Festivals
Palio di Asti
Asti, Sunday 20th September 2009
The first mention of the race goes back to the year 1275 when, according to Guglielmo Ventura, another local historian, his townsmen ran a horse race for their own amusement, beneath the walls of the enemy city of Alba, causing heavy damage and devastation to the vineyards. Today,the city still preserves a structure that bears witness to the greatness of its past, with the towers and bulwarks of its medieval palaces and the characteristics streets of its historical centre that provide an appropriate setting for the fascinating historical revival of the Palio. There are twenty-one contenders in the race and, in the weeks that precede it, they all do their utmost to propitiate the victory by holding huge banquets, enacting magic rituals, playing terrible pranks on their adversaries, right up until the big day when they meet on the field, preceded by a sumptuous parade of over twelve hundred persons in medieval costume. In the days preceding the race, visitors may enjoy many collateral and preparatory events: the Palio of the Flag-wavers, the colourful flea-market, the trials of owner-jockeys on the field. Opportunities not to be missed for those who really want to immerse themselves in the special atmosphere of this event.
www.palio.asti.it/index.shtml
Douja d’Or
Asti 11th – 20th September 2009
In one of the major wine growing regions of Italy, producers and buyers come together each year at Asti’s Palazzo del Collegio and the marquee erected in its courtyard, to sample and to buy and sell. This is also a great opportunity for visitors to debunk the negative vibes associated with Asti Spumante and to try some of the really outstanding wines of the region. There are also exhibitions and demonstrations, many varieties of local dishes are on sale, and there are celebration dinners and musical entertainments in the evenings. Douja d’Or, the Cup of Gold, is a 22-carat affair that runs more or less in parallel with the spectacular Asti Palio, making this the place to be in September for wine buffs and horse racing fans.
www.doujador.it
Festival delle Sagre
Asti, Sunday 13th September 2009
On the second saturday and sunday of september, Asti celebrates the “festival delle Sagre”, a big opendoor restaurant, in which 40 villages of the province of Asti prepare their typical dishes accompanied by DOC wines, and serve that in the biggest place of the town. In the sunday morning 3 thousand people parade throguh historical centre wearing authentic peasant costume. It’s a beautiful festival which remember popular traditions.
www.festivaldellesagre.it/