Monterotondo Carnival (Eretino Carnival)

A popular tradition in the heart of the Roman Sabina

The Eretino Carnival, alongside the Feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot and the Estate Eretina, is one of the most deeply rooted folk events in Monterotondo. This town, located in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital in the Lazio region, overlooks the Tiber Valley at the gateway to the Sabina area. The adjective "eretino" stems from the community's historical name and is used to describe everything tied to the town's identity: the band, the associations, and the festivals.

As the Municipality of Monterotondo notes in its folklore section, the Carnival "reaches its peak on the last Sunday before Shrove Tuesday, with the parade of costumed groups through the city streets." This defines the event's character: it is not a parade of massive allegorical floats in the Viareggio style, but a grassroots community celebration where children, schools, parish groups, and neighborhood committees take center stage.

How the festival unfolds

The program typically spans several days and various locations across the city to ensure no neighborhood is left out. The historic center hosts the main event, with the procession winding through the squares and streets of the old town; the Passeggiata V. Nobili and the area around Piazza R. Borelli, at the foot of the Civic Tower, host afternoon entertainment. Some events also take place in Monterotondo Scalo, the populous district built around the railway station.

• Costumed group parade along the center's streets, starting from the meeting points designated annually by the organizers.
• Live music featuring the Eretina Musical Association Band and percussion groups.
• Children's entertainment: games, dances, face painting, shows, and confetti battles.
• Traditional Carnival sweets distributed in the squares: frappe, castagnole, and ciambelline.

Who organizes it

The event is promoted by the Municipality of Monterotondo in collaboration with the Fondazione Istituzione Culturale Monterotondo (ICM), which publishes an annual call for proposals to subsidize Carnival activities organized by local associations, committees, and schools. This model defines the festival's nature: the calendar is not dictated by a single entity but emerges from the sum of local initiatives, which are then compiled into a city-wide program.

Why it is worth visiting

Visitors from outside the area will find an authentic Carnival free of tourist filters, less than thirty kilometers from Rome. It is the perfect opportunity to discover a medieval historic center that remains off the beaten path, featuring the Palazzo Orsini-Barberini and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Maddalena, and to sample local cuisine: fava e pecorino, ciummacata (snail stew), and the oils and wines of the Sabina hills. All this takes place in a family-friendly, free, and child-oriented environment, where the festivities almost always conclude in the square with the sound of the town band.

A Carnival connected to the territory

In recent years, the Eretino Carnival has established itself as a unifying moment between the two souls of the city—the historic center on the hill and the Scalo district on the plain—with events distributed across both areas. The dates vary each year as they follow the movable Lenten calendar: it is always advisable to check the final program on the Municipality and Fondazione ICM channels in the weeks leading up to Shrove Tuesday.