San Raffaele Cimena Carnival

Carnival paints the hillside

Every winter, the San Raffaele Cimena Carnival, set in the hills overlooking the Turin plains, transforms the town streets into a stage of colors, masks, and cheer. Organized by the local administration in collaboration with regional associations and the Pro Loco, it is a festival that unites the entire community: from the little ones, stars of the mini-parades, to the adults who don historical costumes and accompany the procession through the streets of this town in the Province of Turin.

The Pelacurdin and the frolere

At the heart of the San Raffaele carnival tradition is the Famija Pelacurdin, the town's official masks. The name is rooted in the peasant world: farmers used to tie their produce with "curdin" (small cords) to take them to market, and once home, they would "peel" (pelare) them to reuse the cords; hence the playful nickname "pelacurdin" given to the inhabitants of San Raffaele. Every year, the Famija is renewed with an investiture ceremony, during which the Mounsù and the Madama Pelacurdin receive the traditional cloak from the mayor.

Accompanying the Pelacurdin are the frolere, who parade with their flower-adorned baskets to promote the Galucet strawberry, a typical product of the San Raffaele area. The figure of the Frola Galucet is one of the festival's most beloved symbols, inextricably linking the Carnival to the agricultural vocation of the hills.

A festival for the whole community

The program alternates between performance and participation: the gathering of masks at the town hall amphitheater, the parade through the streets accompanied by the local MotoClub, games in the square, and the children's mini-parade with a prize for the best costume. The Famija Pelacurdin also represents San Raffaele Cimena throughout the year at major traditional events in Piedmont, carrying the identity of the hills wherever they go.