Tirata del Carro of Fontanarosa – Feast of Maria SS. della Misericordia
The 28-meter-tall straw giant pulled by oxen in the heart of Irpinia
About Tirata del Carro
The straw giant of Irpinia
There is one day in Fontanarosa when the entire village lines up along the same rope. It is August 14th, when the Carro — a wooden obelisk entirely covered in woven straw, standing nearly 28 meters tall — leaves the Casa del Carro and is pulled by oxen through the village streets in honor of Maria Santissima della Misericordia. The so-called Tirata del Carro (The Pulling of the Cart) is one of the oldest and most recognizable traditions in Irpinia, in the province of Avellino, and represents the highlight of the local Ferragosto celebrations.
The municipality of Fontanarosa, with just under three thousand inhabitants at an altitude of 480 meters in the heart of inland Campania, prepares for this event for months. This is not a spectacle staged for tourists: it is a collective vow that is renewed, a promise made by the farming community to the Madonna in exchange for the harvest and the village's protection.
A devotion born from the earth
The tradition of votive obelisks has roots in ancient customs that celebrated the Earth as a source of fertility, later absorbed by the Christian faith. A decisive turning point came with the plague of 1656, which hit Fontanarosa hard and pushed Southern communities toward new forms of celebrating their patron saints.
The Carro in the form we know today dates back to 1860, when it was built under the guidance of Neapolitan artist Generoso Martini; the last major reconstruction of the structure took place in 1972. Along with other Irpinian obelisks, the Fontanarosa structure is part of the network of «grain festivals», where harvest straw becomes a medium for art and prayer.
How the Carro is born: months of work and woven straw
Construction takes place vertically, around a central pole that acts as a fulcrum, and is the work of local craftsmen who pass the trade down from father to son. The structure is divided into five levels, culminating in the dome, for a total height of approximately 27.28 meters. Each level is marked by 64 columns, sixteen of which are spiral, covered in hand-worked straw.
- the skeleton is made of wood, the «skin» is made of woven and stitched straw;
- the image of the Madonna del Carro is placed at the top;
- the dome is hoisted in the days leading up to the festival using a system of pulleys and levers;
- the Carro is mounted on an agricultural cart and remains the only one among the Irpinian obelisks to be pulled by oxen rather than tractors.
The day of the Tirata
The day of August 14th begins early, with the marching band parading through the village, the blessing and handing of sashes to the captains, and the arrival and blessing of the oxen. In the late afternoon, the ropes are released and the actual pulling begins: the funaioli (rope-pullers) and hundreds of participants — divided into front, side, and rear sectors — take hold of the ropes and accompany the straw colossus for several hours, amidst stops, songs, and dances by the youth. The most delicate point of the route is the famous curve of Via Primo Maggio, where the bulk of the Carro brushes against the houses and every maneuver is followed with bated breath.
Rites, processions, and music
The Tirata is not an isolated event: a calendar of rites revolves around August 14th, marking the Fontanarosa summer. There is the procession of the «gregne» (sheaves of wheat offered to the Madonna), the pulling of the children's carrettone (mini-cart), the exhibition of the Madonna, the mass celebrated under the Carro, the raising of the dome, and, once the festival is over, the lowering of the dome with the procession toward the Sanctuary of Maria SS. della Misericordia.
On the evenings of Ferragosto, Piazza Cristo Re hosts concerts and shows: in recent years, artists such as Eugenio Bennato, Bandabardò and Cisco, Enzo Gragnaniello, Almamegretta, and the Bottari di Macerata Campania have performed here, alongside brass band concerts and fireworks.
Fontanarosa, the village of stone and straw
Those who arrive for the Carro discover an Irpinian village also known for its marble and stone craftsmanship, with artisan workshops, a civic museum, and the Marian Sanctuary. Surrounding it is the inland Campania landscape of hills cultivated with wheat and vineyards: a context that helps explain why, here, a straw obelisk is considered a monument.
Tirata del Carro — edition 2026
The 2026 edition
In Fontanarosa, in the province of Avellino, the festival calendar is already in motion well before Ferragosto. The Pro Loco «La Fonte» opened registration for the Tirata on Monday, July 13, 2026 for the front and side sectors, and Monday, July 20, 2026 for the rear sector: a sign of how deeply felt participation in the ropes is, the front sector has reached the maximum number of participants and is now closed.
The highlight is set for Friday, August 14, 2026, when the Carro — five levels of wood and woven straw crowned by a dome, reaching a height of about 28 meters — will be pulled by oxen and hundreds of participants through the town center, ending with the songs and dances of the youth.
Waiting for the Straw Giant
The prelude is entrusted to Saturday, August 8, 2026: at 5:00 PM, starting from the civic museum, «Waiting for the Straw Giant» will take place, a poetic and meditative walk curated by cultural journalist and meditation instructor Maria Ianniciello, part of the traveling exhibition «Through villages and paths» of the «Awaken your essence» project, sponsored by the Municipality of Fontanarosa. The program includes meditation and poetry at the museum, the story of the straw-working process that creates the obelisk, the walk toward the Sanctuary of Maria SS. della Misericordia and the parish of San Nicola with historical commentary, and a final aperitif.
