Ladin Carnival

Amidst Ladin comedies, parades, street parties, and snow events, the masks of Fassa Valley revive the most cheerful spirit of the Dolomite Carnival.

In Fassa Valley, Carnival is more than just a celebration; it is a collective ritual steeped in folklore, jokes, theatre, and traditions that mark the transition from winter to spring. Once, it was the most anticipated time of the year, a period of much laughter and reunion, where young people’s weddings were also celebrated between February and March.

On the slopes of Marmolada, these customs are revived thanks to the "Grop de la Mèscres de Dèlba e Penìa", the group that preserves and stages the historical masks of Alba and Penìa. Carnival officially opens on 17 January, for Saint Anthony the Abbot's Day, marking the traditional start of the celebrations ('se deslea carnascèr'). On 20 January, for Saint Sebastian's Day, the celebration moves to Penìa, and from there, a calendar of events begins, continuing throughout the valley until Shrove Tuesday. Parades, allegorical floats, street parties, masked balls, torchlight processions, and snow events transform the villages into a grand stage.
In Penìa itself, at the former elementary school, the highly anticipated "mascherèdes" return: theatrical performances in Ladin, where characters and old stories intertwine with the typical irony of the Fassa Carnival.
The symbolic figures of Lachè, Bufon, and Marascons appear on the streets, with vibrant costumes and the unmistakable "faceres" – wooden masks carefully carved by local artisans.
Amidst all the laughter, the traditional aromas are also present: grostoi, fortaes, and grafons, typical sweets that are as much a part of the celebration as the masks themselves.

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