Italians love to party. All year long there are a great number of village, agricultural, historic, cultural and music festivals and usually a combination of all of these. For all the festivals please see the calendar on the site of the bureau of tourism at Asti: www.astiturismo.it, Click on ‘Apri il Calendario’. You can also find more info there on Carnival, Easter and Christmas activities and markets. They also have the events available in brochures at the Asti Tourist infocentre (Piazza Alfieri).
P.S.
At the wine festivals you usually buy a glass for a fixed amount at the entrance. After that you can taste (and buy) all the wine you want to (sometimes you get a number of coupons).
Please see the tab ‘shopping' for more info, especially on the fixed date antique markets, what to expect at the truffle fairs and the factory outlets.
TIP: Buy the Friday edition of ‘La Nuova Provincia’ (a local newspaper) for more information on what’s happening in Asti and the surrounding area. The ‘La Stampa’ on Friday also has a supplementary ‘Torino Sette’, with events in Turin and surrounding area, including the region around Asti. This contains even more info. In this manner you can stay in touch with the most recent information on what’s happening that week(end)!!
January
2 nd and 3 rd weekend - Monale: Bagna Cauda Food & wine festival.
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Bagna Cauda
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February
Carnaval month with several festivals and parades in the region.
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March
The carnaval activities continue.
2 th Sunday - Asti: prodotti, gusti & sapori, large food Sunday market.
3 rd Sunday - Tonco: Giostra di Pitu
Historical horse race with food & wine.
3 rd Sunday - San Damiano: Antica Fiera di San Giuseppe
Market with local products, exhibition of agricultural machines & of course with food & the new Barbera wine (of the Colline Alfieri).
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 Carnaval in Vercelli |
April
2 nd Sunday - Castiglione d’Asti:Frittata in Passagiata. Food & wine festival.
3 rd Sunday - Isola d’Asti: Fiora in Fiera
Flowers- & plant exhibition, also with food & wine.
4 th Sunday- Castell’Alfero: VIVIVerde
Animal show of local breeds & market with local products, & of course with food & wine.
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Parmesan kaas
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May
1 st Sunday - Vinchio: Sagra dell’asparago saracando
Asparagus food & wine festival.
1 st Wednesday - Asti: Fiera Carolingia
In the historic center of the city more than 1.000 stalls with Italian products.
2 nd Weekend - Nizza Monferrato, Nizza é Barbera Food & wine festival: main theme Barbera wine.
2 nd Sunday - Asti: prodotti, gusti & sapori, large food Sunday market.
3 rd weekend - Montegrosso d’Asti, Fiera della Barbera: Nizza é Barbera: Food & wine festival, main theme Barbera wine.
3 rd Sunday - Moncalvo: Festa di Sant’Antonino
Patron Saints’ festival, with food & wine.
4 th weekend - Montemagno: Pane al pane
Food & wine festival with as main theme bread.
4th Saturday- Portacomaro: Sagra del Fritto Misto.
Food & wine festival.
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Cheese covered in pulp of the Barbera-grape |
June
1 st weekend - Nizza Monferrato: Monferratointavola
Food & wine festival
ond Sunday: 'Corsa delle Botti' race with winebarrels.
2 nd weekend - Portocomaro: Sagra del Fritto Misto:
food & winefestival.
2 nd Sunday - Asti prodotti, gusti & sapori, large food Sunday market.
3 rd weekend - Montiglio Monferrato: Castello in Musica
Music recitals at the beautiful castle.
3 rd whole weekend (21 en 22) - Canelli: Assedio (siege) di Canelli 1613, historic re-enactment of the siege. Furthermore visits to the ‘subterranean Cathedrals’, the wine depots under the hills of Canelli.
4 th weekend - Calliano: Sagra dell’agnolotto d’asino
Food & wine festival (with donkey meat) & Friday: Cicloturistica notturna in MTB
An evening mountain bike tour.
4 th weekend - Castell’Alfero: Castelli Aperti (castle open).
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Grappa al Tartufo
The Castle in Castell'Alfero
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July
1 st weekend - Portacomaro: Festa del Rio
Food & wine festival.
2 nd Sunday - Asti: prodotti, gusti & sapori, large food Sunday market.
3 rd weekend - Portacomaro, Rassegna dell’Agnolotto. Food & wine festival.
3 rd weekend - Montiglio (Colcavagna), Festa dell’amicizia.
Food & wine festival.
3 rd weekend - Alpignano (Turin), Palio dij Cossòt
Historic festival, but now playing in the Napoleontic era,
with duels, canons, military maneuvers & of course a market, food & wine.
4 th weekend - Azzano d’Asti:
Medieval festival, with food, wine & performances.
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Drummers in Azzano
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August
1 st weekend - Portacomaro (fraz. Migliandolo): Festa Madonna della Neve
Patron Saints’ festival, with food & wine.
2 nd Sunday - Asti: prodotti, gusti & sapori, large food Sunday market.
3 rd Sunday - Tonco: Festa Patronale
Patron Saints’ festival, with food & wine.
Last weekend - Calliano: Sagra dello stufato d’asino
Food & wine festival (with donkey meat).
Last Sunday - Vinchio: Festa del vino
Food & wine festival, with visits to the cantina (wine depot).
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Frinco
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September
Month for the wine harvesting, with grape pickers in all the region..
1 st weekend - Cocconato: Cocco-Wine
Wine festival in Cocconato, stalls with wine & food tasting & buying.
