Montalto Dora, cabbages and horses. The Canavese and its traditions

MONTALTO DORA

We are waiting to fully experience the savoy cabbage festival, which has reached its 25th edition. There are two days, tomorrow, Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 November in Montalto Dora in the two new areas, that of the arena and that of the fair, the ‘one next to the other, which overcome the obstacle of the safety issue (the events are accessed with the Green pass.

Even the castle opens its doors to host the conference (10 am on Saturday) entitled Events as a tool for relaunching local tourism in times of Covid. The purpose of the meeting is to provide functional information to municipal administrators, Pro loco and associations to restore an organizational climate conditioned by anti-Covid regulations. The work will be concluded by the regional councilor for culture, tourism and commerce Vittoria Poggio. And the landscape is also offered, including guided excursions in the dancing lands, in the pile-dwelling village on the shores of Lake Pistono and visits to the archaeological museum. The novelty is that of the first edition of the Palio dei Comuni, which on Sunday 21 sees 16 Canavesani Municipalities compete with the draw formula (Palio di Siena model) engaged in an attack race with two timed heats, on sports carriages driven by a driver driving a team of horses.

The draw for the combinations between knights and municipalities took place in the council room last Saturday during the press conference for the presentation of the event. In the race there are Ivrea, Montalto Dora, Carema, Borgofranco, Pavone, Chiaverano, Banchette, Settimo Vittone, Tavagnasco, Samone, Cossano, Nomaglio, Strambino, Bollengo, Caluso and Caravino with the best knights of the Eporediese who will wear a jacket with the coats of arms of various countries. The direction is entrusted to the festival and fair association of San Savino di Ivrea. The person in charge of the route is Doriana Mino.

With good reason, therefore, the savoy cabbage festival is a showcase that enhances the excellence of the Canavese territory, where past and present, gastronomy, culture and local folklore alternate giving visitors emotions, atmospheres of yesteryear, authentic flavors of the peasant tradition and glimpses of rural life in the 1900s. The great fair and the Palio dei Comuni are the pivot of the event, concentrated on Sunday, but the collateral moments are many. At 2.30 pm on Saturday, the mural by Eugenio Pacchioli, entitled “a thousand paths”, is inaugurated in Piazza IV Novembre. At the same time the square hosts the stand of the cabbage producers, ready to be evaluated by the technical jury who will then award the best. At 9.30 pm the doors of the Angelo Burbatti municipal amphitheater reopen, leaving space for the concert of the Redwine group. The Canavesana band presents a preview of the album La cura per boredom, released last March.

On Sunday 21st the face of the town changes: from 8 am the area in front of the municipal amphitheater is transformed into an open-air showcase with stands, gazebos and the voices of exhibitors: there are about a hundred. The space is divided into three paths: that of traditionsat the stalls of the fair, the way of taste with typical Piedmontese and Valle d’Aosta products, and demonstrations by artisans. There are several possibilities to have lunch offered by the street food of the association of cabbage growers, of the Montalto Dora volleyball association, of the traditional Canavese restaurants and of the oratory refreshment. Also available in restaurants. At 10.30 in the new fairground adjacent to the parish church, the historical group of castellani accompanies the participants in the first Palio dei Comuni. The second heat is scheduled from 13.30 to 15, which will be followed by the award ceremony: only one winner of the trophy. Lydia Massia