by /// February 7 A big celebration combining the sacred and the profane that cheers up young and old with confetti Carnival in Emilia-Romagna is a serious matter, so much so that the Region has set up a register of historical Carnivals with the aim of enhancing these important events. The list currenly includes 18 Carnivals, unique experiences featuring shows and events of all kinds Let’s have a look at them one by one In Fiorenzuola d’Arda (Piacenza) the Mardi Gras celebration is known as Zobia and its tradition dates back to the Middle Ages The historic Carnival of Zobia owes its uniqueness to the parades of actors who perform engaging shows around the town often in dialect and strictly without masks The parade of handcrafted floats ends with the unmissable prize-giving ceremony and a big party Info ‘Castlein‘ is the typical mask of the Carnival in Castelnovo di Sotto that parades through the streets of this little town close to Reggio Emilia under the festive gaze of young and old alike Castlein is the icon of a Carnival whose origins date back to 1885 He is not the only highlight of the festival though The event includes the traditional parade of floats and the presence of jugglers, clowns, children’s make-up artists, street performers and much more. Also not to be missed is the Carnival Mask Museum which houses no less than 222 handcrafted masks Info Masked parades, theatre shows, lots of games for children, as well as music and good food. That’s the Carnival of the Contrade in San Cesario sul Panaro San Cesario’s is a rather recent festival compared to other historical carnivals in the region (the first edition was held in 1983) Masked adults and children gather every year at the Palacarnevale Info In addition to being one of the oldest carnivals in Emilia-Romagna, the Historical Carnival of San Giovanni in Persiceto recently submitted its candidature as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage this Carnival certainly has a lot to offer in terms of entertainment and special effects He is a lively and resourceful peasant with brusque manners inspired by the character of the same name created by the writer Giulio Cesare Croce who inaugurates the Carnival by reciting a rhyming dialectal composition called zirudèla However, Bertoldo’s presence is not the only thing that makes the Persiceto Carnival so unique The floats that line the streets of the town are not traditional ones: their peculiarity is called Spillo and consists in the change of their structure during the event the floats undergo a carefully devised transformation There are teen companies competing during the Carnival but only one receives the coveted final prize from the jury Info When it comes to awards, the Carnival of Cento holds the record in the region Twinned with the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro and a candidate for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage the most important event in the town of Ferrara is also one of the longest-lived carnivals in Europe parades and dances in the streets of the city Cento boasts a long tradition in the art of papier-mâché cultivated by no less than five carnival associations The Carnival programme naturally includes an award ceremony for the most impressive work The beginning and end of the celebrations is marked by the figure of Tasi the typical local Carnival mask wearing a top hat and a white fox who is burnt at the end of the event in the Piazzale della Rocca during the traditional rite of the Tasi’s Last Will and Stake Info Another historical Carnival in Emilia-Romagna takes place not far from Cento or Carnevel d’la Piv as it is known in the local dialect jugglers and children’s make-up artists the typical Pieve Carnival mask inspired by a real-life character We need to go back in time to the mid 19th century to find out more about his identity a gourmand and a member of the society that organised the first Carnivals the jovial Barbaspein cheers up the festivities along with the colourful floats that travel through the town Info The protagonist of San Pietro in Casale’s Carnival is also inspired by a real-life character with the curious name of Sandròn Spaviròn who over time has become the official mask of the event in San Pietro in Casale Carnival ends with the reading of the will and the burning of the mask a very evocative show that rounds off the cheerful days of celebrations and their dances parades and other events dedicated to families Info In Pianoro Here in the Bolognese Apennines the creation of allegorical floats has become to all intents and purposes an art form handed down in schools and celebrated every year during the most colourful festival of all Much attention is also paid to the creation of the masks inspired by historical characters you cannot miss the traditional parade of floats Info Info In addition to the parade and prize-giving for the Fantaveicoli the Imola Carnival includes a parade of fancy-dressed teams and a competition dedicated to children and their bicycles Info