1 st weekend - Settime: Sagra della nocciola
Harvest festival after the hazelnut harvest. Exhibition of (ancient) agricultural machines & selection of the best hazelnuts(cake). Lunch with food & wine. In the afternoon a guided tour of the hazelnut orchards.
1 st Sunday - Tonco: Rassegna dell’Agricoltura
Animal fair with the local breeds & a market with local products & of course with food & wine. Plus an exhibition of (ancient) agricultural machines.
1 st Friday - Montechiaro d'Asti: Fiera di merci varie en bestiame
Animal fair with the local Piedmontese cow breed, of course accompanied by with food & wine. Plus an exhibition of (ancient) agricultural machines.
2 nd & 3 rd week - Asti: Douja d’Or
This week (in the run to the Palio) a wine festival (and food of course) with selection & prize-giving for the best wines.
2 nd weekend - Asti: Festival delle Sagre
The huge Piazza di Palio has been converted into the biggest open air restaurant of Italy!! All the districts of Asti & the surrounding towns have their own food-stand. Each stand has one or two it’s own local food specialties that can be eaten on the spot.
2 nd Sunday - Asti: Festival delle Sagre
On Sunday morning there is a huge parade with floats containing presentations of the districts of Asti & the surrounding towns, after the parade the food & wine festival on the Piazza di Palio continues!
2 nd Sunday - Asti: prodotti, gusti & sapori, large food Sunday market.
3 rd Saturday - Cocconato: Antica Fiera Medievale
Medieval festival, with food & wine & performances, starting from 7 ‘o clock PM.
3 rd Sunday - Asti: Corteo in Costume medievale & Palio
At 2 ‘o clock in the afternoon a huge parade starts with more than 1.200 participants dressed in medieval costumes!! Knights, ladies, beggars all kinds of types participate. Especially the groups of flag-bearers throwing their flags up in the air are quite spectacular.
Afterwards the Palio, a spectacular bareback horserace on the triangular Piazza Alfieri. As the race is on bareback a seat near the corners is recommended.
4 th weekend - Piea d’Asti: La zucca delle meraviglie
Food festival with a market & food tasting with as main theme pumpkins.
4 th Sunday - Cocconato: Palio degli Asino
Donkey race, from 3 ‘o clock in the afternoon. First a parade then the race & of course with food & wine afterwards.
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Classic tractors in Tonco 
Palio-parade in Asti
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October
Every Saturday & Sunday of this month – Alba, La grande fiera del tartufo; a huge truffle-market.
1 st weekend - Cuneo: Fiera del marrone
Market with food & wine, with as main theme (roasted) chestnuts.
1 st Sunday - Montiglio Monferrato: Fiera del tartufo. Truffle-market, with truffles, food & wine.
2 nd Sunday - Montiglio Monferrato: Fiera del tartufo. Truffle-market, with truffles, food & wine.
2 nd Sunday - Castagnole Monferrato: Fiera del tartufo
Truffle-market, with truffles, food & wine.
2 nd Sunday - Asti: prodotti, gusti & sapori, large food Sunday market.
3 rd weekend - Chiusa di Pesio: Festa del marrone
Market with food & wine, with as main theme (roasted) chestnuts.
3 rd Sunday - Mombercelli: Fiera del tartufo
Truffle-market, with truffles, food & wine.
3 rd Sunday - Calliano, 'Palio degli Asini'
Donkey-race with food & wine.
4 th Saturday – Tonco: Bagna Cauda
Food & wine festival, based on Bagna Cauda
Last two Sundays- Moncalvo: Fiera del tartufo
Truffle-market, with truffles, food & wine.
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Trufflemarket in Moncalvo
Not just truffles in Moncalvo
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November
1 st Sunday - Montechiaro d'Asti: Fiera del tartufo bianco
Truffle-market, with truffles, food & wine.
1 st Sunday - Nizza Monferrato: Fiera del tartufo
Truffle-market, with truffles, food & wine.
2 nd Sunday - Asti: prodotti, gusti & sapori, large food Sunday market.
2 nd Sunday - Canelli: Fiera del tartufo
Truffle-market, with truffles, food & wine.
3 rd weekend - Asti: Cucina & Cantina
Food & wine with local products.
3 rd weekend - Asti: Fiera del tartufo
Truffle-market, with truffles, food & wine.
4 th Sunday - Montegrosso: Fiera del tartufo
Truffle-market, with truffles, food & wine.
4 th Sunday – Castelnuovo D. Bosco: Festa del tartufo
Truffle-market, with truffles, food & wine.
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Trufflemarket in Asti
Steaming pots in Asti
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December
Month of the Christmas-markets and the ‘fat oxen - Bue grasso
1 st weekend- Cortazzone: Sagra del tartufo
Truffle-market, with truffles, food & wine.
1 st Sunday - Nizza Monferrato: Fiera del manzo & del bue grasso
Bue Grasso is the famous Piemontese cow breed.
1 st Sunday - Cocconato: Christmas-market.
2 nd Wednesday - Moncalvo: Antica Fiera del Bue Grasso
Bue Grasso is the famous Piedmontese cow breed. They’re in the Top Ten of cow breeds together with Limousin cows, etc. On Thursday morning it starts with the selection & show, with food & wine afterwards. On Sunday afternoon there’s the prize giving & Christmas-market.
2 nd Sunday - Asti: prodotti, gusti & sapori, large food Sunday market.
2 nd Sunday - Cortanze: Christmas-market.
3 rd Sunday - Cortandone: Christmas-festival.
3 rd Sunday - San Damiano: sale of Christmas-stars.
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Fat oxes or: Bue grasso
A lot of panettones in december
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