In Fornesighe, a picturesque village in Val di Zoldo that has preserved wonderful examples of traditional architecture in wood and stone, Carnival is one of the most beautiful events in popular tradition. Documented since the late 19th century and rediscovered after a period of oblivion, it takes place on the Sunday before Shrove Tuesday.
The real star of the show, which gives the event its name, is La Gnaga. Imagine an elderly lady, hunched over, wearing wooden clogs, carrying a basket on her shoulder in which she smiles... a bold young man! This mask is the true symbol of the Zoldano Carnival, revealing the meaning of the festival: humour and absurdity, but also a metaphor for the old and the new, symbolising the transition from winter to the new spring season.
The parade stages a unique wedding procession: all the participants accompanying the bride and groom wear traditional costumes and wooden masks made by local artisans. Their passage is announced by the Matazin, who jumps around in his colourful costume full of noisy bells. Every year, the Fornesighe Carnival is accompanied by the traditional ex tempore, a competition of masks carved by different wood artists, competing against each other.
