Monzambano Grape Festival Celebrates Harvest with Parades and Vintage Cars

In September, the most common rural life scene on the morainic hills is undoubtedly the grape harvest, and to celebrate the harvest and its queen, that is, the grape, Monzambano has for years come alive with the Grape Festival; this year the event — organized by Pro loco, the local administration, and almost all community associations —

Festival Program

takes place precisely this weekend, from Friday the 14th to Monday the 17th. During the four days of celebration in honor of the grape, the hilltop village presents itself to numerous visitors in its finest attire.

This attire highlights even more, and in a particularly striking way, the natural and architectural beauties of its territory, contained within the Parco del Mincio, as the river flows quietly along the edge of the town, where the remains of the ancient castle stand out.

The festival will open on Friday with the “folada libera,” where anyone willing can participate in the foladura ritual and can take home juicy grape bunches as a gift.

An abundant wine-tasting area will be a fixture as well. A food stand and the folada libera will be repeated every evening of the festival.

Saturday will be one of the most anticipated moments of the festival, as car enthusiasts will be able to admire a series of precious vintage cars.

In the evening, history lovers will immerse themselves in the enchanting medieval atmosphere thanks to a sumptuous and detailed historical reenactment featuring a parade through the streets of the town center.

Sunday will undoubtedly be the most awaited day, with a medieval market around the castle walls (starting at 3 p.m.) and a new costume parade in the evening.

Alongside, from the morning, there will be “Colors on the asphalt,” an auction of original paintings featuring the hillside as the main subject (at 4 p.m.), and the screening of ImmagiNarrare, which consists of three wordless stories by Gianluca Bertagna.

Monday will see the festival close just as it opened. Various exhibitions will remain open, and in the gymnasium — Monzambano 2001, a showcase for the manufacturing and commercial activities of the town center.