Cento Carnival

Carnevale di Cento

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Carnival & ParadeCento
DatesDates TBA · Usually FebruaryCheck locally before booking
Duration29 daysListed event span
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forMasks, paradesCento is unique among Italy's carnivals for
LanguageItalianCurrency: EUR
CategoryCarnival & ParadeFestival type
The story

Cento Carnival in Cento

Cento's carnival is formally twinned with Rio de Janeiro's Carnival, a partnership agreed in 1993 recognizing the shared scale of both festivals' allegorical floats. Since 1994, the winning Cento float travels each year to perform in Rio's Sambadrome, and the Emilia-Romagna town's own parades feature towering paper-and-glue floats built over eight to nine months.

Cento's carnival appears in seventeenth-century frescoes by the painter Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, known as Guercino, evidence that some form of the festival existed in the town well before its modern incarnation took shape.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Cento is unique among Italy's carnivals for its direct, formalized exchange with Rio de Janeiro: its winning float is shipped to Brazil each year to perform in the Sambadrome itself, making it the only European carnival with floats that regularly parade in Rio's own celebration

02

The mystery stays covered

The floats themselves, built from paper, water, and glue over eight or nine months, rise higher than the rooflines of Cento's historic streets, and the parade borrows Rio's tradition of throwing confetti and sweets directly to the crowd rather than keeping floats at a formal distance

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

Documented in local art since the 1600s and formalized through its unusual 1993 twinning with Rio de Janeiro

Water and renewal

Living ritual

Cento's carnival channels Brazilian-style float scale and crowd interaction into a traditionally Emilia-Romagna festival setting

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually February

Getting around

Stay close enough to the part of Cento you will actually use, especially if the event runs late.

What to wear

Casual, comfortable clothing suits the standing and walking involved in following the parade route through Cento's historic centre. Layers help since parade dates fall in the cooler weeks...

Safety

For Cento Carnival, keep the basics simple: small bag, charged phone, meeting point and respect for crowd controls.

Where to stay

For busy dates, stay near reliable routes so the return after Cento Carnival does not become the hardest part.

Tickets/cost

Many carnival moments are public, but confirm paid areas or stands before travel.

Language/currency

EUR

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map44.73 N, 11.29 EOpen in Google Maps

Cento, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Nearest airportBLQ — Bologna Guglielmo Marconi
TransportStay close enough to the part of Cento you will actually use, especially if the event runs late.
Stay areaFor busy dates, stay near reliable routes so the return after Cento Carnival does not become the hardest part.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Cento via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Cento, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for February.Compare faresFestival gearCasual, comfortable clothing suits the standing and walking involved in following the parade route through Cento's historic centre. Layers help since parade dates fall in the cooler weeks before Shrove Tuesday, and a bag to catch thrown confetti and sweets is a practical extra.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Italy and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

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FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Cento Carnival?

Cento Carnival is listed for Past edition: 1 February–1 March 2026. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Cento Carnival take place?

The festival is listed in Cento, Italy. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

29 days is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Cento, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLcarnevalecento.com
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually February
Source statusOfficial source linked
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