Festa d'la Batdura

A festival celebrating grain and peasant civilization

The Festa d'la Batdura is one of the most cherished summer events in the Bologna Apennines. The name, in local dialect, means "threshing festival" and refers to the ancient act of threshing grain, the culmination of the harvest that once marked the life of rural communities. Every year, in mid-July, the historic center of Loiano, in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, transforms into a large open-air stage where the traditions of peasant culture take center stage again.

Re-enactment of threshing

The heart of the event is the historical re-enactment of threshing, with ancient agricultural machinery brought back to life to show how grain was threshed and milled. Alongside the demonstrations, there are exhibitions of ancient crafts and moments dedicated to the memory of mountain life, in a journey that tells the rural identity of Emilia-Romagna to both young and old.

Markets, hamlets, and folklore

Themed markets with local products and crafts wind through the streets of the town, while the evocative parade of hamlets, with carts and animals, enlivens the weekend, involving the entire community. There are also prize raffles and areas designed for families.

Music, dancing, and evenings

The evenings are accompanied by mountain dances and liscio orchestras, the true soul of Apennine festivals, alternating with live concerts, a disco, and itinerant shows. In recent editions, groups like the Fantomatik Orchestra have performed in the squares.

Mountain gastronomy

Great space is dedicated to gastronomy: stands offer the unmissable crescentine (fried dough), pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven, traditional Apennine dishes, and street food along the village streets, with bars and refreshment points scattered throughout.

A tradition of the Municipality of Loiano

Organized by the Pro Loco Loiano, the Festa d'la Batdura is now a consolidated tradition of the Municipality of Loiano and the entire Bologna Apennines area, attracting visitors every year from Bologna and all over Emilia-Romagna, drawn by the mountain air and the authenticity of a festival that preserves the memory of the rural world.