Bonfire of the Giubiana of Giussano

A ritual to banish winter

The Giubiana is one of the most deeply rooted traditions in Brianza and Upper Lombardy: on the last Thursday of January, a puppet representing the winter witch is set on fire, in a propitiatory ritual symbolizing the end of the cold season and wishing prosperity for the new year. In Giussano, a municipality in the province of Monza and Brianza, this centuries-old event is eagerly anticipated and widely attended.

The procession and the bonfires

On the evening of the main bonfire, a procession starts from via De Gasperi and crosses the town center, along via Alberto da Giussano and piazza Roma, reaching Nicholas Green Park for the traditional bonfire. The procession is accompanied by the music of two bands, DAC Giussano Musica and the Santa Margherita band of Paina-Brugazzo. In the following days, the hamlets of Paina, Robbiano, Birone, and the Laghetto area also light their bonfires, for a total of five fires illuminating the city.

The Alpini's risotto

After the bonfire, the festival continues with a convivial moment: the Giussano Alpini Group distributes the traditional risotto with luganega sausage, a symbolic dish of Brianza cuisine. It's the culmination of an evening that combines folklore, spectacle, and community warmth.

A festival for everyone

Organized by Pro Loco, Comitato Laghetto, the Municipality, and the hamlets of Paina and Robbiano, the Giubiana of Giussano is much more than a re-enactment: it's an event that brings together different generations around an ancient ritual, rediscovered and celebrated as a heritage of Brianza's identity.