The event scheduled in Villar Focchiardo from Thursday, October 16 to Sunday, October 19 is the oldest Italian festival dedicated to the Marrone chestnut. The first edition of the event, which is sponsored by the Metropolitan City of Turin and included in the GustoValsusa circuit calendar, dates back to 1949. Since then, the festival has always taken place on the third Sunday of October, confirming that the village lives in close harmony with the surrounding chestnut groves.
During the festival, the inhabitants of Villar Focchiardo compete for the title of best producer in the weight contest, where prizes are awarded to those who achieve the highest total weight for a sample of 50 fruits and to the grower who presents the largest single Marrone. Every year, the Cavargna company — the oldest family of wholesale chestnut gatherers in the Susa Valley — presents the “Golden Marrone” award to a chestnut grower who has distinguished himself in the care and promotion of the product throughout his career. Another traditional competition is the one dedicated to creative compositions, rewarding imagination and skill in using chestnuts to create characters and scenes.
The festival is the perfect occasion to enjoy the traditional *brusatà*, roasted chestnuts cooked over the flame by the *brusatairo* and distributed by girls dressed in the village’s traditional costume. The key figures of the celebration are Pero and Gepa, known respectively as “Lo Desbatur,” the man who used long poles to strike the burs on the trees to make the chestnuts fall, and “La Rapoloira,” the woman who gathered them.
The festival begins with the weighing of the 50 largest Marrone chestnuts, scheduled for Thursday, October 16 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. On Saturday, October 18 and Sunday, October 19, the traditional market exhibition of local artisanal products will take place, featuring tastings, guided tours, and the sale of fresh Marrone chestnuts and related products, organized by the cooperative “La Maruna” and local producers.
At the festival, visitors can see the chestnut exhibition with entries competing in the weight and creative packaging contests organized by the producers, as well as the traditional characters Pero and Gepa dressed in typical local costumes and accompanied by the music of the “Barbis du Vilè.” Naturally, local restaurants will offer menus featuring Marrone-based dishes, while wood-carving demonstrations will be presented by associations dedicated to one of the true traditional arts of the Susa Valley.
