Carnival season has arrived in Ticino!
Ticino Carnival time: 19 January – 29th February 2020Banish the
winter blues, because the Swiss Carnival season is here!For those longing for some early signs of spring,
the colourful winter carnivals of Ticino are almost here. Spreading colour and
cheer across the canton, this popular, 6-week long festival has ancient, co-existing
roots in Ambrosian and Roman rites. Traditionally, the carnivals of Ticino
signified the time when the rich of the region would ensure the poor had enough food before fasting for Lent, to avoid starvation. Whilst the
German-speaking regions of Switzerland favour flour soup as an offering, the food offering of
choice in Ticino, is risotto. Today, the celebrations continue to bring
confetti, masks, parades, jokes and joy to young and old alike. Ticino has an
incredible number of carnivals on throughout the January and February period,
so get ready to get stuck in.One of the most significant Roman-rite carnivals in
Ticino is the Nebiopoli carnival, in Chiasso. Peculiarly the custom to hand
over power to the people does not require a ‘king’ but instead a ‘prime
minister’, who declares the town to a be a ‘free republic of Nebiopoli’ for the
week. During this time, the rule of fun prevails; with masked groups and bands performing
‘Guggenmusik’ taking to the streets. The spectacle culminates in the ‘Mardi
Gras Nebiopoli’. Just for good measure, the masked parade and colourful floats are
accompanied of course, by the jolly Guggen music.Across the canton, many of the carnivals take place
at the end of the week, following the Ambrosian rite. The busiest by far are
the carnivals held in Biasca, Brissago and Tesserete, which begin in earnest on
the Satuday and wind down on Sunday morning. Within these town centres, the
celebrations kick off with colourful, confetti-laden street parties with Guggen
bands and free risotto, served up on the Thursday night before.If you’re staying in Lugano city or nearby Locarno
this January or February, then you are in luck! Both cities stage epic
carnivals, whilst being within easy driving distance from the most celebrated
carnival in Ticino, which is hosted by the city of Bellinzona (26-39 minutes’ drive
away). Read on to learn more about these 3 Ticino carnivals:The Carnival in all Regions (Lugano &
Luganese): 19 - 29th
February 2020 Piazza
Riforma, Lugano & Luganese towns In the Swiss lake city
of Lugano and the wider Luganese region, an impressive schedule of carnivals will
be taking place. The carnival festival begins in Lugano on Thursday afternoon,
with the keys to the city brought to ‘King Sbroja’ before a masked procession of
school children parades through the city. On Monday 24th, the city will
then be serving up free risotto for all, from 11:30am onwards in Piazza Riforma
(in the event of bad weather, this will take place in the Exhibition centre).
Preluding the city carnival, are those in Isone (24th - 26th
January), Medeglia (31st January - 2nd February),
Paradiso (14th - 15th February) and Lamone (15th
February), so don’t miss out! For a full programme on the Luganese ‘carnival
in all regions’ festival, check out this year’s schedule here.The ‘Rabadan’ Carnival of Bellinzona: 20th - 25th February 2020Via Riale
Righetti 20, BellinzonaWith the Festival name ‘Rabadan’ literally meaning ‘noise’, you can guarantee that party
fever will be descending onto Bellinzona this February! Hosted by Ticino’s much-loved capital
city, the festival attracts over 150,000 visitors, making it the largest
carnival in Switzerland, after Basel. Starting 7 and a half weeks before Easter
Sunday, the ticketed carnival kicks off on the Thursday night, when the keys to
the city are handed over from the mayor of Bellinzona to the elected
‘King Rabadan’, who will rule with merriment until the following Tuesday.
During this time, food tents and marquees line the streets, where live theatre,
jesters and marching bands perform alongside costumed parades. Friday’s
carnival is performed by the youngest participants, whilst the Saturday is
greeted by Guggen carnival bands in full swing, performing well into the night.
The party peaks on Sunday, during the televised ‘Grande
Corteo Mascherato’ parade, with a procession of 50 music bands and carnival
floats making their way through the iconic UNESCO world heritage city. For more
information on how to take part and what to look forward to whilst at the
Rabadan carnival, click here.The ‘La Stranociada’ Carnival of Locarno: 21st - 22nd February 2020Città
Vecchia, Via Bartolomeo Rusca 2, Locarno On average 7,000 visitors take
over Locarno Old Town, for a vibrant annual 24-hour carnival. Commencing with upbeat energy on
Friday night, Guggen bands perform whilst masked performers, street
entertainers and party tents provide an enticing spectacle for visitors, till the early hours
of the morning. Awards for the best Guggen band and the most original mask are also
given out during the lively evening. The merriment continues throughout
Saturday, with child-friendly entertainment and free risotto served to the
crowds within Piazza Sant’Antonio. Take a sneaky peek here for the full programme and to get your
tickets for this year’s La Stranociada carnival.View the full calendar of Ticino
carnivals here.
From the midst of Carnival fever, we hope 2020 ‘floats’ your boat!
