Montemiletto Carnival "La Zeza"

A Carnival that is folk theater

The Montemiletto Carnival is one of the most iconic events in Irpinia. Every year, in the town of Montemiletto (Avellino province, Campania), the streets of the center and the Montaperto hamlet turn into a sprawling stage where the entire community sings, acts, and dances. The heart of the festival is "La Zeza", a dialectal folk farce that blends theater, music, and dance into a choral celebration, organized by the Pro Loco Mons Militum APS together with local associations and the support of the municipal administration.

What is "La Zeza"?

La Zeza is a sung carnival farce, punctuated by the rhythm of the trombone and the bass drum. The action is not spoken in prose; it is entirely sung and accompanied by live music, while couples in traditional dress perform the quadrilles that accompany the procession through the town streets. The plot, passed down through generations, depicts a troubled marriage:

• Zeza — the mother, the mask that gives the entire performance its name;
• Pulcinella — the father, who wants to give his daughter's hand to the doctor;
• Porziella — the daughter, who is instead in love with the Sailor;
• Don Zenobio — the suitor doctor;
• The Sailor — the lover who eventually wins out.

The path concludes with the wedding celebration: in Piazza IV Novembre in Montemiletto and in Piazza Regina Elena in Montaperto, before an audience that participates as a protagonist rather than a spectator.

How the festival unfolds

The Montemiletto Carnival is not a single parade but a calendar of events spread across the "fat" days. Alongside the Zeza processions—which involve adults and children, with the "Zeza of the Grown-ups and Little Ones" format—there are local dance groups, such as A.S.D. Tilde Dance, floats and masked groups, masquerade parties with costume contests, entertainment for children, and cultural moments dedicated to the history of the tradition. In some editions, the festival has opened with the Serenade to the Bride, brought to the Bosco and Serra districts on the eve of the parades.

Recent editions

In 2025, the 46th edition took place from March 1st to 4th, with the opening serenade, the grand parade on Sunday, March 2nd, between Montaperto and Montemiletto, and the final performance on Shrove Tuesday. In 2026, the 47th edition brought the town to life on Friday the 13th, Sunday the 15th, and Tuesday the 17th of February, taking the Montemiletto Zeza outside the municipal borders as well: on Sunday the 15th, the group paraded along Corso Vittorio Emanuele in Avellino together with other folk groups from the province.

A heritage shared with all of Irpinia

The "zeze" are not exclusive to Montemiletto: they are part of a system of Irpinian carnivals that includes, among others, Montemarano with its dance, Mercogliano, Baiano, Castelvetere sul Calore, Paternopoli, and Montoro. What makes the Montemiletto Zeza so recognizable is its dual territorial soul, divided between the municipal capital and the hamlet of Montaperto, and the choice to involve schools and new generations so that the vernacular singing is not lost. For those arriving from outside the region, attending the Zeza is the most direct way to understand how inland Campania has preserved forms of folk theater that have disappeared elsewhere.

When to go and what to expect

The dates change every year because they follow the Carnival calendar: the event is concentrated between the end of February and the beginning of March, with the most intense moments on Sunday and Shrove Tuesday. Everything takes place outdoors and along the procession route: there are no stands or reserved seats; you follow the group on foot. It is a free, family-friendly event where a camera is more useful than a ticket.