In Borgo Tossignano (Bologna) the usual carnival celebrations are combined with good food two gastronomic festivals are held in memory of a historical event dating back to the 17th century Today’s “Sagra dei Maccheroni” and “Festa della Polenta” recall the time when Marquis Leonardo di Sermoneta had a plate of polenta distributed to the citizens to celebrate the last day of Carnival you can watch the parade of floats (also with a culinary theme) and many other shows Info The history of the San Lazzaro in Borgo Carnival, held in Borgo Durbecco neighbourhood in Faenza It is said that two weeks before Easter the inhabitants of the village would bring a gift of sweet tortelli and saba (grape syrup) to the sick in the leper hospital The sweet tortello with saba still remains the symbol of the Faenza feast which includes a rich programme of events such as the parade of floats and masked groups Info The Carnival in Conselice has already celebrated its first centenary the event owes its name to an anecdote with ancient origins The day dedicated to San Grugnone (“e’ dè d’ Sén Grugnõn”) is said to be Ash Wednesday A day that was therefore greeted with a grimace of sadness – indeed a grunt – because of the hardships it brought with it the puppet of St Grugnone is carried through the streets of the town together with the ever-present floats Info Among the Carnival festivals in Emilia-Romagna, the Carnival of Casola Valsenio is the only one that defines itself as ‘serious’ the period in which it takes place is not that preceding Lent Carnival in Casola dates back to 1891 as the Festa della Mezzaquaresima a day when pre-Easter rigour was put aside to unleash the joy of dressing up the floats parading during the Spring Festival – usually made of wood and plaster – are inspired by history politics and current events rather than carnivalesque satire Info Like the Casola Valsenio Carnival, the Cotignola Carnival represents a playful and joyful interlude during the Lenten period Tradition has it that in 1451 the Duke of Milan Francesco I son of Muzio Attendolo Sforza of Cotignola who was then punished by being burnt at the stake The Duke allowed his subjects to break the rule and celebrate Carnival in the middle of Lent in order to celebrate the happy event That is why even today at the end of the festivities people gather in the square for the burning of a big papier-mâché puppet depicting the so-called ‘Old Woman’ Info Since 1962, this Carnival has taken place against the backdrop of the rolling hills of Romagna, between the cities of Forlì and Cesena. The Historical Carnival of Civitella di Romagna is organised by the Civitella di Romagna Carnival Association in the month of February featuring parades of disguised groups and travelling shows more and more attention has been paid to papier-mâché creations the most commonly used material for the creation of floats Info The history of the Forlimpopoli Carnival – again an event held at the beginning of Lent – has its roots in rural civilisation The historical name ‘Fiera della Segavecchia‘ (Segavecchia Fair) The ‘old woman’ (vecchia in Italian) was actually a young pregnant woman In order not to be recognised on the way to the gallows she would disguise herself as an old woman the Carnival programme includes a fun fair as well as parades of floats and masked processions Info The list of historical Carnivals in Emilia-Romagna ends with the Carnival of Gambettola (Forlì-Cesena) celebrations are held on Easter Monday and the following Sunday dancing and the throwing of sweets for the little ones the town is decorated with Romagna-themed prints papier-mâché masks hanging from houses and Carnival flags since 2009 the town of Gambettola has had a workshop and a school dedicated to this precious material for Carnival celebrations Info I was raised in the countryside but I love big cities by /// January 15 by /// January 29 by /// February 4 an email (in Italian) with selected contents and upcoming events For information, contact us: inemiliaromagna@aptservizi.com by /// January 29 The Carnival celebration in Emilia-Romagna renews itself every year with the festive cry of “Anything goes!” in many of the splendid regional locations Below we have selected 5 traditional Carnival events that will allow you and your families to enjoy splendid moments of hilarity and joy in an authentic goliardic spirit If you have never seen it, you do not know what you have missed: a unique carnival with, instead of floats, allegorical boats parading from the monumental Trepponti bridge along the canals of the picturesque town of Comacchio The Comacchio Carnival on the water will be held again this year on the last Sunday of February and the first Sunday of March with shows and dances in the streets of the old town center but the highlight of the event is undoubtedly the parade of masked groups and the performance of dance companies to the rhythm of enchanting music on the scenic Trepponti Bridge Info: carnevalecomacchio.it The Renaissance city of Ferrara