Two of the most characteristic and traditional Carnivals in Valtellina are the Carnevàl di Mat (Carnival of Fools) in Bormio and the Carneval Vecc (Old Carnival) in Grosio on 1 March; furthermore, there are many other events not to be missed!
The Carnevàl di Mat of Bormio - 11 February 2024
On Carnival day in Bormio, the Mayor hands the reins over to the Podestà
del Mat (King of Fools) after the Podestà is officially crowned. Then all
havoc breaks loose and anarchy reins, or rather, power is assumed by
Harlequin and the Compagnia di Mat (the Band of Fools), who give a public
reading of the gossip and complaints of the citizens taken from a post box set
up for that purpose in the exquisite historic Piazza del Kuerc. Other
activities include a parade through the historic centre led by the Harlequins,
with children escorting the Podestà. Click here for more details
The Carneval Vecc of Grosio - 18 February 2024
The town of Grosio celebrates Carnival on the first Sunday of Lent. This date is highly symbolic, because while everyone else has already started their Lenten sacrifices, Grosio enjoys one last moment of irreverent euphoria. Ancient masks are the true protagonists of this Carnival that is definitely worth experiencing. The masks of Grosio’s own Carnival characters are worn by the same honoured few people each year in a tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation. First in the line-up is the couple of Magra Quaresima – a skinny old lady in rags – and Carneval Vecc – a plump, ruddy-faced gentleman – in an allegory of the passage from the merrymaking of Carnival to the solemnity of Lent. Next come other popular characters such as the Bear and its Mistress; the old woman Bernarda carrying in a wicker basket on her back; a Suckling Child who sprays the crowd with wine from his baby bottle; and Toni the Buffoon, who is the Harlequin of Grosio. Naturally, the parade also features a host of satirical and fairy-tale floats, many of which narrate key events from Grosio’s past.
