EVENTS – Bottega del vino Dolcetto di Dogliani

In a land marked by vineyards and woods, fields and age-old farmsteads, where interest in good food and wine reign unconditionally, sites of art and history are regularly transformed into “public theatres” where special events and festivities are held on well-known dates throughout the year. Every town, every village, “dresses up” for a day or two to celebrate, for example, local products, like cherries at Dogliani, “piciu” (medlars) at Farigliano, “micun” (loaves of bread) at Belvedere Langhe, chestnuts at Somano…
From festivals and historical fairs dating back centuries, to more recently established events, all take place in a territory that has both a strong desire to embrace and keep traditions alive, as well as the equally strong desire to change and invent new interests and attractions for a public composed of local residents and visiting tourists, charmed and enchanted by the beauty of the area.

From eno-gastronomic walks, that combine the love and culture of good food with a love of nature, to village fetes with giant tents offering local products, outdoor dancing and fireworks, all are eagerly looked forward to from one year to the next.
And finally, events and occasions tied to religious observances, holy and patron saints’ days… none of these should be missed.

april

BELVEDERE LANGHE
Festa dei Micun
Held on the second Sunday after Easter the afternoon festival begins with a procession in which the wooden statue of Saint Sebastion is carried through the streets by members of the Confraternity of the “Battuti Bianchi” (the Brotherhood of the White Flagellants) followed by mass in the oratory dedicated to Saints Sebastiano and Fabiano, home of the brotherhood. During the religious celebration the “micun” (bread in local dialect) is blessed and then distributed to the congregation, whose membership is restricted to the male inhabitants of the village. Tradition holds that this bread has curative properties and for that reason it is saved and used sparingly during the year in moments of need.

The Passion of Christ
During Holy week the characteristic centre is transformed into ancient Biblical Jerusalem suggestively lit by 500 torches. The local townsmen do not shave for weeks before the event so as to look as authentic as possible and about 250 figures are involved, none of whom are professional actors. Performed live and enriched by special lighting and sound effects, the salient moments of the Passion of Christ are re-enacted through scenes of simple peasant life. Witnessed thus in person, the events of Easter are made more readily accessible and “real” to modern day spectators (This event has not taken place for a number of years but was once highly significant for the community).

DOGLIANI
Merenda Sinoira and Festival of Salame Cotto
At the end of April, in the various piazzas adjacent to the Town Hall, market stalls are set up featuring the traditional products of a Piedmontese afternoon snack, picnic fare or ready-to-eat dishes typical of a country outing: cheese, charcuterie, preserves and jam, bread, sweet baked goods, honey and the inevitable raw or grilled meat. The Festival of Cooked Salami is a competitive event open only to the best artisan producers of this Piedmont speciality.

Langhe Farmers’ Market
Every first and third Saturday of the month, from April to December, a traditional farmers’ market of local agricultural products takes place in Piazza Umberto I, to promote this rural/agricultural area of excellence and eco-compatible (Kilometre 0) consumption. All the participants come from communities within a radius of 25 kilometres from Dogliani (Mombasiglio, Paroldo, Briaglia, Bastia, Cissone, Murazzano, Mombarcaro, Farigliano, Marsaglia, Piozzo, Sale San Giovanni, Sale Langhe, and Benevagienna).

MONCHIERO
San Fedele
A festival celebrating the town’s patron saint, San Fedele, on the first Sunday after Easter

may

BASTIA
Festival of San Fiorenzo
This celebration of the town’s patron saint takes place on the second Sunday in May.
Naturarte
An eno-gastronomic “tasting walk” walk through the local area, featuring typical wines and food products, held on 1st May
Commemoration of the Partisan Resistance
Held at the S. Bernardo Memorial on the last Sunday in May.

CLAVESANA
Sapori di Langa (Flavours of the Langhe)
A discovery of taste, culture and tradition held on the 3rd Sunday in May.

