Monturanese Carnival

The Monturanese Carnival

The Monturanese Carnival is the grand folk festival of Monte Urano, a municipality in the Province of Fermo in the Marche region. Founded in 1977, it is an event deeply rooted in the town's identity: it's not just a parade, but a true challenge among the eight city districts, which spend weeks building parade floats and preparing costumes and choreography.

The Challenge of the Eight Districts

The heart of the event is the competition between the districts of San Pietro, 167, Incancellata, Stadio, San Lorenzo, Centro, Sant'Andrea, and Scala Santa. Each district chooses a theme, creates its own float — often inspired by fantasy worlds and folk legends, many built with recycled materials — and fields its masked participants. A technical jury, observing incognito during the parades, evaluates the floats, costumes, and choreography to declare the winning district, awarded the traditional King Carnival Hat.

A Community Event

The Monturanese Carnival is much more than a festival: it's a large community project involving the entire town. Schools participate with papier-mâché and graphic design workshops, while the community centers "Icaro" and "Il Girasole" host hundreds of children in creative workshops each year. A "Carnival House," provided by the municipal administration, hosts the float construction. Organized by the Pro Loco of Monte Urano with the support of the Municipality, the event is an expression of widespread volunteerism and a strong sense of belonging.

Tradition and Record Numbers

With almost half a century of history, the Carnival has grown to attract thousands of spectators: recent editions have seen over ten thousand attendees and up to a thousand participants. The parades run through Via Papa Giovanni XXIII, Via Borgo Nuovo, and the historic center loop, concluding in Piazza della Libertà, where the performances, awards, and the ritual burning of the King Carnival effigy take place. Admission is completely free.