Nichelino Carnival
Floats, confetti, and traditions just outside Turin
About Nichelino Carnival
The Nichelino Carnival: A Community Celebration
Established in 2016, the Nichelino Carnival has quickly become one of the most popular carnival parades in the southern belt of Turin. Organized by the Municipality of Nichelino in collaboration with Ascom Torino and numerous local associations, the event draws tens of thousands of spectators every year along the historic via Torino, the city's main commercial artery in the province of Turin, Piedmont.
Allegorical Floats and Performers
The highlight of the event is the grand Sunday parade, featuring papier-mâché floats from Nichelino and across Piedmont. The festival is part of the "Two Provinces Carnival" circuit, which links Nichelino, Rivoli, Barge, and Saluzzo, and hosts floats and masked groups from towns such as Mondovì, Villafalletto, Carmagnola, Pinerolo, Chieri, and Cavour. Over 2,500 participants take part, accompanied by the "G. Puccini" civic marching band, majorettes, and traditional Turin masks like Gianduja.
City Mascots
Nichelino has its own official mascots, Madama Farina and Monsù Panaté, who are "invested" each year at the opening of the Carnival at the "Nicola Grosa" social center and lead the parade aboard the city's official float representing Nichelino and Stupinigi.
A Carnival of Tradition and Social Awareness
Beyond the fun, the Nichelino Carnival often dedicates its floats to current social issues, such as the fight against gender-based violence. The event kicks off with the Children's Carnival in Piazza Giuseppe Di Vittorio, featuring entertainment, bouncy castles, face painting, cosplayers, and the free distribution of bugie, the traditional carnival pastries.
Why it's worth attending
- Free parade with over ten allegorical floats and thousands of participants
- High-profile anthropological guests such as the Sardinian Mamuthones
- Entertainment dedicated to families and children
- Easily accessible from Turin and the Stupinigi Royal Palace
Nichelino Carnival — edition 2026
The 10th edition of the Nichelino Carnival confirmed the event's success, with over 30,000 attendees and more than 2,500 participants in the parade. Organized by Ascom Torino with the municipal administration and the Patela Vache and Carosello Eventi associations, it brought the Municipality of Nichelino, in the Metropolitan City of Turin, to life for two days.
The theme of the year revolved around "Floats, confetti, and chatter". The winning float, "I thought it was love" by the Patela Vache association of Nichelino, scored 98 points by addressing the theme of gender-based violence.
Programme Nichelino Carnival 2026
Saturday, January 31 — Children's Carnival
- From 3:00 PM in Piazza Giuseppe Di Vittorio: entertainment, dancing, bouncy castles, face painting, superhero cosplayers, and free distribution of bugie
- Presentation of the new city float "I thought it was love" by the Patela Vache association, dedicated to raising awareness against gender-based violence
Sunday, February 1 — The Grand Parade
- 1:30 PM — Dressing of the Mamuthones in Piazza Camandona
- 2:00 PM — Start of the parade from Piazza Camandona along via Torino, arriving at via Massimo D'Azeglio
- 3:00 PM — Performance by the Mamuthones of Samugheo in front of the town hall: the archaic dance of the passion and death of the vegetation god
In the parade: 11 allegorical floats from Nichelino, Chieri, Pinerolo, Mondovì, Cavour, Villafalletto, and other Piedmontese towns, the "G. Puccini" civic marching band, the Gianduja mask, the Orbassano majorettes, and Batman on a motorcycle.
Highlights Nichelino Carnival 2026
Prices Nichelino Carnival 2026
Practical information — Nichelino Carnival
Getting there
Nichelino is located just a few kilometers south of Turin. By car, it can be reached via the Turin ring road (Nichelino/Stupinigi exit). By train, the Nichelino station is connected to the SFM (Metropolitan Railway Service) line. Numerous bus lines connect the city to the regional capital.
Admission
Admission to all Carnival events is completely free.
Practical tips
During the parade, via Torino and surrounding streets are closed to traffic: it is advisable to arrive early and park in areas outside the center. In case of bad weather, the parade is postponed, so it is useful to check for updates on the Municipality of Nichelino's official channels.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Nichelino Carnival
Via Torino e Piazza Giuseppe Di Vittorio
Via Torino, 10042 Nichelino