cannot but dedicate its Carnival to the splendors of the Este Family, with a Renaissance Carnival in which the city relives its past with courtiers and storytellers in the streets of the historic center in the squares and within the walls of the majestic Castle The city’s Contradas also open their doors to welcome visitors with banquets and shows inspired by the festivities that took place in the city during the carnivals of the 15th and 16th centuries This year the Historical Renaissance Carnival of Ferrara will be held between the end of February and the beginning of March Info: ferrarainfo.com | paliodiferrara.it/carnevale The carnival, which has gained international fame since the 1990s thanks to its twinning with the famous carnival in Rio de Janeiro is famous for its huge allegorical papier-mâché floats which are built throughout the year by the five local carnival associations (Toponi the associations parade through the streets of the town involving the public in a colorful and festive atmosphere while on the two stages – the first in Piazza Guercino and the second in Piazzale della Rocca – musical entertainment and many guests promise days full of shows and surprises two of the most exciting moments of the whole event will take place: the announcement of the winning float of the 2025 edition and the Testament and Burning of the Tasi Info: carnevalecento.com One of the oldest and most famous carnivals in the Bologna area, the Historical Carnival of San Giovanni in Persiceto takes place on Sunday 23 February and Sunday 2 March 2025 under the witty and profane aegis of its typical mask a character born from the pen of Giulio Cesare Croce in 1600 The true uniqueness of this more than 100-year-old carnival is the “spillo“ the allegorical floats parade through the town center and the colorful structures suddenly and spectacularly transform No one knows what is going to happen except the people who build them because the floats are made entirely by the 10 local carnival societies who work tirelessly and in absolute secrecy on the theme and features of their creations in the months leading up to the event On the third and last Sunday of the carnival the floats are awarded by a jury with a banner depicting Bertoldo and Bertoldino with the donkey Info: carnevalepersiceto.it Every Sunday afternoon in February, from 16 February to 9 March 2025, the historic Carnival of Castelnovo di Sotto is back This is the oldest and most traditional carnival in the province of Reggio Emilia characterized by parades of giant floats accompanied by masked groups The king of the Castelnovo di Sotto carnival is the Castlein the traditional local mask with a cap pulled down over the ears Info: alcastlein.it Social Media Manager for @inEmiliaRomagna and full-time mom by /// February 4 by /// January 27 The best architects are building today’s eco homes which means they are both beautiful and virtuous New Eco Homes - in picturesRead moreIn the wake of the Paris accord perhaps 2016 will be the year when “green” is finally the new normal Yet top architects have for years been proving that eco-friendly does not have to mean unstylish Manel Gutiérrez identifies 22 of the best examples of eco-friendly domestic architecture from around the world “There have been so many advances in sustainable strategies,” he says “I wanted to write a book that showed them off.” Where once green features might have meant warped lines and unsightly concesssions There is everything from futuristic Bond-villain villas to cantilevered barns in Suffolk and poolside studios in Brazil What they have in common is a commitment to new materials ever-better photovoltaic cells and ultra-efficient insulation Between the lines: Zeb pilot house in Kingston Photograph: Bruce DamonteNot all of them are millionaire mansions set in acres of land In among the sprawling single-storey houses are town houses in Hamburg or Ho Chi Minh City tucked neatly into their urban environments There are also plenty of examples beyond the traditional eco-centres of northern Europe and Australasia as developing companies start to pick up the sustainability message Within these walls: house on the Morella River for anyone thinking of making a greener start this year “Investing in sustainable eco-housing means taking an economic return in the medium [rather than short] term,” says Gutiérrez “But the proliferation of this type of architecture would reduce construction costs.” New Eco Homes by Manel Gutiérrez (Harper Design, £25) is out now. To order a copy for £20, go to bookshop.theguardian.com This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media The best examples of eco-friendly domestic architecture from around the world New Eco Homes by Manel Gutiérrez (Harper Design, £25) is out now. To order a copy for £20, go to bookshop.theguardian.com The best examples of eco-friendly domestic architecture from around the world New Eco Homes by Manel Gutiérrez (Harper Design, £25) is out now. To order a copy for £20, go to bookshop.theguardian.com