Carnevale Faenza

San Lazzaro in Borgo is a community festival and carnival organized annually in Faenza by the volunteer-led Comitato di San Lazzaro. Held two weeks before Easter, the event brings together residents of Faenza and nearby towns to celebrate a longstanding tradition rooted in solidarity. Its origins recall local people visiting the former leper hospital near the Church of San Lazzaro to share food and offer comfort to patients.

A highlight of the celebration is the tortello, a traditional Faenza sweet pastry filled with chestnuts and other ingredients, baked and finished with saba, a cooked grape-must condiment. The festival also features a carnival procession through Borgo D’Urbecco, with decorated floats and costumed groups, alongside games and entertainment for children and adults. Local businesses and Faenza schools take part, while food stalls and market stands add to the festivities. The committee also organizes associated activities, including concerts for young people, art exhibitions, riverside walks along the Lamone, and other cultural events.