Sammichelese Carnival

A village carnival running since 1960

The Sammichelese Carnival is the most anticipated winter event in San Michele di Serino, a town of just over two thousand residents in the province of Avellino, nestled in the heart of the Irpinia region in Campania. The event has been running since 1960: decades of parades, dancing, and music have turned the Carnival into a deeply rooted tradition, passed down through generations and organized by the Municipality alongside the Pro Loco «Sabe Maioris».

Masks, bonfires, and parades through the village streets

The festival's script remains largely unchanged year after year, and it is this very continuity that makes it so recognizable. Everything begins with the gathering of the masks in the main square in the early afternoon: homemade costumes, organized groups, and children and adults alike join in. From there, the parade winds through the village streets, accompanied by brass bands and the sounds of traditional Irpinian folk music. In some editions, the festivities are officially kicked off by the lighting of the bonfire in Piazza Umberto I, a ritual that symbolically marks the start of the celebrations.

• Gathering of the masks and procession through the town center
• Masked groups and traveling performers visiting from other Irpinian towns
• Folk music, dancing, and brass bands along the route
• Lighting of the bonfire and entertainment in the square
• Photo contest and food tastings in Piazza Municipio

The «Carnevale Muorto» ritual

The most distinctive moment arrives on Shrove Tuesday, when the masks gather for the funeral procession of the Carnival. The festival concludes with the popular performance of the «Carnevale Muorto», sometimes billed as «E' muorto Carnuvale» or «'A morte 'e Carnevale». This is a theatrical tradition found throughout the inland areas of Campania: the Carnival puppet is mourned, carried in a procession, and finally bid farewell, marking the transition from the time of excess to the austerity of Lent. In San Michele di Serino, the staging has been entrusted over the years to local theater groups, such as «La Bottega del Sottoscala», which performed it in Piazza Municipio in 2023.

Tastings and conviviality in Piazza Municipio

As with any Irpinian village festival, food is an essential part of the program. In Piazza Municipio, the heart of the Carnival festivities, there have been tastings of local products, food stalls, and entertainment for all ages over the years, alongside side events like the photo contest dedicated to the masks. It is the perfect opportunity to sample the flavors of the valley and to reunite residents and those who have returned to the village for the occasion.

San Michele di Serino, a village in Irpinia

Situated at an altitude of 364 meters just a few kilometers from Avellino, San Michele di Serino borders Serino and Cesinali and has about 2,400 inhabitants across a territory of just 4.5 square kilometers. The patron saint is Saint Michael the Archangel, celebrated on September 29th. The local calendar is not limited to Carnival: throughout the year, the village also hosts the Festa della Tammorra in June and the San Michele in Arte festival in August, signs of a vibrant community life for such a small town.

The 2026 edition

The Municipality and the Pro Loco «Sabe Maioris» have announced that San Michele di Serino will host the 2026 edition of the Sammichelese Carnival, but the detailed program has not yet been finalized and the dates have not been confirmed by official sources. Those wishing to attend should keep an eye on the channels of the Municipality and the Pro Loco, which typically publish the event poster a few weeks before Shrove Tuesday.