Festa di Primavera a Villanova d'Asti
Villanova d'Asti's spring festival in mid-May: a Sunday market of hobbyists, artisans and small producers through the centre, the Pro Loco's food stand in Piazza Supponito, music in the streets in the afternoon and a luna park for children through the week.
Why it's special
It's the Pro Loco's opening party of the season and the day the town's eighteen-year-olds, the 'leva', celebrate, with the band and the majorettes. On the Sunday the whole centre turns into one big market, with country, rock'n'roll and world music on three corners in the afternoon.
Programme · 2026
- Entry is free; food, drinks and the luna park rides are paid.
- On the Sunday the market and the luna park make it hard to drive into the centre: use the car parks outside the old town.
- The railway station is about 2 km from the festival.
The Festa di Primavera is how Villanova d'Asti opens its summer season. On the Sunday the traders of the Thursday market come back for a special edition through the whole centre, joined by stalls of hobbyists, artisans and small producers. The Pro Loco opens its food stand in Piazza Supponito at lunchtime, and from the middle of the afternoon the music moves into the streets, a different style on each square.
The weekend is also the festa of the leva, the year's eighteen-year-olds, who in 2025 paraded through the town with the band and the majorettes. A luna park for children sets up for about a week around the festival.
Later in the year Villanova celebrates its patron at the Festa di Sant'Isidoro in early September.
Past editions
| Year | Dates | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 16–17 May 2026 (luna park 14–19 May) | Luna park – mainly for children, 14–19 May Sat 16 May – party of the 'Leva 2008', the town's eighteen-year-olds Sun 17 May, from 8:30 – special market of the Thursday traders through the centre, with stalls of hobbyists, artisans and small producers Sun 17 May, from 12:00 – Pro Loco food stand, Piazza Supponito Sun 17 May, from 14:30 – music in the streets: country with the Old Wild West (Piazza Supponito), 1950s–60s rock (Via Roma), world music with Melodie dal Mondo (Piazza del Comune) |
| 2025 | 17–18 May 2025 | Sat 17 May, 18:00 – Balla&Brucia open dance lesson, Piazza Supponito; 19:00 Pro Loco food stand; 21:00 DJ set with Tony Mix, then a dance night with CristianJ Sun 18 May, 8:30–19:00 – 'Benefica on the Road' travelling market through the centre Sun 18 May, 10:00 – parade of the 'Leva 2007' with the Filarmonica Comunale and the Silver Girls majorettes, from Piazza Alfieri Sun 18 May, 12:30 – Pro Loco food stand; 16:00 Balla&Brucia lesson in Piazza 4 Novembre Sun 18 May, 20:30 – 'Corde Complici' concert at the Confraternita dell'Annunziata (Batù), free |