The musical lineup
The evenings are concentrated as always in Piazza Cristo Re, with free admission. For 2026, the concert by Dadà has already been announced for the evening of August 14th, following the day of the Tirata, and that of Dargen D'Amico on Sunday, August 16th at 9:00 PM: the Milanese singer-songwriter, rapper, and producer brings his blend of pop, electronica, and ironic lyrics to the square, with free admission. The rest of the lineup — religious celebrations, brass band concerts, and fireworks that have accompanied names like Eugenio Bennato, Enzo Gragnaniello, and Almamegretta in past years — will be released by the Festival Committee, the Municipality of Fontanarosa, and the Pro Loco «La Fonte» in the weeks leading up to Ferragosto.
Programme Tirata del Carro 2026
Registration for the Tirata
- Monday, July 13, 2026 — registration opens for the front sector and side sectors at the Pro Loco «La Fonte» office, Polo Associativo «Salvatore Fucci», via Municipio 5, Monday to Saturday 9:00 AM–1:00 PM and 4:00 PM–8:00 PM.
- Monday, July 20, 2026 — registration opens for the rear sector. The front sector has meanwhile reached the maximum number of registrants and is closed.
- By August 10, 2026 — non-residents of the Municipality of Fontanarosa must send the application form, downloadable from official websites, along with a copy of a valid ID, to the address [email protected]; after verification, they will receive a unique code to collect their bracelet. Participation of minors is allowed only with the documentation required by the regulations.
Saturday, August 8, 2026
- 5:00 PM — «Waiting for the Straw Giant»: poetic and meditative walk starting from the civic museum. Meditation and poetry, history of the straw-working process, walk toward the Sanctuary of Maria SS. della Misericordia and the parish of San Nicola with historical commentary by a local expert, final aperitif. Curated by Maria Ianniciello, sponsored by the Municipality of Fontanarosa.
Friday, August 14, 2026
- The Tirata del Carro: the straw obelisk leaves the Casa del Carro and is pulled by oxen and registered participants through the village streets, passing the curve of Via Primo Maggio and arriving in the center of Fontanarosa. In recent editions, the departure has been set in the late afternoon, between 6:00 PM and 6:30 PM, for a duration of several hours.
- In the evening, celebrations in Piazza Cristo Re in honor of Maria SS. della Misericordia, with a concert by Dadà.
Sunday, August 16, 2026
- 9:00 PM, Piazza Cristo Re — concert by Dargen D'Amico, Milanese singer-songwriter, rapper, and producer, blending pop, electronica, and lyrics full of irony and social reflection. Free admission.
Religious service times and the full schedule for other days of the 2026 Fontanarosa Ferragosto (processions, preparatory rites, brass band concerts, fireworks) will be released by the Festival Committee, the Municipality of Fontanarosa, and the Pro Loco «La Fonte» in the days leading up to the festival.
Highlights Tirata del Carro 2026
- Friday, August 14, 2026: The Great Tirata del Carro through the center of Fontanarosa, in the province of Avellino.
- A wooden and woven straw obelisk nearly 28 meters high, divided into five levels and crowned by a dome.
- The only cart in Irpinia still pulled by oxen, along with hundreds of people lined up along the ropes.
- Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM: «Waiting for the Straw Giant», a poetic and meditative walk between the civic museum, the Sanctuary, and the parish of San Nicola.
- The passage of the curve of Via Primo Maggio, the most delicate and anticipated point of the route.
- Access to the ropes reserved for registered participants with a bracelet, with front, side, and rear sectors.
- Sunday, August 16, 2026 at 9:00 PM in Piazza Cristo Re: free concert by Dargen D'Amico; on August 14th, in the evening, a concert by Dadà.
Prices Tirata del Carro 2026
Practical information — Tirata del Carro
How to get there
Fontanarosa is located in eastern Irpinia, in the province of Avellino, at an altitude of 480 meters. The main road reference is the A16 Naples–Canosa motorway, from which you continue along the state and provincial roads of the Ufita Valley; by train, the reference is the Campania regional network, with a final leg by bus.
Where it takes place
The Carro departs from the Casa del Carro and crosses the town center, with the most spectacular passage along the curve of Via Primo Maggio; the heart of the evenings is Piazza Cristo Re. The Sanctuary of Maria SS. della Misericordia and the parish of San Nicola Maggiore host the religious celebrations.
Tips
- Arrive well in advance on August 14th: the village is small and parking fills up quickly.
- Wear closed, comfortable shoes if you intend to participate in the pulling; bring a hat and water for the hottest hours.
- To pull the Carro, you need the bracelet issued after registration at the Pro Loco «La Fonte».
- Always follow the instructions of the captains and security staff: the structure is enormous and maneuvers require space.
Contacts
Pro Loco «La Fonte» — Polo Associativo «Salvatore Fucci», via Municipio 5, 83040 Fontanarosa (AV). Phone +39 327 2007663, e-mail [email protected]. Municipality of Fontanarosa: +39 0825 475003.
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Where does it take place — Tirata del Carro
Centro storico e Piazza Cristo Re
Piazza Cristo Re, 83040 Fontanarosa