The carnival in Gallipoli is an appointment with beauty, colors and fun in a place where tradition has been handed down for centuries artisanal papier-mâché processing for the construction of large allegorical floats which parade for two days along the city’s main street.
Organized by the Municipality, with the recognition and support of the General Directorate for Entertainment of the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with Pro loco Gallipoli, Fabbrica del Carnivale and Poieofolà-CostruzioniTeatrali, the Historic Carnival of Gallipoli offers a new and fascinating theme, Museumwith the slogan “A museum is a place where you should lose your mind” (Renzo Piano).
From Gallipoli, therefore, a real homage to world museum art will start, with obvious attention to the works of which Italy is rich: the reworkings of the papier-mâché artists will make Corso Roma a real open-air art gallery.
As the mayor of Gallipoli Stefano Minerva said, «iCarnival represents one of the flagship events of the city calendar and this year more than ever the city will shine through art and culture, thanks to the work of the papier-mâché artisans who have been working for months to provide emotions, as per tradition. And so, once again, Gallipoli demonstrates its innate ability to attract all year round»
SUNDAY 4 FEBRUARY
MASKED PRESENTATION COURSE
First date Sunday 4 February.
The start at 12 from Piazza Duomo, in the historic center, with the usual setting up of King Candallin e Queen Mendula Riccia.
At the end of the ringing of the bell tower of the Cathedral, a blast of trumpets will precede the arrival of theHerald Theodore who, looking out from the balcony of the City Palace, the historic Palazzo Balsamo, will communicate to the citizens the transfer of the kingdom of Kale’ Polis to King Candallinu and Queen Mendula Riccia, new rulers of the holiday period. They too will present themselves to the city by looking out from the balcony and here receiving the keys to Gallipoli and the scepter of government over the entire city territory from the hands of the mayor.
King Candallinu and Queen Mendula Riccia embody the image of the Gallipoli event, acquiring their imaginative names of representation from the typical carnival confetti which historically were thrown by the lords on the central Via Antonietta De Pace, when the party anticipated the great revelry forbidden by the imminent Lent.
After reading the “Royal edict of King Candallinu”, will follow the procession which will wind from Piazza Duomo through the streets of the old city, with the participation of the historical group of flag-wavers and musicians “Rione Lama” from Oria (Br).
At 3pm, again on Sunday 4 February, we will move to Corso Roma for the official ribbon cutting of the First Masked Course, in the presence of the authorities and Their Carnival Majesties. From here the great celebration of Gallipoli student spirit will come to life with the traditional parade that will stretch along the entire kilometer of the Corso. The ten first and second category allegorical floats will alternate and the numerous masked groups will present their works, all inspired by the theme Musem, proposed by the artistic direction of the event curated by Alberto Greco. The Jury of the Historic Carnival of Gallipoli will observe and judge them and will decide the winners of the 2024 edition for each of the three categories (first category floats, second category floats and masked groups).
SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY
MASKED AWARDS COURSE
The party will repeat itself Sunday 11 February always from 3pm on Corso Roma, with the announcement of the winners. At 8pm the party will concentrate in Piazza Aldo Moro with the start of the show Festival Bar Italy.
“FAT” TUESDAY 13 FEBRUARY
REPRESENTATION OF “THE TUTOR” AND “DEATH OF THE CARNIVAL”
The Historic Carnival of Gallipoli will live its last day Shrove Tuesdayil February 13, with a special event entirely concentrated in the ancient heart of the city and dedicated to tradition, with the revival of moments genuinely linked to the folklore of the carnival in this small Ionian village in Salento. In fact, at 5 pm, theto the death of the carnival with the tragicomic staging the Tutor, who dies strangled by a meatball, marking the mourning and the end of the party. Followed by, at 5.30pm, At the Court of Fole: urban theatrical artistic route in the suggestive streets of the historic center starting from Palazzo Balsamo organized by Poieofolà–CostruzioniTeatrali.
All initiatives are free to participate.
THE TRADITION BETWEEN HISTORICAL MASTERS AND NEW LEVERS
Allegorical floats
In these days of waiting for the festival, the master papier-mâché makers are busy finishing the great artistic works that will be paraded in the colorful masked parade.
Here are the five great allegorical floats competing first category:
LET’S FREE OUR DREAMS of the young Fideliter excubat team led by the Maestro Gabriele Cortese and by the Master Roberto Perrone; TEMPERA GRASSA ON TABLE – BOTTICELLI’S DREAM by the experienced team of Coppola brothers, the carnival machine par excellence with Maestro Stefano Coppola at the forefront; ART… LOVE IT AND DEFEND IT by the veteran of the Carnival Maestro Franco Monterosso, which boasts over 40 years of participation; RISK ART COUNTDOWN by the emerging work team led by Oreste Scorrano, student of historical artisan workshops; THE TRIUMPH OF BACCHUS AND ARIANNE of the largest work team, that of We are Us Group led by maestro Giovanni Pacciolla.
The five chariots of second category they are instead made by Young artisan papier-mâché workshop, in which young and great masters work side by side to guarantee the future of the Gallipoli carnival and the continuation of the tradition.
Here are the names and themes chosen: FIDELITER SCHOOL with Infinite Beauty; ALEX CATALDI with Art, love and fantasy; KINDER GROUP, with Edoardo Cortese and Andrea Sansò, with Pop Generation; Team Oreste Scorrano, with Luciano Niccolò and Alexander the Great, with Birth of Venus; ALEX COPPOLA Crazy bestiality.
Masked Groups
Among the participating masked groups there will be no shortage of historical ones, coming from other Salento centers with a great carnival culture, such as Melissano Racale and Galatone, which for years have had a great artistic alliance pact with Gallipoli. Here are groups and themes: IDAS MELISSANO – Time travel among the ancient Egyptians; Rizzello Gym – Gallipoli – WOW!! The comic museum…super hero mission!; GROUP SPIRITI LIBERI MELISSANO – What a fantastic comedy life is… and we are its puppets; THE BAND OF SANTA CLAUS ONLUS – The chocolate factory; THE GALLIPOLI BUTTERFLY TREE – DISNEY 100..the art of telling timeless stories; MELY DANCE GALATONE – A Night at the Museum; MATER LAB GALLIPOLI – la Casa Azul – Frida Kahlo; Asd NEW DANCE STYLE LECCE – play dance.