El Carneval del Perkeo

Salorno | from 16.02.2012 to 21.02.2012

The carnival taking place in Salorno from the 16th to the 21st of February is certainly a unique event: watch as Clemens Pankert called Perkeo, the keeper of the large barrell of the Voter and hero Carlo Filippo of Heidelberg, comes back home from Germany riding a 230 tons barrell full of wine.

On the 16th of february at 11 am the mayor of Salorno hands the town keys over to Perkeo, who from that moment takes charge of Salorno. On Saturday he comes into town on his cart, followed by a group of doctors who visit the citizens to make sure they are all healthy.

Songs fill the air and strange characters fill the alleys: the carcoal burners of the Pochi, the hay gatherers of Cauria, women from the Cembra valley looking for a husband, the poors and the gypsies...

The parade arrives into Piazza de Mèz, where Perkeo gets off from the cart to meet the crowd and try the dishes of the "Rusteganega": sauerkraut, polenta, sausages, wine, typical Carnival sweets like the grostoi and the krapfen.

On Mardi Gras Perkeo gives the town keys back to the mayor and has to accept the fact that for another year Salorno will be administered by Master Giorgio.

PROGRAM

16 FEBRUARY 2012  
Fat Thursday – 11:00 am at the town hall
The mayor hands the town keys over to Perkeo, who takes charge of Salorno during Carnival celebrations

18 FEBRUARY 2012 
Carnival Saturday – 1:00 pm at the old town of Salorno
Parade starts at the Loreto chapel, marches through Loreto street and square Della Chiesa, and ends at square Di Mezzo

21 FEBRUARY 2012
Mardi Gras – 2:00 pm at the town hall
Perkeo gives the town keys back to the mayor