Bugie Festival

The festival of the signature pastry of Denice

The Bugie Festival is one of the most anticipated spring events in Denice, a tiny medieval village perched at an altitude of nearly 390 meters in the Province of Alessandria, at the entrance to the Piedmontese Val Bormida. For one day, the cobblestone streets, alleys, and small squares of the village are filled with scents, colors, and voices: the local Pro Loco, in collaboration with the Municipality, transforms the entire historic center into a grand open-air culinary trail.

What are Denice bugie?

The absolute stars of the festival are the bugie, the carnival pastry that bears this curious name in Piedmont: thin sheets of dough fried in boiling oil and then dusted with powdered sugar, resulting in a crispy, fragrant treat. They are called 'bugie' (lies) because, as the saying goes, like real lies, one leads to another, and too many can be bad for you. In Denice, this specialty becomes the common thread of a festival that weaves together gastronomic tradition, conviviality, and village life.

Street food through the village streets

From lunchtime onwards, the village comes alive with numerous street food stalls scattered along the streets and squares. Alongside the essential Denice bugie, visitors can sample local dishes such as hand-cut Fassone beef tartare, 'friciule' (fried dough) with bacon, salami and gorgonzola, pasta e fagioli, 'plin' ravioli, fried calamari, and classic French fries. It is a journey through the flavors of the Monferrato and Val Bormida regions, to be enjoyed while strolling among the village's stone houses.

Music, art, and games

The Bugie Festival is not just about gastronomy: the day is accompanied by live music, an art exhibition, and wooden games designed for both adults and children, bringing back the simple pleasure of traditional pastimes. All of this is framed by the charm of Denice, a village known for its 11th-century quadrangular tower, the Annunziata parish church, and the open-air ceramics museum, which serve as a natural backdrop for the festivities.

A village tradition in the heart of Piedmont

Small but deeply cherished, the Bugie Festival is the perfect opportunity to discover one of the most evocative villages in the Upper Monferrato, where the warmth of the community and the aroma of freshly fried pastries tell the authentic soul of provincial Piedmont.