The six-hundred-year history of the Fano Carnival

The Fano Carnival will be held on Sundays 1, 8 and 15 February. It dates back to at least 1347 and is among the oldest festivities in Italy. In over six hundred years of history, it has distinguished itself for its ironic and irreverent look at contemporary society. It is no coincidence that its official mask is El Vulón, a minstrel whose name mispronounces the French 'nous voulons' of the Napoleonic edicts. While it once represented those who flaunted delusions of grandeur, today it embodies the spirit of freedom of a historic carnival, an open-air cultural workshop, capable of combining tradition and innovation, local identity and contemporary languages. Artistic coordinator of the 2026 edition, dedicated to cinema, is the famous set designer Dante Ferretti, winner of three Academy Awards. For the occasion, he has created two original sketches, at the centre of the Manifesto d'Autore and an allegorical float, including a hot air balloon inspired by Terry Gilliam's 'Baron Munchausen', the film that earned him his first nomination for the Golden Statuette in 1990. The maestro imagined himself and his friend Federico Fellini flying in the sky of creativity above their Adriatic Sea. The beating heart of the Carnival are the master carristi, custodians of a unique craftsmanship that transforms papier-mâché into great scenic works. In 2026, 12 allegorical floats will parade, the result of months of work, creativity and skill. Another distinctive element is the famous 'Getto', the spectacular shower of sweets thrown from the floats onto the public - about 200 quintals of candy and chocolate - that makes the parade an even more participatory and joyful moment.