Rieti Carnival

The Carnival of the Sabine capital

The Rieti Carnival is the most anticipated winter event in the Rieti area. Every year, on the central Sunday of the Carnival season, the Municipality of Rieti closes the main streets of the city center to traffic to make way for the masked parade: a procession that stretches for about a kilometer, featuring allegorical floats, walking groups, and musical ensembles. The event is organized by Pro Loco Rieti in collaboration with the municipal administration and involves dozens of local associations every year.

Twenty floats and a province in celebration

What makes this event unique is its provincial scale: the floats do not just come from the capital, but from numerous towns in the Rieti area, each with its own group of participants and float-building team. Alongside the large allegorical floats, walking masked groups and schools from the city parade, showcasing a level of involvement that spans generations. The themes range from children's fairy tales to the circus, from the Wild West to ancient Egypt, and even tributes to local folklore and the Terminillo mountain.

The route through the heart of the city

The gathering traditionally takes place on Via Mercatanti, in front of the Perseo Shopping Center, where the parade kicks off in the early afternoon. The procession then travels along Viale Matteucci, Via Sacchetti Sassetti, and Via Salaria towards Porta Romana, touches Piazza della Repubblica and Via Raccuini, before returning to the starting point. This route allows the public to follow the parade from multiple vantage points and passes through some of the most recognizable landmarks of Rieti, a city that has claimed the title of Umbilicus Italiae—the geographical center of the peninsula—for centuries.

Music, entertainment, and Carnival sweets

Along the route, music stations managed by local DJs and presenters are set up to accompany the floats and keep the energy high throughout the day. There is no shortage of entertainment designed for children and families, with games and Carnival-themed activities. At the end of the parade, the celebration continues on a stage set up in the city center, where awards for the floats are presented and musical guests perform.

• About 20 allegorical floats from across the province of Rieti
• Walking masked groups, schools, and marching bands
• DJ stations along the entire route
• Food stalls with traditional Carnival sweets
• Free admission

The taste of the Rieti Carnival

The food stalls, managed by Pro Loco Rieti together with the Provincial Chefs Association and the Porta Romana District, deserve a special mention. The selection is dedicated primarily to traditional Carnival sweets—frappe, castagnole, and Sabine specialties—which accompany the public throughout the day. It is a way to connect the masked celebration with the local popular cuisine in a region, Lazio, where street food remains an integral part of every festivity.

A tradition that involves the entire Rieti area

The Rieti masked parade is not an isolated event: it is part of a provincial Carnival calendar that touches numerous towns in the area, from Contigliano to other centers in the Rieti region, each with its own parades and masks. The capital's Carnival serves as the main reference point, where groups and floats built in the preceding months in warehouses scattered across the province converge. For those visiting Lazio in winter, it is an opportunity to discover an authentically popular festival, far from the major tourist circuits but capable of filling the streets with thousands of people.