Assumption Feast and Traditional Sports Festival

The Ferragosto festival in the heart of the Alta Langa

The Assumption Feast and Traditional Sports Festival is the highlight of the summer in Gottasecca, a small village perched at about 750 meters above sea level on the ridge between the Bormida and Uzzone valleys, in the Alta Langa area of the Cuneo province (Piedmont). For three days, from August 14th to 16th, the entire community gathers to celebrate the Assumption and the patron saint San Rocco, in a celebration that combines devotion, folk sports, music, and local cuisine.

The Palio dei Rioni: the heart of the festival

The true star of the festivities is the Palio dei Rioni, a friendly yet highly competitive challenge between the four districts of the village. Every year, the districts face off in four fixed disciplines that reflect the sporting tradition of the Langhe:

• Pallone elastico (pallapugno), the identity-defining sport of these hills
• Bocce, a discipline loved by young and old alike
• Volleyball
• Men's football

In addition to these fixed events, new games and activities are added each year to involve all ages, from Connect Four for the little ones to bocce for the older generations. It is no coincidence that Gottasecca is the birthplace of a pallapugno champion who won fourteen professional titles: the passion for pallone elastico is truly at home here.

Religious tradition and community

On August 16th, the feast day of San Rocco, residents attend Mass at the Church of San Rocco, followed by secular celebrations that last late into the night. The village also preserves a sanctuary dedicated to the Assumption, a testament to the deep Marian tradition of these lands. The festival is an opportunity for friends and relatives who have emigrated to reconnect in a climate of typically warm Langhe hospitality.

Flavors of the Alta Langa

Like any respectable village festival, gastronomy plays a central role in Gottasecca. The kitchen offers products from the Alta Langa region, starting with the renowned Tonda Gentile delle Langhe hazelnut, as well as local wines and cheeses. Between matches, food stalls liven up the evenings with traditional Piedmontese peasant dishes.

An authentic experience

Far from the most crowded tourist circuits, the Assumption Feast of Gottasecca offers a genuine glimpse of a community festival in the Alta Langa: an explosion of sound and color that fills the entire village in a celebration that lasts until late at night. An ideal destination for those seeking the most authentic side of Piedmont, made of traditions, folk sports, and hospitality.