Carnevale al Cristo — Alessandria
The carnival of Alessandria's Cristo quarter, run by its shopkeepers' association for twenty editions: a February Sunday afternoon of masks, music and games in Piazza Ceriana, in some years with a parade of floats and masked groups down Corso Acqui.
Why it's special
It's a neighbourhood carnival on a proper scale and a family afternoon: in 2023 about 800 people in costume and 23 floats and walking groups came down Corso Acqui, and in other years the square fills with inflatables, fritters and a pentolaccia for the children.
Programme · 2026
20th edition of the Cristo quarter's carnival, free.
- It runs on a single afternoon, so check the date in the week before: it was postponed in both 2024 and 2025 (in 2025 because of bad weather).
- In carnival years with a city-centre parade, the comune holds it separately, as on Sunday 9 March 2025 from Piazza Garibaldi.
The Cristo quarter of Alessandria has had a carnival of its own for twenty editions, run by its shopkeepers' association. It's an afternoon affair: children in costume, confetti, music, fritters and games in Piazza Ceriana, the quarter's main square, and in the bigger years a parade of floats and masked groups down Corso Acqui from the Don Bosco.
In 2023, back after a two-year pause, 23 floats and groups and some 800 people in costume came down the corso. In 2025, the 19th edition, the organisers swapped the parade for attractions in the square, and the comune held a separate city-centre parade from Piazza Garibaldi a week later. The 2026 edition, the 20th, kept to the square with inflatables, a pentolaccia and baby dance, plus an evening apericena at the Soms.
The quarter's associations also put on the Festa del Cristo in October. See Alessandria for the city.
Past editions
| Year | Dates | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8–14 February 2026 (Sunday 8 and Saturday 14) | 20th edition of the Cristo quarter's carnival, free. Sun 8 Feb, from 14:30 – carnival party in Piazza Ceriana: inflatables, fritters and sweets, rides for all ages, pentolaccia, baby dance Sat 14 Feb, 19:30 – apericena with sweet fritters at the Soms |
| 2025 | Saturday 1 March 2025 | 19th edition, postponed from Sunday 23 February because of bad weather. Afternoon – masks, music, games and attractions for children in Piazza Ceriana, in place of the float parade Sun 9 March – the comune's separate city-centre carnival parade of floats and masked groups from Piazza Garibaldi, closing a programme that opened at the Cristo |
| 2024 | Sunday 18 February 2024 | Postponed to Sunday 18 February. |
| 2023 | Sunday 19 February 2023 | Back after a two-year break, organised by the quarter's shopkeepers' association. 15:00 – parade of 23 floats and walking groups, about 800 masks, from the Don Bosco along Corso Acqui, past stalls and open shops Then – closing party in Piazza Ceriana |