Pastorano Carnival

The Pastorano Carnival, the most anticipated winter festival

In Pastorano, a town of just over three thousand inhabitants in the province of Caserta, Campania, the Carnival is no ordinary event: it is the moment the entire town takes to the streets. The Pastorano Carnival combines parades of allegorical floats, masked groups, music, and dancing in a genuinely popular format that involves local families, youth, and associations, far from the tourist-driven ambitions of larger historical carnivals.

The event takes place during the Carnival season—between February and early March, depending on the liturgical calendar—and typically spans several days: Fat Thursday, Carnival Sunday, and Shrove Tuesday, when the parade reaches its peak participation.

The 2026 edition: "The Land of Dreams"

The 2026 edition was announced by the Municipality of Pastorano and the organizing association under the theme "The Land of Dreams," a fairytale thread designed to inspire the floats, decorations, and costumes of the masked groups. The official presentation of the 2026 Pastorano Carnival was hosted by Walter De Rosa and promoted through the event's social media channels, a sign of how much the community values this tradition.

Allegorical floats, the heart of the festival

True to the best Campanian traditions, the allegorical floats are the centerpiece of the festivities: structures built by local groups in the months prior, brought to life during the parade by costumed performers dancing to the rhythm of music blaring from the floats themselves. The rest of the program revolves around them:

• Allegorical float parades along the town streets
• Masked groups and choreographies organized by local associations
• Musical and dance group performances
• Games and entertainment for children
• Convivial moments with masks, confetti, and traditional Carnival sweets

An association born to grow the tradition

The Pastorano Carnival found a stable organizational structure with the creation of the Carnevale di Pastorano Association, chaired by Simone Carusone. The association's goal is to sustain and expand this popular festival, managing the float parades, musical and dance performances, and children's activities. It is a common model in the towns of the Caserta province, where the Carnival survives and renews itself thanks to volunteer work and the craftsmanship of entire families.

Pastorano, a village in the Alto Casertano

Pastorano sits at 67 meters above sea level, about 15 kilometers northwest of Caserta and forty kilometers from Naples, and includes the hamlets of Pantuliano, San Secondino, and Torre Lupara. It is an agricultural territory in the Alto Casertano, just a stone's throw from Capua and the Volturno plain, where the Carnival is one of the most deeply rooted traditions: within a few kilometers, there are dozens of parades, ranging from the most ancient and prestigious to local town events like this one.

Why it's worth visiting

Those who arrive in Pastorano during the Carnival days will find an authentic, free, and family-friendly festival, far removed from the logic of mass events. It is an opportunity to see firsthand how a community carnival in Campania is born and thrives, to bring children in costume without excessive crowds, and to discover a corner of the Caserta province that rarely appears on tourist itineraries.