Borgo d'Ale Peach Festival

The festival celebrating the peaches of Borgo d'Ale

In the heart of Piedmont, halfway between Turin and Vercelli, the town of Borgo d'Ale (Province of Vercelli) dedicates its most important festival every summer to the fruit that has defined its economy and identity: the peach. The Peach Festival is a popular event with a long-standing tradition, organized by the Pro Loco of Borgo d'Ale with the patronage of the Municipality and the collaboration of the Alpini Group.

A tradition rooted in 1937

The first "Peach Festival" dates back to 1937: even then, peach cultivation brought prosperity to the town and was celebrated with fruit exhibitions and popular events. In the 1960s, Borgo d'Ale was recognized as the "Piedmontese Peach Center," and in 1965, production reached a record of nearly 64,000 quintals sold. The varieties grown on these lands for over a century, from the Bella di Borgo d'Ale to the Cervetto, from the Maria Bianca to the Rosa del West, are white-fleshed peaches with an unmistakable aroma, now a true typical product of the Vercelli territory.

The challenge between the four districts

The most anticipated moment of the festival is the competition between the four districts that divide the town: Arborata, Livorno, Maglione, and Fiorice. Throughout the event, the districts compete in a five-a-side football tournament, costume parades, and popular games, accumulating points until the final awards ceremony. Crowning the festival is the election of the Bella di Borgo d'Ale, the historic "queen" of the event, presented to the public during one of the key evenings.

Two weeks of events in the historic center

From Piazza Verdi to the municipal courtyard, from the F.lli Andorno sports field to the town streets, the Peach Festival transforms Borgo d'Ale into a large open-air stage. Between evening parades, the 'Notte Bianca' (White Night), dance evenings, the "Peach Run," the Alpini barbecue, and games for children, there is something for every age. The festival concludes on Sunday with Holy Mass, a community lunch, and the district awards ceremony.