Festa Patronale dell'Assunta
Tonco's patron-saint feast around Ferragosto — the Fiaccolata dell'Assunta with the historic La Bersagliera band, several evenings of music and dancing, and the Pro Loco's agnolotti in the centre of the village.
Why it's special
It's the whole village keeping the Assunta: a torch-lit procession behind Tonco's own La Bersagliera band, an evening of orchestra dancing, a children's race, live bands each night, and the Pro Loco kitchen turning out agnolotti 'il Tonchese' — a proper Monferrato patronal feast rather than a tourist show.
Programme · 2016
The recurring shape of the feast (confirm the year's line-up with the Pro Loco):
- The Fiaccolata dell'Assunta and its band concert are the heart of it; the Pro Loco food stands open each evening in the centre from about 19:30 (agnolotti 'il Tonchese', sausage and fries, street food).
- Bocce runs in the days before.
- Each year's exact dates and line-up come from the Pro Loco Tonco / the comune — check before you come.
Around Ferragosto, Tonco keeps its patron — Santa Maria Assunta, whose day is 15 August — the way a Monferrato village does: a torch-lit procession, a village band, live music each night, and a great deal of good food. The Fiaccolata dell'Assunta winds through the streets behind Tonco's own historic band, La Bersagliera, and the days around it fill with orchestra dancing, a children's race, concerts and the Pro Loco kitchen.
The food is the constant — the Pro Loco stands open each evening in the centre from about half past seven, with the local agnolotti 'il Tonchese', sausage and fries and street food. Bocce runs in the days beforehand.
It's a distinct feast from Tonco's July Festa d'Estate and the September Agrifiera Polliebuoi — this is the patronal one, mid-August. Dates and the year's line-up come from the Pro Loco Tonco; check before you travel.
More around Tonco.