Self catering accommodation in Piedmont, Northern Italy
Some of the region's Festivals and Events
Piedmont's festivals tend to revolve around the region's two great passions - food and film. Here are a few of them to look out for:
- CioccolaTò (Piedmont) - March
Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate for three chocolate-caked weeks throughout the region; see www.cioccola-to.com for more - Carnevale - (February or March)
Before Lent, towns stage carnivals and enjoy their last fling before Easter - Vinum Wine fesival in Alba - April 25 - 26 & May 1 - 3
See www.vinumalba.it for more information - Burattinarete - May/June
Puppet theatre takes to the street and stage of Alba, Bra and the Langhe hills - Music festivals - May-July
See www.albamusicfestival.com for more information - La Morra "Barolo Nights" July 25 - 26 2009
See www.barolonight.com for more information - Douja d'Or, Festival delle Sagre (Asti) - September
Asti is big on feste (festivals). September's flurry of festivals offers ample wine-tasting opportunities: the 10 day Douja d'Or (a douja beiong a terracotta wine jug unique to Asti) is followed by the one day Delle Sangre food festival on the second Sunday of the month. - Il Palio di Asti - September
The Palio, held in the third weekend in September, sees horses race around Piazza Alfieri. On the third Sunday of September, 21 costumed jockeys, from each of the town's historic quarters, gallop bareback around the course set up in Piazza Alfieri. The winner is presented with the Palio, a crimson standard bearing the town's insignia. The race comes at the end of weeks of build-up with entire town quarters banqueting at huge tables set up in the streets. On the big day, the race is preceeded by a big procession of more than 1,200 people, all dressed in medieval garb, through the historic centre - Barolo Wine Festival - September 9-11
- Dogliani's 67th Dolcetto Festival - September 4th, 11th, 18th
- Slow Food CHEESE!! International Cheese Fair -
September 16-19
See www.cheese.slowfood.it for more information - Fiera Nazionale del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba (National Alba White Truffle Fair; Alba) - October
The white truffle is celebrated each year with the Fiera del Tartufo Bianco d'Alba (Alba White Truffle Fair), held every Saturday and Sunday for four weeks from early October to early November - Palio degli Asini - October
Alba's annual donkey derby