. The grand finale takes place in Ascea Marina, where the allegorical floats travel along the seafront before the awards ceremony and the DJ set that closes the festivities.

The district floats: a community effort

The most distinctive feature of the Ascea Carnival is the collective mobilization. In 2026, the entire community organized itself to create one float for every district, from the main town to the hillside hamlets: a group effort that involved families, children, and volunteers for weeks. Papier-mâché, choreography, and costumes are born in garages, warehouses, and courtyards, and the parade becomes the moment when each neighborhood showcases its results. It is a dynamic found in many Cilento carnivals, but here it takes on special value because the inhabited area is spread between the coast and the hills, and the festival is one of the rare occasions that brings everyone together in the same procession.

A Carnival designed for families

Compared to large city carnivals, MascherAscea remains a village-scale celebration, free and easy to enjoy even with small children. The afternoon in Stampella is entirely dedicated to them, while the parades take place in open streets and squares, with afternoon schedules and short distances. The recurring elements of the program are:

• presentation and parade of floats with costumed groups in Ascea Paese;
• afternoon for children at the Stampella sports field, with creative workshops and entertainment;
• final parade of allegorical floats on the Ascea Marina seafront;
• awards ceremony for the floats and participating groups;
• final DJ set in an atmosphere of music and conviviality;
• free access to public spaces, no ticket required.

Ascea, Velia, and the Cilento National Park

Ascea is best known for the Velia Archaeological Park, the ancient Elea founded by Phocaean colonists and home to the Eleatic school of Parmenides and Zeno, and for its long beaches within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. In February, the town experiences a very different atmosphere from the summer: the Carnival is one of the few occasions when the marina fills with people again, and for those visiting Cilento off-season, it is an authentic way to encounter local life. The hillside hamlets of Terradura, Mandia, and Catona, nestled among olive groves and chestnut woods, complete the picture of a municipality that lives at different altitudes, between sea and mountains.

When it takes place

MascherAscea follows the movable calendar of Carnival: events are concentrated in the days leading up to Shrove Tuesday and on Shrove Tuesday itself. In 2026, the event was held on Sunday the 15th, Monday the 16th, and Tuesday the 17th of February; in 2025, the dates were Saturday the 1st, Sunday the 2nd, and Tuesday the 4th of March. The Municipality of Ascea always provides backup dates in case of rain, ensuring no parade is lost and the program is fully respected.