Salitano Carnival

The Salaparuta Carnival

The Salitano Carnival is the signature carnival event of the small town of Salaparuta, located in the province of Trapani, in the heart of the Belice Valley in western Sicily. For a few days, typically between late February and early March, the town sets aside its daily quietude and fills with masks, music, and cheer, in a celebration that involves children, families, schools, and local associations.

Masquerade Evenings

The heart of the event is the "Nick La Rocca" Auditorium, which hosts the Salitano Carnival's festive evenings. The program alternates between moments designed for the little ones, such as the afternoon "Children's Carnival", and evenings dedicated to adults, with dancing and masquerade fun until late at night. The festival concludes with the traditional "Carnevalone", the final grand night of music and dance that bids farewell to the Carnival season.

A Community Celebration

The Salitano Carnival is a deeply popular and participatory event. Alongside the local municipality, the festival is brought to life by local groups and associations, while the parades through the town streets involve students from preschool, primary, and middle schools. In the past, the parades have featured evocative themes such as "Peoples of the World," with costumes and choreography that transformed the streets of Salaparuta into a small journey through different cultures.

• Masquerade evenings at the "Nick La Rocca" Auditorium
• The "Children's Carnival" dedicated to families
• The masquerade night with music and dancing
• The final "Carnevalone" to close the festivities

Salaparuta and the Belice Valley

Salaparuta is one of the towns in the Belice Valley rebuilt after the devastating 1968 earthquake, which almost completely razed the old settlement to the ground. Today's town stands in a different location than the ancient center and maintains a strong sense of community identity: festivals like the Salitano Carnival are a way to strengthen local bonds and keep the social life of this small inland town vibrant, just a few kilometers from Poggioreale and other centers in the valley.