Lonato Fair Revival Highlights Food, Wine, and Local Culture
The Lonato Fair is time. The first event of the year and the new millennium was presented the other evening at the Bettola restaurant. Hosting the event and outlining programs, projects, ideas, and concrete initiatives were Mayor Morando Perini, assessors Paolo Marcoli and Alessandra Fontana, Stefano Formenti (who handled sporting events), director Stefano Barovelli, Deputy Mayor Davide Baccinelli, the entire Fair committee, and all those who collaborated in organizing the relaunch of the Fair.
The municipal administration, in fact, has clear ideas about the Fair, its role, and its future. “It is no longer realistic to think of creating a Fairground in Lonato” — said the mayor. “We acknowledge Montichiari’s role, which has equipped itself with infrastructure to host large fairs. It is our task to revitalize our own.”
We have decided to do this by turning back to the past. On the organizational front, we are focusing on the Fair committee. But there are also substantial new developments. The relaunch will cost the municipal coffers 200 million lire, as in the past.
New Initiatives and Sections in the Fair
The most significant novelty was presented by the Trade assessor Paolo Marcoli. It concerns the launch of a wine and food section that will take place in a marquee set up in the town’s main square. Here, local, Brescia, and national typical products will be displayed.
“We have obtained the endorsement of as many as 28 protection consortia, entities promoting national products, all with controlled designation of origin, protected, or guaranteed” — explained Paolo Marcoli. — “It ranges from Tuscan prosciutto DOC to Berlucchi wines, DOC wines from Oltrepò Pavese. And again, quality Tuscan wines (Montepulciano), typical products from Umbria, Puglia, Calabria, the Ribera oranges, Sicilian wines, Mortara’s goose salami, Parma ham, Bagos, the Garda Classico consortium, Garda Bresciano, Franciacorta, Grana Padano, Aipol, Brescia beekeepers, Tremosine cheeses, and organic products offered by the association for organic and biodynamic agriculture ‘Buona Terra’.”
Indeed, this section could serve as a springboard to transform the initiative into a national organic farming showcase.
Fair Program and Events
The St. Anthony Fair will take place from January 12 to 14; it will be inaugurated on the 13th. Among the invitations to authorities is one sent to Minister Pecoraro Scanio, who granted the patronage of the Ministry of Agriculture to the regional Fair. In the school area, there will be an exhibition of tractors and agricultural machinery.
Within the five marquees, there will be a mini-exhibition with a section dedicated to cars. Many surrounding events will include sports, culture, and entertainment setups.
On Saturday, the 13th in the afternoon, and Sunday, the 14th, the city center will be closed to traffic, and the Fair will take over corso Garibaldi. Visitors will be able to visit some of Lonato’s most beautiful monuments: climb the 55-meter bell tower, visit the Duomo, and the “Da Como”.
The Fair will conclude on January 17, the feast day of Saint Anthony, with animal blessings and a celebration in the square. Admission to the Fair is free.
