Exploring Italy's Grandeur: The Largest Open-Air Restaurant Experience

Saturday, September 13: Opening of the food village from 6:30 PM to 11:30 PM. Sunday, September 14: The peasants’ parade begins at 9:30 AM, and the food village opens from 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM. Food Village: Piazza Campo del Palio, Astin. Parade: Throughout the Historic Center

Asti, the city symbolizing the Palio, is preparing to host the second event of the Settembre Astigiano: the Festival delle Sagre Astigiane. This weekend is entirely dedicated to the traditional flavors of Piedmont, peasant culture, and authentic traditions.

For two days, Piazza Campo del Palio transforms into Italy’s largest open-air restaurant, a place where traditions breathe and dishes tell the gastronomic history of the province of Asti. The local Pro Loco, with their passion and dedication, present the most authentic culinary delights, all prepared with local produce and handed down through generations.

Each dish is a discovery: from agnolotti with roast sauce to barbera risotto, and from veal with tuna sauce to polenta, accompanied by traditional sweets such as chocolate salami, bonet, and zabaglione with moscato. Each bite invites you to immerse yourself in the culinary history of Asti and its valleys, surrounded by rustic atmospheres and timeless flavors.

However, the Festival delle Sagre Astigiane is not just about food; it is also a vibrant history. The heart of the event is the extraordinary historical parade, a unique experience held on Sunday morning, showcasing hundreds of participants dressed in period costumes to reenact peasant life from the 19th to the 20th century.

The streets of Asti’s historic center transform into an open-air stage, featuring horse-drawn carts and groups in traditional attire that depict scenes of everyday life: farming, grape harvesting, religious traditions, weddings, and even school life of the past. It’s like taking a trip back in time, rediscovering ancient trades, such as grape pressing, and immersing oneself in the popular celebrations that defined the community.

This year, at the end of the festival, a special commission will award prizes to the Pro Loco for recognizing the best work done during the event, with particular attention to the quality of the parade, the presentation of food stalls, and the culinary offerings. The prestigious Supertrofeo Giovanni Borello will crown the Pro Loco that best represents the essence of this timeless tradition.

Photo credits: The photographs are the property of the festival.