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 · 2022
The patronal feast around Ferragosto, sacred and secular.
- 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 most rural item is the tractor trailer-pulling contest (tiro al rimorchio), held out at San Martino on the Sunday in recent editions.
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.
Past editions
| Year | Dates | Programme |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 12–15 August 2022 | The patronal feast around Ferragosto, sacred and secular. 12–15 Aug – bocce competition, 1st Memorial Francesco Messina Sat 13 Aug, 21:30 – music with Luigi Gallia's band Sun 14 Aug, from 8:30 – tractor trailer-pulling contest at località San Martino (contests at 10:00 and 15:00, lunch on site at 13:00, booking required) Sun 14 Aug, 21:00 – procession in honour of the Assunta from the parish church in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II |
| 2018 | 11–15 August 2018 | 'Ferragosto a Tonco', all events free; Pro Loco food stands in the centre every evening from 19:30. Sat 11 Aug, 10:00 – Festa dei Ragazzi e dei Nonni; 21:30 – music with Lou Seriol Sun 12 Aug, 10:00 and 16:00 – tractor trailer-pulling contest; 21:30 – Ricky Portera and the Gemelli Astrali, a Lucio Dalla tribute (MonferratoOnStage) Mon 13 Aug – Luigi Gallia playing his home village Tue 14 Aug, 20:30 – Fiaccolata dell'Assunta with the historic Tonco band La Bersagliera; 21:30 – Consorzio delle Anime Salve, a Fabrizio De André tribute Wed 15 Aug, from 19:30 – paella dinner, then Latin music with Salsabor |
| 2016 | 8–15 August 2016 | The recurring shape of the feast (confirm the year's line-up with the Pro Loco): 8–10 Aug – bocce competition 11 Aug – Fiaccolata dell'Assunta (torch-lit procession, ~20:45) followed by a band concert 12 Aug – dancing with an orchestra 13 Aug – children's footrace in the morning; Latin music and the local dance group in the evening 14 Aug – guitar concert 15 Aug – live rock band Pro Loco food stands each evening in the centre (agnolotti 'il Tonchese', sausage and fries, street food) |