Ambrosian Carnival 2026 Milan, the one par excellence, begins with the celebrations of the Fat Thursday, February 19, 2026 and continues until Saturday 21st: float parades and the traditional one children's party in Piazza Duomo.

MASKED KARAOKE @ NHERO MILAN

Attend the most entertaining and sung Carnival evening in Milan.

Aperitif and masked evening with karaoke for €16 per person, including drinks, at Nhero Milano, Via Felice Casati, 44

An evening dedicated to an adult audience, ideal for both company and new acquaintances: to book simply call Giuseppe at 3468874037 to register!

MASK PARTY IN DUOMO SQUARE

Carnival celebrations in Milan are beyond imagination, as this is Italy's favorite evening and nightlife destination. The celebrations begin in the afternoon with masks and floats in Piazza Duomo. and then continue into the evening until late at night in clubs and discos with incredible and varied themes, lots of colors and pranks from the Arabian Nights.

The theme for the 2026 Ambrosian Carnival has not yet been announced. The event normally takes place over three days, with events throughout the city. Throughout the center of Milan, you can expect to see the traditional masks of the Ambrosian, Meneghino, and Cecca Carnivals. The celebration will feature dancing and singing, while the main events will, as per tradition, be Fat Saturday with the afternoon parade and the evening show in Piazza del Duomo.

EVENTS IN THE CITY CENTER’

Carnival 2026 Milan with allegorical floats, masks, costumes, light shows, celebrations and lots of fun will invade both Piazza Duomo and the main city streets for the great Carnival 2026 celebration and it will be a crazy Saturday: parades on the Navigli, Brera, Sempione Castello Sforzesco promise artistic programming and hilarious shows.

Carnival is a well-known festival in Milan for its rich history, and the city's program of events is truly rich. Exhibitions, events, concerts, and clubs enliven the evenings and days of February, leading up to Shrove Tuesday, making Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays in Milan delightful. The period leading up to Lent and leading up to Easter in Milan is also embellished and enlivened by Carnival decorations, traditional Carnival sweets such as bugie and chiacchiere, and by images and displays of children's drawings of Carnival masks such as Arlecchino, Balanzone, Pulcinella, Pantalone, Gianduja, Colombina, and many others, very famous in Milan for the traditional Carnival and the Ambrosian Carnival.

HERENDOR? SABATO 21 FEBBRAI 2025!

In Milan, Carnival doesn't end on Shrove Tuesday, but on the following Saturday, because, according to tradition, Saint Ambrose, the patron saint of Milan, was on a pilgrimage and asked the population to wait for his return to begin the Lenten liturgies. Therefore, today in the Archdiocese of Milan, the rite of Ash Wednesday is celebrated on the first Sunday of Lent, according to the Ambrosian rite.

BUTSCHERE

The true protagonist of the Milanese Carnival is the Meneghino Mask, a witty and kind servant who mocks the nobles' shortcomings. Meneghino wears a long brown jacket, shorts, red and white striped socks, a three-cornered hat, and a wig with a French ponytail. The name derives from Domenighin, the servant who accompanied Milan's noblewomen to church or for walks on Sundays. In 1848, during the Five Days of Milan, he was chosen by the citizens of Milan as a symbol of heroism, as he embodies some typical Milanese characteristics, such as industriousness and generosity.