Befana Festival

The village Befana in Villalvernia

Every January 6th, the day of the Epiphany, the small village of Villalvernia, in the province of Alessandria, gathers in Piazza Sicbaldi to celebrate the arrival of the Befana. It is one of those festivals that smells of days gone by: no big stages or flashy lights, just the warmth of a community reuniting around tradition. With its little more than eight hundred inhabitants, Villalvernia is an authentic village in the Tortona area, a land of hills and wines from the Colli Tortonesi, and the Befana Festival perfectly captures its soul.

A day dedicated to the little ones

The festival is designed primarily for children. The day begins in the morning with a moment dedicated to the Three Wise Men, and continues in the late afternoon when the Befana makes her entrance into the square, bringing the traditional stocking for all the children. It is the most anticipated moment, filled with wide-eyed wonder and smiles: the old lady on her symbolic donkey distributes sweets and small gifts, keeping one of the most beloved Italian winter customs alive.

Sweets, hot drinks, and the grand bonfire

Around the arrival of the Befana, the Pro Loco offers all participants panettone, hot chocolate, and, for the adults, the classic mulled wine to warm up the cold hours of the Epiphany. Closing the festivities is the grand bonfire, which illuminates the square and ideally marks the end of the Christmas holidays: an ancient tradition, a symbol of renewal and good wishes for the year that has just begun.

An event for the whole community

Free and open to all, the Befana Festival of Villalvernia is much more than a simple event: it is a gathering that unites families, the elderly, and children from the village and the surrounding area. Those visiting the Municipality of Villalvernia, in the Province of Alessandria in Piedmont, will find an authentic festival, far from mass tourism, capable of restoring the truest sense of Piedmontese folk traditions.