Smerillo Carnival

The Carnival of the highest village in the Marche region

In Smerillo, a tiny municipality in the Province of Fermo perched at 806 meters above sea level on the ridge of Monte Falcone, Carnival is above all a community celebration. There are no giant floats or crowds of tourists here: there is the warmth of a village that comes together in the midst of winter to fill its Sala degli Artisti with colors and masks. This is the cultural space of the village that hosts reviews, presentations, and exhibitions during the year. It is a village-sized Carnival, where everyone knows each other and where the festival is primarily an occasion for intergenerational encounters.

Two masked events

The program traditionally consists of two distinct moments. The first is an afternoon primarily for children, but open to all: the costume contest is the highlight, with a prize for the most beautiful mask, designed to stimulate the imagination and creativity of the little ones. The second event is an evening for all ages, with music, group dances, and entertainment to celebrate Carnival in a carefree and convivial way.

A convivial feast

The distinctive feature of the Smerillo Carnival is its conviviality: on both occasions, the organization offers dinner to participants, while typical Carnival sweets and drinks brought by families to enrich and share the feast are welcome. It is this spirit of collective participation that makes the event a cherished occasion for the small Smerillo community, capable of enlivening the village during the coldest days of the year.

Smerillo, the "roof of the Marche"

Known as one of the most picturesque villages in the Fermo hinterland, Smerillo dominates the Tenna and Aso valleys from above, with views that on clear days reach the Adriatic Sea. The village houses the famous Bosco di Smerillo with the spectacular rocky fissure called La Fessa, the Museum of Fossils and Minerals, and the Art Gallery of Contemporary Art. Experiencing Carnival here means discovering an authentic corner of the Marche, far from the most crowded tourist routes, where popular traditions remain a heritage shared by the entire community.