Wheelbarrow Carnival

The Wheelbarrow Carnival of Monale

In the heart of the Asti Monferrato, the small town of Monale (Asti province, Piedmont) celebrates Carnival with a festival that has an ancient flavor and an unmistakable character: the Wheelbarrow Carnival. Instead of large allegorical floats, the parade features decorated wheelbarrows, creatively transformed by participants into small masterpieces of popular art. It is a simple and heartwarming tradition that involves both young and old, making this day one of the most anticipated events of the Asti carnival season.

The Wheelbarrow Parade

The heart of the event is the gathering of wheelbarrows and masked groups, who meet in the afternoon at the school parking lots before starting the procession through the village streets. The parade then reaches Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, the hub of the festivities. The wheelbarrows are judged and awarded prizes: honors go to the most original and the most elaborate entries, in an atmosphere of healthy competition and shared joy.

Music, Polenta, and Bugie

The festival is more than just a parade. Throughout the day, there is music, the traditional pignatta (pot-breaking) game for children, and above all, a free tasting of specialties prepared and offered by the Pro Loco: steaming polenta with sausages and mushrooms and the inevitable bugie, the typical fried pastries of the Piedmontese Carnival, crispy and dusted with powdered sugar. There are also sweets and surprises for the children.

A Pro Loco Festival

The Wheelbarrow Carnival is organized by the Pro Loco of Monale, an association that has been enlivening village life for decades. Founded in 1984 as the Polisportiva Monalese and transformed into a Pro Loco in 1998, the association manages numerous traditional events throughout the year, from the famous Bagna Cauda in January to the Rose Festival in mid-June. The Carnival, with its parade and masked groups, has always been one of the community's most heartfelt moments.

In Monale, in the Asti Monferrato

Monale is a hilltop village immersed in the vineyard landscape of Monferrato, just a few kilometers from Asti. The festival is the perfect opportunity to discover an authentic corner of Piedmont, far from the major tourist flows, where conviviality and folk traditions are still the cornerstone of village life. A family-friendly, free, and welcoming Carnival that tells the story of this territory better than any guidebook.