Tricarico Carnival

Tricarico kicks off its Carnival festivities on January 17, on the day when St. Anthony Abbot, protector of animals, is celebrated. During the course of the day, a parade is held with the traditional masks of the Matera municipality linked to rituals with very ancient pagan origins that are mixed with Christian ones. The procession is opened by the mask of the "Massaro," who wears clothes made of skins and holds a stick and a rifle, leading the rest of the procession composed of masks depicting bulls and cows that symbolize the transhumance of a herd, their seasonal migration. The bulls are completely black with red ribbons, the cows wear a wide-brimmed hat covered with scarves with colorful ribbons that go down to their ankles. They all wave huge cowbells that contribute to the wild party atmosphere. The procession begins in the early hours of dawn in front of the Church of St. Anthony Abbot, after which a bonfire is lit in honor of the saint and after making three propitiatory laps around the sacred building, the actual procession begins, crossing the streets of the historic center. The other masks that make up the procession are those of the count and countess, owners of the herds. During Mardi Gras, the parade of masks is repeated, people gather to share a meal, at the end of which a new parade begins together with the picturesque Carnival floats, which are a further eulogy to nature and animals. Prominent among the floats is the Quaremma (Lent) float on which a large puppet depicting Carnival is placed. The route ends in Garibaldi Square, where the puppet is burned while the mask of Quaremma - Carnival's wife - mourns her death. The festivities continue amid serenades, concerts and other convivial moments.