Velletri Popular Carnival

The carnival of the 'vignaroli', the pride of Velletri

The Velletri Popular Carnival is one of the most cherished festivals in Velletri, a town in the Castelli Romani area within the Metropolitan City of Rome, in the Lazio region. Revived in its modern form in the early 1980s—the 1983 edition marked the rebirth of the tradition—the carnival is deeply rooted in the rural culture of the vignaroli, the winemakers who have worked the Velletri hills for centuries. Today, the event is promoted by the Municipality of Velletri in collaboration with the Associazione Vignaroli Velletrani APS and supported by the historic Università del Carnevale, which preserves the customs and memory of the festival.

Gurgumiello, the mask of Velletri

Leading every procession is Gurgumiello, the official mask of Velletri created in 1982 by Professor Giancarlo Soprano. He represents an "affluent winemaker" from the late 18th to early 19th century: simple manners but not without culture, wearing red trousers known as "zompafósso", white wool socks, a white shirt with lace collars adorned with small bells, a black waist sash, an elongated brown hood, and holding a bamboo cane. The name originates from the poem "The Battle of Marino" by Giovanni Battista Iachini and reflects the character's convivial and ironic nature.

The 2026 edition: a record-breaking ten floats

The 2026 edition, held from February 1st to 17th, showcased ten allegorical floats, a record number for recent decades, built by local craftsmen:

• Re Carnevalone (Michele Di Stazio)
• Coco (Vania Borro)
• Eurodisney (Daniele Caponera and Daniele De Rossi)
• Grease (Sabrina Di Stazio)
• Hansel and Gretel (Maria Stella Giuliani)
• Beauty and the Beast (Moira Feudo)
• Nature (Sandro Ceccacci)
• Salento Magic (Massimo Trenta)
• Stitch (Simone Calcari)
• Space Fun (Gianfranco Trenta)

Alongside the floats, masked groups from local associations and schools parade in a colorful procession involving thousands of spectators.

The parades in the historic center

The parades take place on the three Sundays preceding Shrove Tuesday and on Shrove Tuesday itself. The procession usually starts from Piazza Caduti sul Lavoro around 3:00 PM, travels along Corso della Repubblica, crosses Piazza Mazzini and Piazza Cairoli, and reaches Piazza Garibaldi for a short stop before returning. During the first outing, the mayor symbolically hands the "Keys to the City"—designed in 2015 by Romolo Rossetti of the Università del Carnevale—to King Carnival: for two weeks, the city belongs to the festival.

Children's Party, Grandparents' Party, and Shrove Tuesday

The program is designed for all generations: the Children's Party brings Shrove Thursday to life with games and entertainment, while the Grandparents' Party celebrates the community's elders. The grand finale on Shrove Tuesday brings the closing celebration to the square with the awards for the float builders and the traditional burning of King Carnival, which concludes the festivities according to ancient custom.

A free festival for everyone

All parades and parties are free to attend. A Ferris wheel is installed in Piazza Garibaldi, offering an unusual view of the historic center and the vineyards of the Castelli Romani. Just a short distance from Rome, the Velletri Popular Carnival is the perfect opportunity to discover Velletri, its winemaking tradition, and its most authentic popular spirit.