February is a cold month, everybody knows it. Winter is in its full force, and at this point the Christmas vibes are just a memory. But if you think that in February there’s nothing to do in Garda Trentino, you’re totally wrong.
This month is synonym for cheerfulness, liveliness, joy, and the reason why is pretty easy: it’s Carnival time!
Merry events between jokes and laughter
The Carnival on Lake Garda turns into a joyful rainbow with many floats, famous protagonists of the Arco Carnival, but not only.
An entertaining programme for kids (also if they have grown up a bit!) with concerts, downtown tasting of local dishes, masks, costumes, parties and a huge desire of having fun all over Garda Trentino.
Exactly in Arco (on the 15th,16th and 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd February), Carnival is strictly connected to the town. Here, a purely fun Carnival is celebrated. Also this year there will be the floats and the kids, dressed up as princesses or pirates, won’t be just spectators, but rather real protagonists on the floats where they could get loose with the entertainers. The historical city centre of Arco will dress up as well to become a real playground for the little ones with stilt walkers, clowns and jugglers.
Always here in Arco, the perfume of the gnocchi (free dishes will be available for everyone) will flood through the streets with the traditional “venerdì gnoccolaro” on the 21st February, both in the town centre and in the nearby communities of Chiarano and Varignano.
In Torbole (on the 23rd Febrary) is instead time to celebrate a tasty Carnival, following the tradition with the classical Sbigolada. That’s the free tasting of “bigoi con le sardele” (a special type of pasta with sardines) and Garda Trentino extra virgin olive oil. On the 25th February, the culinary protagonists of the Carnival will be the spaghetti with ragout in nearby Nago, with a cheerful free distribution for everybody!
The gormandizers will struggle to stop at the first… taste!
Moving north to Dro, we will meet a masked parade with lots of delicacies. On the 23rd February a big party will celebrate the Carnival with a lot of different aspects: firstly, gastronomy will be in the spotlight, with a free tasting of hotdogs together with beer, cold drinks and mulled wine. Unavoidable are also the fritters, as tradition says.
From 2 pm in the afternoon, the town centre of Dro will get coloured with glee with the parade of floats from Tenno, Varignano and Dro crossing the main streets amid the wonder of the little ones.
On the 20th February, in Riva del Garda, it’s time for the tidbits with the traditional maccheronata, the free distribution of pasta with ragout in the Rione De Gasperi area, as well as the Carnival in Piazza della Mimosa, with some music and entertainment for a party dedicated to the little ones.
And to end the Carnival in style, in Romarzollo (a community of Arco) on the 1st March the apotropaic rite of the bonfire will be organised: l’Alloro e il Bambù, an ancient and traditional festival with a deep meaning linked to the fire, to expiate all the sins through its heat. A festival that blends fascinating pagan and Christian rites and leave enough room for gastronomy with a classical dish of the Trentino Carnival: grostoi and mulled wine.
Have you already thought about the costumes for your kids? A whole world of events and glee are waiting to give them smiles and fun!
Lake Garda Trentino doesn’t need masks instead: it is able to donate joy exactly as it is!
