Vico Equense Carnival
Three days of masks, floats, and parades through the town centre and the hills of the Sorrento Coast
About Vico Equense Carnival
The Vico Equense Carnival, the festival of the Sorrento winter
Every year, between February and March, Vico Equense breaks the winter quiet of the Sorrento Coast to transform into a large open-air stage. The Vico Equense Carnival is one of the most popular events in the municipal calendar, in the province of Naples, and a moment when the community of this stretch of the Campania coast fills the streets with confetti, music, and costumes.
This is not a monumental carnival like those in Viareggio or Putignano: here the scale is that of a small town, but the participation is widespread. Schools, parishes, cultural associations, and families work for weeks building floats and preparing costumes, resulting in a deeply collective celebration, closer to popular tradition than a tourist spectacle. As Mayor Giuseppe Aiello noted, the Carnival represents "one of the most authentic moments of community sharing."
A different theme every year
Each edition is built around a theme that guides the creation of the allegorical floats, sets, and choreography. In 2026, the choice fell on the world of Jurassic Park: dinosaurs, prehistoric settings, and performances inspired by the film's imagery accompanied the parades through the town centre. In 2025, the central theme was "Art & Fun, the Carnival of Colours and Countries," featuring scenic walls, Mexican melodies, dancers, confetti cannons, and the Disney characters most loved by children.
This rotation of themes is what makes the festival always recognisable yet always different: those who return each year know they will find the same collective ritual, but within a new imaginary world.
The town centre and the hillside hamlets
The unique feature of the Vico Carnival is its widespread geography. The heart of the festival remains Piazza Marconi, the starting point of the grand parade that crosses the centre to Piazza Umberto I, but the programme also involves the hillside villages surrounding the main town:
- San Vito and Massaquano, with events organised by the parish communities;
- Moiano, the traditional venue for a free-theme parade;
- Arola and Bonea, with local festivals open to families and children.
This structure allows the festivities to be spread over several days and brings life to the higher parts of the municipal territory, which remain far from the coastal tourist flows during winter. It is a concrete way to keep a municipality together that, between sea and hills, is made of very different realities.
A festival designed for children
The Vico Equense Carnival has a distinctly family-oriented vocation. The opening morning, titled "Waiting for Carnival," is entirely dedicated to children, with entertainment, games, and workshops in the square. During the parades, children in costume march alongside the floats, and local schools are among the main actors in the preparation. Councillor Giovanni Visco highlighted the inclusive nature of the event, which brings together "associations, parishes, schools, cultural operators, and families."
Vico Equense, beyond the Carnival
Overlooking the Gulf of Naples between Castellammare di Stabia and Sorrento, Vico Equense is known for its "pizza a metro" (pizza by the metre), the seaside village of Marina di Equa, and the church of the Santissima Annunziata, built on a tuff spur overlooking the sea. Visiting the city during the Carnival days means seeing it in its most authentic version, without the pressure of high season: the local trattorias are frequented mainly by residents, and the festival is, first and foremost, a local affair where visitors are welcome.
The initiative is part of the calendar of events promoted by the Metropolitan City of Naples, which in recent years has supported traditional events in the municipalities of the Sorrento Peninsula.
Vico Equense Carnival — edition 2026
Vico Equense in the world of dinosaurs
For the 2026 Carnival, the Municipality of Vico Equense chose a theme capable of immediately speaking to children: the universe of Jurassic Park. Allegorical floats, sets, and choreography were built around the prehistoric imagery, with papier-mâché dinosaurs and Jurassic settings that crossed the city centre.
The event was spread over three days, from 15 to 17 February, alternating events in the town centre with those in the hillside hamlets. The parish communities of San Vito, Massaquano, Moiano, Arola, and Bonea organised their own festivals, while Piazza Marconi hosted the morning dedicated to the little ones and the departure of the main procession.
Bad weather and postponement
As in many other municipalities in Campania, bad weather affected the final part of the programme: some parades were rescheduled for the following weekend, with the appointment set for Sunday, 22 February 2026, in the morning. An unforeseen event that did not, however, prevent the success of the festival, which was followed by a large audience of residents and visitors arriving from the Sorrento Peninsula.
A community festival
The municipal administration highlighted the participatory nature of the initiative, built together with associations, parishes, schools, and cultural operators in the area. All events took place in the squares and on the streets, with free entry.
Programme Vico Equense Carnival 2026
Sunday 15 February 2026
- 10.00-13.00, Piazza Marconi — "Waiting for Carnival": morning dedicated to children with entertainment, games, and themed activities.
- 15.00, Massaquano — local festival with the parish community.
- 18.30, San Vito — evening event with the parish community.
Monday 16 February 2026
- 10.00, Moiano — free-theme parade through the streets of the hamlet.
- 15.00, Arola — local festival.
- 15.00, Bonea — local festival.
Tuesday 17 February 2026
- From 15.30 — grand Carnival parade from Piazza Marconi to Piazza Umberto I, with allegorical floats, masks, and performances inspired by the world of Jurassic Park dinosaurs.
Note: due to bad weather, part of the parades was postponed to the following weekend, with a recovery scheduled for Sunday 22 February 2026 in the morning.
Highlights Vico Equense Carnival 2026
- The Jurassic Park theme and the dinosaur-shaped allegorical floats.
- The grand Shrove Tuesday parade from Piazza Marconi to Piazza Umberto I.
- The "Waiting for Carnival" morning reserved for children in Piazza Marconi.
- The festivals in the hillside hamlets of San Vito, Massaquano, Moiano, Arola, and Bonea.
- The participation of local schools, parishes, and associations.
Prices Vico Equense Carnival 2026
Practical information — Vico Equense Carnival
Getting there
Vico Equense is located on the SS145 Sorrentina road, between Castellammare di Stabia and Sorrento. By train, the city is served by the Circumvesuviana Naples-Sorrento line (EAV), with departures from Naples Porta Nolana and Naples Garibaldi; from the station, the centre and Piazza Marconi can be reached on foot in a few minutes. By car, take the exit for Castellammare di Stabia from the A3 Naples-Salerno motorway and continue for about 10 km along the state road.
Parking and traffic
During the days of the parades, the centre is closed to traffic. It is advisable to leave your car in the paid parking lots along the SS145 or near the station and continue on foot. The hillside hamlets of San Vito, Massaquano, Moiano, Arola, and Bonea are connected to the centre by local buses.
Useful tips
- Arrive at least half an hour before the procession starts to find a good spot along the route.
- Bring a costume: masked participation is encouraged, especially for children.
- Check the updates on the Municipality's channels: in case of bad weather, parades may be postponed, as happened in 2026.
- February on the coast is mild but windy: a waterproof jacket is always useful.
Contacts
Municipality of Vico Equense, Via Filangieri 98, 80069 Vico Equense (NA) — tel. +39 081 8019100.
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Where does it take place — Vico Equense Carnival
Piazza Marconi e centro cittadino
Piazza Guglielmo Marconi, 80069 Vico Equense