The Feast of Chestnuts and Memories is one of the most anticipated events of autumn in Castell’Arquato, one of the most charming medieval villages in Italy. Every year, on the first weekend of October, the streets of the historic center are filled with scents, colors and flavors that take you back in time, in a warm and authentic atmosphere capable of combining tradition and conviviality.
For more than 30 years, the event has celebrated chestnuts, queens of the season, along with other typical specialties of the Piacenza area. Stalls and food stands offer traditional country dishes, sweets prepared with chestnut flour, local wines and many autumn delicacies.
But the festival is not just about taste: as the name suggests, it is also a trip down memory lane. In the streets of the village you will encounter ancient crafts, re-enactments of life in the past and activities designed to introduce the new generations to customs and knowledge of the past. The youngest can have fun with traditional games, while adults get caught up in the atmosphere of yesteryear and the magic of Castell’Arquato, which becomes a stage of history and folklore for the occasion.
The Chestnut and Memories Festival is therefore much more than a festival: it is an opportunity to get together, share authentic flavors and rediscover peasant roots, in a setting that makes visitors of all ages fall in love.
