La Festa della Ràdeca

This is a historic carnival in the Frusinate area also known as the "Festa della Ràdeca." The "ràdeca" in Frusinate dialect means the agave leaf, a symbol of fertility. The festival in fact has very ancient origins, probably linked to fertility rituals. The traditions are also linked to a historical event that saw Frosinone as a protagonist between 1798 and 1799, when the city was under the control of French troops. On that occasion, the people of Frosinone decided to celebrate Carnival anyway, which was interpreted as a gesture of revolt. When General Jean Étienne Vachier arrived with soldiers to suppress the revolt, he found the people of Frosinone intent on partying and decided to join the crowd and the celebrations. From that day on, the French general became the other symbol of the Frosinone Carnival. Everyone is invited to join the party, but certain rules must be observed: undergo the rite of Baptism, through the touch of the ràdeca on one's back, and never wear caps that resemble the headgear worn by the French army!