Festivals & Events: Festivals in Piedmont

Festivals in Piedmont

Festival name: Chocolate—One Week of Temptations
Date: Mid-February
Where: Town square
Town: Cuneo
Region: Piedmont
Food: Chocolate
About the event: Chocolate is everywhere, in the cafes, pastry shops, ice-cream stores, markets and even statues. Aside from eating, there are also performances by dancers and musicians, art auctions and workshops with confectioners.
For more info: http: //www.autunnocongusto.com or tel. (+39) 0171-604121.

Festival name: Pepper Festival—Sagra del Peperone
Date: Starts the 1st Tuesday of every August
Town: Motta di Costiglione
Province: Asti
Region: Piedmont
Food: Bell peppers
About the event: Local producers, consumers, and pepper devotees come together to celebrate. There are local produce exhibitions, food tastings, evening dances with live music, firework display on the second-to-last night.
For more info: Pro Loco of Motta di Costiglione
Tel. (+39) 0141-969-281

Festival name: Saint Bartholomew's and Ricetto Feast
Date: End of August through the beginning of September
Town: Boves (Piazza Italia) and Rivoira
Province: Cuneo
Region: Piedmont
About the event: This festival has been celebrated for more than 20 years to promote the Cuneo area and its produce. Several events include the great dinner on Piazza Italia on August 25 and the 5th Agriculture and Handicraft Exhibition of the Gesso, Vermenagna and Pesio Valleys from August 29th to 31st.
For more info: http: //www.autunnocongusto.com or tel. +39.0171.391829 (Boves Town Hall)

Festival name: Feast of The Entracque Potato
Date: 2 days in early September
Where: Throughout the town
Town: Entracque
Province: Cuneo
Region: Piedmont
Food: Potatoes
About the event: Citizens gather to market products and to listen to traditional music. On Saturday evening, the people of the village cook more than 1000 portions of homemade gnocchi.
For more info: http: //www.autunnocongusto.com or tel. (+39) 0171-978108 (Entracque Town Hall).

Festival name: International Snail Farming Conference in Cherasco
Date: Starts 2nd Saturday of every September
Town: Cherasco
Province: Cuneo
Region: Piedmont
Food: Snails
About the event: Organizers of the event discuss the many mysteries of the tasty molluscs, including their biological growth cycles, and what is involved in snail farming.
For more info: Alba Tourist Information Office
Tel. (+39) 0173-35-833

Festival name: Cheese 2003—The many shapes of milk
Date: Over the third weekend in September
Town: Bra
Province: Cuneo
Region: Piedmont
Food: Cheese
About the event: At this festival, the Great Cheese Hall has more than 150 stands, dairy products and taste-testing booths for visitors to enjoy.
For more info: Arcigola Slow Food, Tel. 0172.411273

Festival name: Alba Truffle Festival
Date: Starts 1st Saturday of every October (continues throughout the month)
Where: Historic center
Town: Alba
Province: Cuneo
Region: Piedmont
Food: Truffles
About the event: Some of the world's greatest chefs gather in Alba for this festival. There is also a truffle auction, market and fair, in addition to the magnificent Barolo wines of the region. The market takes place on weekends throughout October and the first two weekends in November from 8 a.m.- 8 p.m.
For more info: Alba Tourist Information Office
Tel. (+39) 0173-35-833

Festival name: Pumpkin Fair—Fiera della Zucca
Date: Early October
Town: Piozzo
Province: Cuneo
Region: Piedmont
Food: Pumpkins
About the event: This event, taking place on the first Sunday of October, is a display of more than 180 varieties of pumpkins on old wagons. Visitors can taste delicious pumpkin sweets and take home a recipe book containing pumpkin-based traditional dishes and original recipes in "Nouvelle Cuisine" style.
For more info: www.autunnocongusto.com or tel. (+39) 0173-795101 (Piozzo Town Council)