When it comes to Carnival in Sicily, one name stands out among those with the oldest traditions: Termini Imerese. Here, in fact, the carnival festival is considered the oldest on the island — a title rooted in history, with decades of documented tradition and popular memories.
Historical roots
There is no precise founding date as for an official birth, but there are documentary references dating back to 1876, when a “Carnovale Society” was active in the city. In that year, payment receipts issued by the local company were found, demonstrating the existence of a stable organization for the celebrations already at that time.
These written traces are rare for provincial carnivals of the time and provide a concrete basis for supporting the idea of a festival well-established in the second half of the nineteenth century, that is, over 145 years ago.
Folks origins and cultural ties
According to local tradition, the Termitano Carnival began as a neighborhood festival, born from a group of Neapolitan immigrants (the so-called “Napulìti“) who settled in the village outside Porta Palermo after the riots of 1848. They brought festive customs which, mixed with the local peasant and maritime culture, gave shape to what would become the city’s Carnival.
At first it was a simple celebration: backyard parties, music, wine, and at least a community celebration. Only over time did the event become structured, until it became a regular event with parades, organizing committees, costumes and allegorical floats.
This story therefore makes the Termini Imerese Carnival the first on the list of Sicilian carnivals with a continuity of documented celebrations.
