Toma Festival
Toma Festival
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Folk culture
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Food and wine
On the second weekend of October, the Toma Fair returns to Condove, celebrating from a commercial and social perspective one of the key moments in the life of the mountain herders: the descent from the alpine pastures. The event highlights the cultural and economic heritage represented by alpine agriculture and livestock farming. The Toma Fair, sponsored by the Metropolitan City of Turin, is included in the food and wine festival calendar GustoValsusa.
The "Toma di Condove" brand is owned by the municipality and was registered at the Chamber of Commerce of Turin in 2013. Producers labeling their cheeses as Tome di Condove must adhere to strict rules of cheesemaking and aging. Thanks to Pro Loco Condove, the tomes are periodically branded with a hot-iron stamp: a mark that guarantees quality and identity, allowing the village’s most symbolic product to spread the name of Condove beyond the borders of the Susa Valley.
As part of the collateral initiatives of the Fair, on Thursday, 9 October at 9 pm in the village cinema, the meeting “The Legend of Toma” will be held, a semi-serious event of entertainment and outreach dedicated to the world of cheesemaking, organized by the association “Le Barbuire” with the extraordinary participation of a mysterious “Wild Man.” On Friday, 10 October at 8 pm at the Phoenix restaurant, the Toma with Municipal Designation of Condove will be paired with porcini mushrooms and Valsusa DOC wines. To book the dinner, please call 0119643392.
On Sunday, 12 October, the Toma and other local products will be offered by the Amici della Montagna association in Piazza I Maggio between 12 pm and 2 pm. On Saturday, 11 and Sunday, 12 October, the Fair opens at 10 am. On the opening day, the traditional rite of cutting the Toma will take place, while in the afternoon the Freemount association will organize the Toma Trail race through the mountain hamlets, starting at 3:30 pm from the sports field. For children aged 3 to 10, the Tomino Trail is scheduled at 4:30 pm. At 4 pm, the streets of Condove’s historic center will host the transhumance of cattle descending from the alpine pastures of Pierluigi and Rinaldo Rocci’s farm, which can also be seen grazing on Sunday, 12 October in the meadows along the Provincial Road 24. At 5:30 pm on Saturday, 11 October, in the covered market, the “Toma Jazz Time” concert will be performed by the Condove Jazz Ensemble big band. In the evening, visitors can enjoy the Disco Inferno concert, food and wine stands, street food, and the gathering of the Vespa Club “Lo Sciame.”
On Sunday, 12 October, from 10 am to 12 pm and from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm at the Condove primary school, the exhibition “All About Toma” will showcase the pupils’ works. The Museum of the Resistance will offer locals and tourists the opportunity to take advantage of special opening hours from 10 am to 12:30 pm and from 3 pm to 6 pm, while at the solidarity shop “L’albero della cuccagna” shopping will be possible from 10 am to 6 pm. On Sunday afternoon in Condove’s central square, performances will alternate by the “Emozione Danza & Fitness” school and the Condove Musical Union. At 5 pm comes the highlight of the Fair with the awarding of the best Toma producers, chosen by a jury including tasters from ONAF, alongside the popular vote.
During the two days of the Fair, the “Sacra di San Michele Bassa Valsusa” Trade District will present its initiatives and promotions at a stand, while the associations “Vox Condoviae” and “Taurus” will set up a medieval camp along Viale Bauchiero. The associations Amici della Chiesa di San Rocco and Eleval will organize the art exhibition “Landscapes by the Author,” while the mosaic exhibition “Tiles in Harmony” will be hosted in the old church of San Pietro. The Amico cooperative will run a honey-themed workshop on both days of the event. On Sunday, 12 October, the traditional “Grisulandia,” organized by the Condove Firefighters Association and the Volunteer Fire Brigade, will be dedicated to children, while in the churchyard a photography exhibition will celebrate the 45th anniversary of the local Scout Group.
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