The origins of the carnival date back to the nineteenth century, when Battista Mongini invented the story and physiognomy of the two main masks: Peru Magunella and Gin Fiammàa. The painful story of “Peru” is a metaphor for the hardships that the people of Borgosesia had to face at the time.
For a month, the streets and squares of the town are brought to life with parades, papier-mâché floats and colourfully dressed characters on foot. Highlights include the “Busecca in Piazza”, during which 6,000 portions of this characteristic tripe-based dish are served free of charge in the main square of Borgosesia.
The event comes to a close with the “Mercu Scûrot”, a traditional event dating back to the nineteenth century in which thousands of participants, all dressed in top hat and tails, "mourn" the end of the carnival.
