Carnival - Polenta and Cod

A Canavese tradition served at the table

In Colleretto Giacosa, a village of just under six hundred inhabitants in the heart of the Canavese region, within the Metropolitan City of Turin (Piedmont), Carnival doesn't end with confetti and masks, but with a shared meal. The "Polenta and Cod" dinner, organized by the Pro Loco Colleretto Giacosa APS with the patronage of the Municipality, brings to the "Piero Venesia" multi-purpose hall the dish that has marked the end of the Carnival season throughout the Canavese for generations.

Polenta and cod: the Ash Wednesday dish

The pairing of steaming yellow polenta and cod (stockfish soaked and stewed with onions) is an absolute classic of Piedmontese popular cuisine linked to Carnival. It is the same dish that, just a few kilometers away, closes the Historic Carnival of Ivrea on Ash Wednesday: a simple, humble, and lean meal, perfect for the transition from Carnival to Lent. In Colleretto Giacosa, this gastronomic heritage becomes the perfect excuse for the community to gather.

A village evening

More than just a festival, it is a community celebration: residents of the village and the surrounding area gather around the tables of the hall to share dinner, with the organization entirely managed by Pro Loco volunteers. Over the years, the evening has been enriched with entertainment—from music to the murder mystery dinner format, which turns the meal into a themed game where guests become the protagonists.

Colleretto Giacosa, the village of a great librettist

The town owes its name to Giuseppe Giacosa (1847-1906), the playwright and librettist who, alongside Luigi Illica, wrote the librettos for some of Giacomo Puccini's most famous operas, from La Bohème to Tosca and Madama Butterfly. Visiting Colleretto Giacosa for the Carnival dinner is also a great opportunity to discover an authentic corner of the Canavese, nestled among morainic hills, castles, and living traditions.

Why attend

• Savor a dish of the Canavese Carnival tradition in its authentic setting.
• Experience a convivial village evening, far from mass tourism.
• Support the Pro Loco and the community life of a small Piedmontese town.