Vignavalle Carnival

One carnival, two towns

The Vignavalle Carnival is a unique event in the Lazio carnival scene: it does not belong to just one town, but is born from the union of two neighboring villages in the Cimini Mountains, Vignanello and Vallerano, in the province of Viterbo. The name itself, Vignavalle, blends the two toponyms and summarizes the spirit of the event: the carnival float parades start alternately from one of the two historic centers and arrive in the other, transforming the road that connects them into a long procession of masks, music, and confetti. It is a rare example of a shared carnival, made possible by the commitment of local associations, volunteers, and the patronage of the two municipalities.

The Puccio, King of the Carnival

The symbol of the festival is the Puccio, King of the Carnival, the large carnival puppet that opens the parades and accompanies the event throughout its duration. According to the ancient custom of the Tuscia villages, the Puccio is displayed in the square and, on Shrove Tuesday, is burned in the traditional closing bonfire: a collective ritual that marks the end of the carnival and the beginning of Lent, amidst the applause of the two united communities.

The carnival float parades

The heart of the event is the Sunday parades of floats and costumed groups, built during the winter by groups and associations from the two towns. Each procession starts at 2:30 PM from one of the two villages and reaches the other, with an alternation that makes both historic centers protagonists. Alongside the floats, costumed groups parade on foot, with dancing, music, and entertainment that involve adults and children along the entire route.

The 2026 edition

The 2026 edition opened on Saturday, January 24th, with the traditional Carnival gala at the Cantinone in Vignanello, hosted by DJ Matteo Petretti. The official opening of the parades took place on Sunday, February 1st, with the first procession from Vallerano to Vignanello, followed by parades on February 8th (from Vignanello to Vallerano) and February 15th (from Vallerano to Vignanello). Shrove Thursday, February 12th, was dedicated to the little ones with a children's party at the Vignanello bocce court, while on Tuesday, February 17th, the final parade accompanied the burning of the Puccio, closing the festival.

A party for families and children

The Vignavalle Carnival is by vocation a village festival open to everyone: the streets of the two towns fill with families, children are the protagonists of Shrove Thursday with entertainment, inflatables, and snacks, and moments of conviviality — dinners, galas, stands — accompany the entire calendar. The organization is handled by the Non Spegnere la Musica association, which manages the event in collaboration with the municipal administrations and local entities such as the Arci Il Cantinone club.

Vallerano and Vignanello, villages of Tuscia

The two towns are located just a few kilometers from each other, on the slopes of the Cimini Mountains, in the heart of the Tuscia region, in the province of Viterbo, in northern Lazio. Vallerano, a medieval village known for its chestnuts and the Madonna del Ruscello sanctuary, and Vignanello, famous for the Ruspoli Castle with its Italian-style gardens and its winemaking tradition, offer visitors compact historic centers, cellars carved into tuff, and authentic gastronomy: the carnival is the perfect opportunity to discover them in their most festive guise.