Terlaner Unsinniger — Carnival Parade

The loudest carnival in the Bassa Atesina

In the heart of South Tyrol, along the Wine Road, the village of Terlano (Terlan) transforms every year on Fat Thursday — the Unsinniger Donnerstag of South Tyrolean tradition — into the stage for one of the most beloved carnival processions in the province of Bolzano. The Terlaner Unsinniger attracts thousands of spectators, both masked and unmasked, who crowd along the main street to watch the passage of allegorical floats, costumed groups, and grotesque figures.

A tradition born in 1971

The event has its roots in 1971, the year the Faschingskomitee Terlaner Unsinniger was founded, which has organized the event and preserved its spirit ever since. Over the decades, the parade has become a defining appointment for the entire village and the hamlets of Vilpiano (Vilpian) and Settequerce (Siebeneich), as well as for the neighboring municipality of Andriano, which participates with its own groups.

«Panzele, Panzele»: the cry of the carnival

The call «Panzele, Panzele» is the motto of the Terlano carnival: it echoes through all the streets of the village during the festivities and has become the symbol that makes this wine-growing village famous during the carnival season. Alongside the floats, the traditional Schnappviecher parade—monster masks with large mobile jaws typical of South Tyrolean folklore—together with imaginative handmade costumes and all kinds of extravagances.

The day's program

• Morning: photo contest for «the most beautiful mask in the audience».
• 1:00 PM: reading of the carnival chronicle in the square and departure of the procession, which crosses the town center.
• Around 3:30 PM: arrival of the parade in the square and «Panzele Panzele» party with music and DJs.
• From afternoon to evening: party in the heated tent at the Festplatz, with the awarding of the best floats and groups by a jury.

Useful information

Since 2019, due to the large turnout, access to the parade area requires a 5 euro entrance ticket (free for small children). The committee promotes an environmentally friendly carnival, using reusable cups. The Terlaner Unsinniger is an event that combines popular tradition, alpine folklore, and joy in one of the most characteristic villages of Trentino-South Tyrol.