Fano Carnival 2026, the surprising festival in the Marche

“Beautiful to see, sweet to taste since 1347”: this is the tagline featuring the Carnival of Fano, a historic event that always gets new and proposes contemporary elements every year.

A major attraction in the Marche region, each edition draws around 100,000 visitors because of its ability to amaze with its mix of tradition and innovation. For 2026 as well, the cycle called “In viaggio col Vulón” (keep going on with Vulón) continues, paying homage to the traditional mask of Fano - a friendly mustached man equipped with a top hat, monocle, and a mandolin.

The celebration in Fano is always an opportunity of having fun for locals and tourists. Want to know what makes it so special? Keep reading our guide!

The Carnival of Fano features a month full of spectacular events, especially over three weekends — February 1, 8, and 15, 2026 — with the classic float parades, the ritual throwing of sweets, and celebrations for children. In addition, there are conferences, shows, screenings, and workshops for adults and children alike, and of course the traditional Rogo del Pupo (the Fire of the Puppet) to conclude the festivities.

As suggested by the slogan, it is one of the oldest Carnivals in Italy, since the first celebrations date back to 1347 and, from then on, it has been codified and characterized, becoming the flagship event of the city. Since 1872, in fact, there has been a dedicated committee, La Carnevalesca, which devotes itself exclusively to its organization and operates on a non-profit basis. This shows how much care, commitment, and attention the local community puts into making every edition unforgettable.

But beyond Fano, other towns in the Marche deserve to be mentioned and celebrated in this article, each with its own distinctive celebrations for the holiday.

- Carnival of Fano

- Historic Carnival of Offida

- Carnival of Ancona

- Carnival of Ascoli Piceno

- Carnival of San Benedetto del Tronto

Are you ready to dive into the most colorful celebration of the year?

The Carnival of Fano 2026, as every year, offers a rich and various program for the whole family starting in January, with special focus on weekends, all the way through to Shrove Tuesday, February 17.

The undisputed stars are, of course, the floats, whose preparation involves long and delicate phases (about 4 months). These are structures made of papier-mâché and foam rubber, reaching heights of up to 15 meters. The themes are among the most varied; this year we will see tributes to Federico Fellini, Jannik Sinner, and important topics such as the fight against bullying and climate change. The special guest and the designer of one the floats is a true celebrity, the famous set designer Dante Ferretti.

Some rituals of the Carnival of Fano have remained unchanged over the years and confirm the well-known saying “Beautiful to see and sweet to taste.” For example, the allegorical floats travel three times along Via Gramsci, one of the city’s main thoroughfares:

- on the first pass, the Pupo, or Vulón for the French tradition, leads the parade;

- on the second one, the Getto, the throwing of hundreds of kilos of sweets, candies, and chocolates from the floats, makes everyone happy;

- on the third pass, the Luminaria comes to life, with increased light displays on the floats in the late afternoon.

The event is always accompanied by Musica Arabita, a band that recreates a traditional melody using improvised instruments and objects.

On the final day, the Shrove Tuesday, the aforementioned Rogo del Pupo takes place; it is the burning of the Vulón effigy in Piazza XX Settembre and it is followed by a farewell to the nextyear with fireworks.

Admission to the event in costume need to be payed.

Where and when: historic center of Fano in various locations; from January 16 to February 17, 2026, from Thursdays to Sundays.

The Carnival of Fano is not the only one in the Marche. In further cities many events, each linked to period costumes and symbolic rites, are repeated every year.

Each celebration features the classic parade of allegorical floats, which naturally draw on famous figures and current themes that spectators can relate to, but also exciting rites.

Another famous event we want to introduce is the Carnival of Offida, in the province of Ascoli Piceno, whose origins date back to the mid-18th century. On this occasion, the village shows folk and symbolic rites that are repeated each year. Music and dancing are the most modernized elements, that make atmosphere cheerful and magic. 

On celebration days in the city streets, it is possible to meet the Congreghe: relatives and friends gather in various groups and on Shrove Tuesday and they receive the keys to the city from the mayor, in order to become the official representatives.

The Veglionissimi are the events for young people, to enjoy music and dancing. Children in costume, on the other hand, take over the stage on Fat Thursday.

Another highly appreciated rite is a kind of bullfight, the Caccia al Bove Finto, which ends with a procession through the city streets.

The Carnival of Offida always begins on January 17, the day of Saint Anthony the Abbot, and ends on Shrove Tuesday with another ancient rite. Men and women parade with bundles of reeds stuffed with straw along the main streets until they reach the main square. Here the bundles are burned in a large bonfire, and when the fire dies out, the end of Carnival is declared.

Where and when: various locations in the historic center; Saturday, January 17; Sunday, February 1; Saturday, February 7 and Sunday February 8; from Thursday, February 12 to Tuesday, February 17.

“El Carnevalò” of Ancona is characterized by the colors and vitality that burst from the floats, prepared with the collaboration of city volunteers. Music and the desire to dance create a festive atmosphere that manages to infect everyone.

The symbolic mask of Ancona is Mosciolino, inspired by the Ancona mussel called mosciolo. He represents a boy without a family who spends most of his time by the sea eating moscioli. Two other recurring masks are two farmers: Papagnoco, critical but calm, and Burlandoto, rough and threatening. Children, instead, will have the opportunity to meet their superheroes and fairy-tale characters.

The most important moment is the award ceremony for the most beautiful float on Shrove Tuesday, but of course there is no shortage of tastings of traditional sweets of the period and local specialties.

Where and when: streets of the historic center, Sunday February 15, 2026

The Carnival of Ascoli Piceno is a relatively more recent event, born in the 1950s, but it has nothing to envy the celebrations of other cities. The festival symbolically begins on January 17, the day of Saint Anthony the Abbot, but the heart of the celebrations starts close to Shrove Tuesday and gives plenty of space to street performers and folk music.

The program includes Friends’ Sunday and Relatives’ Sunday before Fat Thursday. On this occasion, grandparents and parents bring grandchildren and children to the Festival of Fantasy.

The celebration is presided over by His Majesty Buonumor, the local traditional mask, who receives the keys to the city from the mayor and officially opens the Carnival. There is no float parade, but it is evocative to see Piazza del Popolo on Fat Thursday illuminated with fancy and elegant chandeliers, creating an elegant, timeless atmosphere.

Where and when: Piazza del Popolo; from February 12 to 17

The event is an engaging and interactive celebration, where spectators are invited by the masks to join the parade alongside the floats. For this very reason, a festive mood is created in order to reunites all participants. The focus is especially on the youngest visitors, and the atmosphere is animated by music.

This year, the subjects for floats will include, among others, Peter Pan, Thomas the Tank Engine, Ancient Egypt, and the god Poseidon, as a tribute to the sea.

Where and when: Rotonda Giorgini, Viale Buozzi, and other locations; from Thursday February 12 to Tuesday February 17.

The Carnival of Fano is an excellent opportunity to celebrate the most playful holiday of the year in an engaging and interactive way, but also to learn about the traditional customs and practices of the area.

During Shrove Tuesday, masked parades, allegorical floats, and historical reenactments enliven the squares and streets, bringing local traditions to life for young and old alike. Taking a trip during this period is an option worth considering, because these places are shown in a different, more cheerful and engaging light, with music, lights, and colors.

Visiting Fano and other cities in the Marche region during Carnival is truly an original idea, involving immersion in a festive atmosphere that, like no other time of year, is able to combine culture, history, and fun.