Tricase Carnival — I masci de na fiata

A community carnival in Lower Salento

The Tricase Carnival — I masci de na fiata is the signature carnival event of Tricase, a town in Lower Salento in the province of Lecce, Apulia. It is a carnival deeply distinct from those centered on grand allegorical floats: the absolute protagonist is the masciu (plural masci), the traditional folk mask of Tricase. In the past, in a region defined by a rural economy and hardship, locals would disguise themselves using everyday objects found at home, creating original and improvised costumes.

The 'masciate' and the tradition of the 'masci'

The heart of the festival lies in the masciate: once masked, the 'masci' would gather in the squares of the neighborhoods and hamlets of Tricase for convivial moments filled with dancing and singing, accompanied by guitars or improvised instruments. Groups would visit the elderly and community figures, reciting satirical verses in the local dialect in exchange for seasonal fruit or traditional sweets like dried figs. The figure of the masciu symbolically embodies the identity of Tricase and its various hamlets, united under one municipality: Caprarica, Tutino, Tricase Porto, Depressa, Lucugnano, Sant'Eufemia, and the town center.

Parades and the selection of the 'zzita'

Alongside the 'masciate' in the neighborhoods, the program features parades of masks and the presentation of the zzite, the carnival brides representing the various Tricase hamlets. The city welcomes them in Piazza Cappuccini, the symbolic hub of the festivities, where the selection of the 'zzita' takes place on the final day of the carnival, amidst music, performances, and family participation.

Who organizes the festival

The event is organized by the APS Pro Loco Tricase in collaboration with the Municipality of Tricase, with artistic direction by the Tricasèmia association. The stated goal is to safeguard and contemporarily reinterpret the carnival arts that have shaped the Tricase area, returning a unique folk tradition to the new generations of Salento.

Why it is worth experiencing

• An authentic community carnival, far from the commercial logic of major events
• The folk masks of the masci, an intangible heritage of Salento
• Live music, dancing, and songs in the local dialect in the squares of Tricase
• An opportunity to discover the historic center and the hamlets of the city during the carnival season