Sant'Eraclio Carnival
The Boys' Carnival with papier-mâché floats in the hamlet of Foligno
About Sant'Eraclio Carnival
One of Umbria's historic carnivals
The Sant'Eraclio Carnival, also known as the Boys' Carnival, is one of the oldest and most beloved carnival events in Umbria. It takes place in the hamlet of Sant'Eraclio, on the outskirts of Foligno, in the Province of Perugia, and has attracted large crowds for decades thanks to its impressive papier-mâché allegorical floats.
Floats, masks, and workshops
The absolute protagonists are the floats, built by the village workshops, which parade through the streets of the hamlet on three Sundays in February. Hundreds of masks, along with choreographies from masked groups and dance schools, accompany the creations in a riot of music and colors. Each year, the floats tackle different themes, from current events to satire, from great classics to nostalgia for past years.
The village feast
The Sant'Eraclio Carnival is not just a parade: every evening, at the Carnival Tavern, you can taste local traditional specialties, in a festive atmosphere that involves the entire community of the hamlet. An event that combines spectacle, papier-mâché craftsmanship, and social interaction, renewing a tradition that has lasted for generations.
Sant'Eraclio Carnival — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of the Sant'Eraclio Carnival, the 63rd, took place on the three Sundays of February 1, 8, and 15 in the hamlet of Sant'Eraclio, near Foligno. The protagonists were six impressive papier-mâché allegorical floats created by the village workshops, accompanied by hundreds of masks and choreographies from masked groups and dance schools.
Among the competing creations were "Africania – the cry," "Grease," "We Deserve Extinction," "Popeye," "Pinocchio," and "The Fabulous 80s and 90s." The festival, accompanied each evening by the Carnival Tavern with local specialties, confirmed the identity of one of Umbria's oldest carnival events.
Programme Sant'Eraclio Carnival 2026
Masked Parades — Sundays in February 2026, Sant'Eraclio
- Sunday, February 1 — first masked parade
- Sunday, February 8 — second masked parade
- Sunday, February 15 — third masked parade
Papier-mâché Allegorical Floats
- Africania – the cry (Flash Back Workshop)
- Grease (Cartoons Workshop)
- We Deserve Extinction (Area 51 Workshop)
- Popeye (We Can 2.0 Workshop)
- The Fabulous 80s and 90s (The Maniacs Workshop)
- Pinocchio (I Pluss Workshop)
The parades, with hundreds of masks and choreographies from groups and dance schools, were enhanced by artists from the Academy Circus with "The Museum of Living Paintings." Every evening, the Carnival Tavern was open with local specialties.
Highlights Sant'Eraclio Carnival 2026
Prices Sant'Eraclio Carnival 2026
Practical information — Sant'Eraclio Carnival
How to get there
Sant'Eraclio is a hamlet of Foligno, reachable in a few minutes from the center. Foligno is a railway hub on the Rome-Ancona and Rome-Florence lines and can be reached by car from the SS3 Flaminia.
When
Three Sundays in February (masked parades). The Carnival Tavern with local specialties is open on festival days.
Admission
Street parades are free to attend; some events may require a ticket or contribution.
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Where does it take place — Sant'Eraclio Carnival
Frazione di Sant'Eraclio
Sant'Eraclio, 06034 Foligno