Matino Carnival

The Matino Carnival, the town's masquerade festival

The Matino Carnival is the carnival event that every year, between February and March, colors the streets of Matino, a town of just over eleven thousand inhabitants in the province of Lecce, in the heart of the Apulian Salento. It is not the grand carnival of allegorical floats seen in neighboring cities, but an authentic village festival built around the school community and local associations: it is precisely this intimate and participatory dimension that makes it special.

A festival born from the school and the community

The event is promoted by the Matino Comprehensive School, with the involvement of the town's primary schools — including the N. Sauro and R. Gentile campuses — and with the patronage of the Municipal Administration of the City of Matino and the 'Sant'Ermete' Pro Loco. The latter, founded in 1977 and active for over forty years in the Salento area, has always been committed to the protection and enhancement of the historical, cultural, and archaeological heritage of Matino, and supports the school in organizing the parade.

How it works

The heart of the event is the masquerade parade of the little ones: the children, accompanied by teachers and families, set off in a procession from the Villa Comunale area and reach Piazza Umberto I, the elegant living room of Matino's town center, where the party ignites with music, confetti, and colorful costumes. It is an afternoon of shared joy in which the town gathers around its children, amidst traditional masks and creative disguises made at home and at school.

A Carnival for everyone, free of charge

Participation is open and free: no tickets are needed, and anyone can join the party along the route or in the square. It is an event designed especially for children and families, but capable of involving the entire Matino community in one of the few occasions of the year when Carnival truly takes to the streets. For those visiting Salento outside the summer season, it is also a genuine way to discover the life of an Apulian village in the middle of winter.

The dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been announced: as per tradition, the festival takes place during the Carnival period, between February and March, and will be communicated by the schools and the Pro Loco closer to the event.