The historical Carnival of Francavilla al Mare, the historical masks in Abruzzo and why stop and visit this event, finally the desserts to taste when in Francavilla al Mare.
The oldest Carnival in Abruzzo and the most awaited in the Region, officially called the Carnevale d'Abruzzo, the carnival of Francavilla al Mare was born after World War II to color and brighten the gray winters of a place that lights up, like most of the seaside resorts, in the summer season.
Carnival was initially celebrated with theperformance by ZazzĂ looking for ZuzzĂą, a complex originally from the place that performed along the streets of the town. Given the success of the small annual anniversary, it was decided to set up an organizing committee that had the task of organizing a real event: still active today, the committee deals with the construction of the floats together with expert papier-mache masters, and to organize collateral events. with orchestras, dancers and folkloristic groups.
To a goliardic event more and more loved, a symbol that reflected the joy of the carnival could not fail to be attributed. In fact, every year to lead and open the show is the chariot of King Patanello, a character inspired by the story of Zì Patane, a cobbler who lived at the end of the 800th century, extravagant and playful, which reflects the festive soul of the city of Francavilla al Mare.
In addition to the historic floats of the event, in each edition the allegorical wagons, decorated with caricatures inspired by the most talked about events and characters of the year.
The Abruzzo Carnival hosts more than 20mila people, between adults and children, who not only observe and greet the wagons from the side of the roads but follow it along the entire route, which starts from the railway station passing through Piazzale Sirena, one of the main squares of the town, characterized by the long pier that overlooks on the sea.
The historical carnival of Francavilla takes place in the days of Quinquagesima Sunday and closes on Shrove Tuesday. For some years the event has doubled, coloring the summer of Francavilla al Mare and the stays of the many tourists who fill the Francavilla seafront.
Did so many celebrations make you hungry? You absolutely must stop in one of the numerous bars on the Francavilla seafront and taste the Cicerchiata, a typical Carnival dessert, which Abruzzo gave birth to and then spread throughout the center-south. You will easily recognize its donut shape, made up of many balls of dough that come fried in olive oil (strictly from Abruzzo) and sprinkled with honey. Tradition has it that its name has medieval origin: the cicerchia is a legume grown in Abruzzo and in the neighboring regions, recognized as a Typical Agri-food Product. The term Cicerchiata would therefore mean “pile of cicerchie”.
And then there are the Chatter (or Frappe), also widespread in the rest of Italy, whose name changes according to the region of origin. Are those delicious crunchy sheets, made with a mixture of flour, fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar, a must in the windows of pastry shops and bars to announce the carnival. They will also be widespread throughout Italy, but it is not carnival if you don't taste the frappe during the celebrations of Francavilla al Mare.
Now that you know where the party is and where to feed yourself, you just have to dress up, buy confetti and streamers and run into the street to celebrate the most colorful anniversary of the year. Because it's nice to be a child once a year.
