The Carnevale di Sciacca 2027 already has its protagonists. In an Instagram post shared with us, the organisers unveiled the sketches of the floats for the next edition: eight allegorical floats and the float of Peppe Nappa, the king of the festival. For now they are pencils and colours; in February they will become papier-mâché giants in the streets of the town.
«The oldest Carnival in Sicily»
This is how Sciacca describes its festival: the oldest Carnival in Sicily and the most cheerful in Italy. At the heart of the event is the art of papier-mâché: Sciacca's floats are known for their imposing size and parade together with the masked groups, with choreography and music composed especially for the occasion, and with satirical scripts recited in dialect, a tradition documented as early as 1883.
The 2027 floats
Here are the nine sketches in the order in which they were presented, with the association behind each project. The descriptions tell what the drawings show: we'll discover the rest in the square.
Peppe Nappa
Arte e Cultura APS. The king of the festival, elderly and wearing a crown, dressed in green, rides the waves aboard a barrel under the banner «Il Re». Around him are a seagull, colourful fish, an umbrella, a key and a mask.
La dolcezza che disarma
Anima e Cuore APS. An eccentric gentleman in purple, with a top hat and cane, opens the doors of a sweet factory among chimneys, lollipops and mountains of candy. At his feet a young boy smiles, clutching his golden ticket.
Alla fine dell’arcobaleno
La Bomboniera APS. A leprechaun in green, with a beer tankard and a pocket watch, guards the pot of gold while a man climbs up to reach it. Above, a rainbow among storm clouds and, among the details, tags reading «Posto fisso» (steady job).
Dammi la libertà
La Nuova Avventura APS. A horned, winged figure with many arms clutches a smartphone, a caged globe, a pair of scales and a red shoe. At its feet two women kiss on a carpet of poppies.
Come per magia
La Nuova Isola APS. A magician-presenter in a blue tailcoat, with a wand and playing cards, dominates the ring surrounded by a lion tamer, a female harlequin and an assistant popping out of a top hat. Doves, a white rabbit and the «Circus» big top complete the show.
Tutto l’amore che ho
Nuova Arte 96 APS. A winged Cupid, bow in hand, sits on a cloud among hearts, padlocks and keys. Below, the world is held up by two koi carp.
Il custode dei sogni
Nuove Evoluzioni APS. A sleeping clown, holding a broken heart in his hands, watches over a carousel of horses. Around him are the moon, a ballerina and children on the clouds, one of them holding a sign reading «Pace» (Peace).
In equilibrio sopra la follia
Quadrifoglio APS. A juggler balancing on a ball, a bear with an accordion, a pug and an acrobat suspended in mid-air bring a street scene to life, among signs reading «Piazza del Popolo» and «Offerta libera» (donations welcome).
Tra Scilla e Cariddi
Quelli di Ma Che Voice APS. Scylla, with her dragon heads, looms over a sailor in a boat amid towering waves. Floating among the waves are social media icons, coins, theatre masks and a clock.
2027 dates
The parades of the Carnevale di Sciacca 2027 are scheduled for Saturday 6, Sunday 7, Shrove Tuesday 9, Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 February 2027. All the year's events are in the 2027 carnival calendar.
The sketches
Browse the gallery and let yourself be won over.
Kings, magicians, clowns, jugglers and sea monsters: this year too the imagination of Sciacca's float builders promises a February full of colour. And which sketch is your favourite? Tell us in the comments on our social channels.
How to follow the Carnevale di Sciacca
The programme, tickets and news are on the official website carnevalesciacca.it and on the Instagram profile @carnevaledisciaccaofficial. You'll also find dates, history and practical information on the Carnevale di Sciacca page on our site, while all the year's parades are in the 2027 carnival calendar.
Source: See the sketches on our Instagram. Sketches: Carnevale di Sciacca.
All about the Carnevale di Sciacca
Dates, route and history of the event: the page is updated as official confirmations come in.
