Este Carnival 2025

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This year the Este Carnival pays tribute to one of the most influential women of the Este family: Isabella d'Este Gonzaga. A rich programme runs from 10 to 11 February to celebrate this historic carnival and discover 'The Lives of Isabella d'Este Gonzaga'.

Due to bad weather, the event scheduled for February 11 has been postponed to February 25.

Este Carnival: The programme

Ferrara brings history back to life with the Carnevale degli Este, an event that each year rekindles the charm and grandeur of the Este court. The 2025 edition pays tribute to Pietro Bembo, a key figure of the Renaissance and a central character in Ferrara’s cultural legacy.

Marking the 500th anniversary of the publication of Prose della volgar lingua, this year’s Carnevale celebrates Bembo’s influence through historical parades, performances, and reenactments, immersing visitors in the vibrant atmosphere of an era when Ferrara was a hub of art, literature, and diplomacy. The city’s streets and squares will come alive with costumed processions, Renaissance dances, and lavish banquets, offering an unforgettable experience for locals and tourists alike.

Explore the full program and get ready to experience a Carnevale that is much more than just a celebration!

FRIDAY 28 FEBRUARY

17:00 - 18:30, Sala Estense, Piazza del Municipio
Round Table: ‘La volgar lingua della corte estense. A dialogue between literature, history and aristocratic culture’.
Speakers: Prof. Fabio Romanini, Dr. Riccardo De Rosa, Dr. Matteo Provas

21:00, Sala Estense, Piazza del Municipio (admission free of charge)
The Compagnia del Vado, with the participation of the dance group ‘L'Unicorno’ presents ‘Miles Gloriosus’ by Tito Maccio Plauto
Historical introduction: Dr. Francesco Scafuri, Vice-President of Ferrariae Decus

SATURDAY 1 MARCH

4:30 p.m., from Piazza Castello to Piazza del Municipio
Este Carnival Procession

4:40 pm, from Piazza Trento e Trieste to Piazza del Municipio
Humanists' Procession

17:00, Piazza del Municipio
Di danza di tornei e di battagliole’ performances

20:30, Contrada Rione San Paolo, Via Boccaleone, 19
Renaissance Banquet (reservations by 25 February: 371 4865375)

SUNDAY 2 MARCH

16:00, from Porta Paola to Piazza del Municipio
Este Carnival Procession

16:30, Piazza del Municipio
A Renaissance Banquet in honour of Duke Alfonso I and Duchess Lucrezia and their illustrious guests Pietro Bembo and Ercole Strozzi. The banquet will be organised by the ‘Associazione Strada dei Vini e dei Sapori della Provincia di Ferrara’. The public will be offered a speciality of Ferrara cuisine prepared according to the recipe of Messer Cristoforo da Messisbugo. Entertainment of courtly duels and dances will enliven diners.

18:00, Piazza del Municipio
Reading of the edict closing the Carnival of the Este