DOGLIANI
Traditional Cherry Festival
This festival is held at the end of May and has existed since the very earliest centuries, though the oldest written texts attesting its importance are dated 1897 and can be found in the Dogliano archives. Dogliani Castello, which is in the highest part of the town, has an exhibition of local handicrafts called “Manufatti d’autore”, while the streets of the lower quarter, Dogliani Borgo, are livened up throughout the day by traditional commercial stalls. In Piazza Belvedere and all along the panoramic pedestrian route, from Castello to Borgo, visitors can stop at the many stalls offering cherries, fruit preserves, sweets and drinks made from cherries. Another tasting area, called “A tavola con le ciliegie”, is set up in Piazza don Delpodio in the Borgo quarter and offers traditional dishes cooked with cherries.
Langhe Farmers’ Market
Every first and third Saturday of the month, from April to December, a traditional farmers’ market of local agricultural products takes place in Piazza Umberto I, to promote this rural/agricultural area of excellence and eco-compatible (Kilometre 0) consumption. All the participants come from communities within a radius of 25 kilometres from Dogliani (Mombasiglio, Paroldo, Briaglia, Bastia, Cissone, Murazzano, Mombarcaro, Farigliano, Marsaglia, Piozzo, Sale San Giovanni, Sale Langhe and Benevagienna).

june

CIGLIÈ
Festival of San Pietro and Paolo
The celebration of Cigliè’s patron saints, Peter and Paul, is held on the last Sunday of June.
The statue of the two saints, carved from fig wood and weighing about 360 kg, is carried on the shoulders of the faithful in a procession through the streets of the village.
For the occasion, a theatrical representation in local dialect is performed on Saturday night, while dancing takes place on Sunday and Monday evenings.

DOGLIANI
Langhe Farmers’ Market
Every first and third Saturday of the month, from April to December, a traditional farmers’ market of local agricultural products takes place in Piazza Umberto I, to promote this rural/agricultural area of excellence and eco-compatible (Kilometre 0) consumption. All the participants come from communities within a radius of 25 kilometres from Dogliani (Mombasiglio, Paroldo, Briaglia, Bastia, Cissone, Murazzano, Mombarcaro, Farigliano, Marsaglia, Piozzo, Sale San Giovanni, Sale Langhe and Benevagienna).

FARIGLIANO
The “Walk of Taste”
The local tourist office organizes this gastronomic itinerary on the 4th Sunday of June. On an 8-kilometre walk along the hills of Farigliano, participants can try the many traditional dishes offered at 10 stands set up along the way. The wonderfully panoramic route crosses the river, and winds through villages, woods and vineyards. The last edition attracted over 1600 participants.

SOMANO
Festival of the patron saint San Luigi
This festival takes place on 21st June on the day dedicated to San Luigi, the patron saint of the town. On this occasion there is a rally of vintage cars and farm tractors.

july

CIGLIÈ
Festival of San Magno
This is held in the Peironi neighborhood during the 1st weekend in July.

RODDINO
Mataria ‘d Langa
Four days of concerts held during the third week of July.

Baroliadi
11 luglio 2010:
On 11th July 2010, Roddino hosted the IXth edition of the “Giochi Senza Frontiere”, an event organized by the villages in the Barolo disciplinare which changes venue every year. This was the first time it was held in Roddino. The games were followed by a sumptuous meal, prepared by the Pro Loco and local restaurants, featuring typical products of the area and served at the Communal fronton.

august

BELVEDERE LANGHE
Parish Festival of the Assumption
This mid-August celebration includes catering service and tastings, a dancing stage and other attractions for an entire week.

FARIGLIANO
The “Bon Vin” festival
This festival takes place during the last week of August and its star attraction is the Dolcetto produced on the local hills. The event includes open-air dinners in the town square, music, a funfair and a “wine lounge” with an exhibition and the opportunity to taste the wine produced by Farigliano vine growers. Festival-goers can also try their hand at playing the popular game of “birilli” (skittles), whose origins date back to the Middle Ages when, according to a rule set down by the Marchioness Isabella Doria, wife of Manfredo IV, only those players granted permission by the Castle lord were allowed to participate. The only time the general public could play was during the period from Christmas Eve to the Epiphany (6th January).

ROCCA CIGLIÈ
Roccagosto
The patronal festival takes place in August and involves the entire village and neighbouring hamlets in traditional barbecues, outdoor dancing, shows, entertainment and fireworks.

RODDINO
Festival of San Lorenzo
This festival is held on 10th August in the quarter bearing the name of the Saint. On the lawn in front of the chapel a temporary dancing stage is set up with a catering service.

september

CIGLIÈ
Biciglié
This is a non-competitive charity bicycle race with proceeds donated to Mondovì’s A.M.A.C (Association of Friends of the Blind) held on the 2nd Sunday in September.

