Social Carnival of the Historic Center 2026

A Carnival Built from the Ground Up

The Social Carnival of the Historic Center is one of the most original and identity-driven events of the Carnival in Genoa. Not a parade imposed from above, but a community festival built through workshops, moments of shared preparation, and widespread activities that, in the preceding weeks, animate the Sestieri of Prè, Molo, and Maddalena, transforming streets, squares, and community hubs into places of meeting and collective construction.

The 2026 Theme: Monsters and Fears

The 2026 edition revolves around the theme "Here come the monsters – fears disappear": monsters, borrowed from the symbolic language of childhood, become imaginary figures useful for giving a face to what often remains hidden, to the fears and tensions that mark the present. A Carnival that, through play and masks, also becomes an occasion for collective reflection.

The Three Processions and the Final Party

The heart of the event is the three processions that start from the neighborhoods of Molo, Annunziata, and Lagaccio and converge in the city center. Accompanying them are street bands, buskers, street artists, dancers, musical groups, and jugglers. All routes meet in Piazza Matteotti, in front of Palazzo Ducale, for the grand final party made of music, dance, and performances open to all citizens.

A Carnival for the City

Promoted as part of the initiatives for the historic center of the Municipality of Genoa, the Social Carnival is proof of how a popular tradition can become a tool for cohesion and participation, restoring the alleyways to their vocation as a shared space.