DOGLIANI
Sagra del Dolcetto
The Dolcetto festival celebrates Dogliani’s most important resource along with many other typical products that are all part of the rich agricultural heritage of the Langhe. The festival has been held since 1930 and it takes place yearly from the second to the third Sunday of September in the quarter of Dogliani Borgo. It includes wine-related conferences, markets of traditional products, exhibitions, cultural and folk events, street theatre and various attractions, all inspired by Dolcetto grapes and wine.

october

CIGLIÈ
Autumn Itinerary
An informative walk around Cigliè, highlighting its art treasures and traditions, with the distribution of Cisrà, the typical chick pea and tripe soup.

SOMANO
Chestnut festival
Held on the second Sunday in October, this festival is an occasion to celebrate the delicious chestnuts that grow here. Events take place on Saturday and Sunday and include exhibitions of various artists, concerts, open-air dinners, dancing, an exhibition of ancient crafts and a market of typical products. During the festival, the Marrone d’Oro award is given to a personality that has succeeded in making the most of the local territory in his profession or in the cultural or sports world. The traditional roasted chestnuts are served with Dolcetto and local cheese, made with milk from the sheep that graze on the surrounding hills.

november

DOGLIANI
Fair of the Saints and the Cisrà
This Fair is held every year on 2nd November and continues to keep a very ancient tradition alive. The Cisrà originated with the Confraternita dei Battuti (the Brotherhood of the Flagellants), who, from the early hours of the morning, used to hand out bowls of this hot chick-pea and tripe soup to the many pilgrims who came from the hills and the neighbouring villages to attend the fair and the religious celebrations. The event always attracted crowds of people because it was at the end of the agricultural season and therefore the last market opportunity before winter.
In this town of the Bassa Langa, situated between the territories of Mondovì and Alba, the festivity has always been strictly connected to the agricultural world and products of the land: even though its origins are ancient it is still heartily attended and its rustic appeal has not changed over the years. Celebrations last an entire week and are mostly dedicated to the traditional dish of tripe soup prepared by local restaurants.

december

BELVEDERE LANGHE
Festa di San Nicolao
The parish church is dedicated to Belvedere’s patron saint, San Nicolao of Bari, who is celebrated on the Sunday nearest the 6th of December. This is also a festival of thanksgiving, and local farmers bring products of the year’s harvest to place on the altar in recognition of the bounty received during the year.
Outside the church, tractors and farm machinery (replacing the pack and ploughing animals of the past), are blessed by the local priest.

DOGLIANI
Premio Zolfanello d’oro (the Golden Match award)
Towards the end of every year, this prestigious award is given to a person deemed to have “enlightened the world” with his or her deeds: an important personality of the Italian or international cultural scene who has had a “brilliant” idea or has supported some noble cause. The award was inspired by the chemist Domenico Ghigliano from Dogliani, who invented the sulphur match in 1832, and is presented in an official ceremony at the Bottega di Dolcetto in Dogliani Borgo, in the presence of local authorities.

Living Crêche
For many years Dogliani has been renowned for its “Presepe Vivente”, a hugely popular and impressive live performance of the Nativity that takes place on the nights of 23rd December and Christmas Eve. As many as 350 non-professional actors are involved in re-creating the scene in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth, with every detail – the setting and furniture, the clothes and tools and even the dialogues and the different situations – carefully studied to be as authentic as possible. Many old crafts that have survived up to the present are represented, such as bread-baking, basket weaving, and iron forging, reminders of the importance of manual labour, still so central to tending local vineyards.

FARIGLIANO
The San Nicolao festival or the Fiera del Puciu
This fair takes place on the first Sunday of December and is dedicated to the patron saint of the town. Following tradition, a very substantial and nutritious chick-pea and tripe soup is handed out to fairgoers, free of charge, for warmth during the cold winter day. The particular characteristic of this dish is that it is made by the men of the village, who spend the whole night before the celebration in preparation. This “vigil” is typically accompanied by bagna cauda and Dolcetto, which is also on offer to curious night-owls. As well as numerous market stalls and stands of wine producers, there is a tasting area, called “Colori e sapori di Langa”, where local products can be tasted. The Istituto Tecnico and the Comizio Agrario of Mondovì, in collaboration with the Commune of Farigliano, also present their projects and activities, which focus on researching new techniques and organic methods, with the aim of improving the quality of agricultural production.