Festa del Balon de San Peder

The ritual of the balon

In Abbiategrasso, in the Metropolitan City of Milan, the Festa del Balon de San Peder is a deeply rooted popular tradition, linked to the figure of Saint Peter, celebrated on June 29th. The highlight is the lighting of the 'balon', a large paper and fabric balloon hung in the center of the square in front of the parish church of San Pietro: after the religious service, the mayor and the parish priest set it on fire together, officially kicking off the celebrations in a gesture full of propitiatory meaning.

A community festival

Organized by the Association 'Amici del Palio di San Pietro' (Friends of the Saint Peter's Palio), the event manages every year to create an atmosphere of celebration, sharing, and tradition. The burning of the balon on the evening of June 29th is the symbolic heart of the evening, around which citizens of all ages gather, in a ritual that mixes the sacred and the profane according to the best tradition of Lombard patronal festivals.

• Religious service for Saint Peter
• Lighting of the balon by the mayor and parish priest
• Moments of celebration and conviviality in the square

Tradition and identity

The Balon de San Peder is one of those rituals that give identity to a city: despite its simplicity, it tells of the deep bond between Abbiategrasso and its patron saint, and the ability of a community to preserve and pass down its collective gestures. The same Association 'Amici del Palio di San Pietro' is the protagonist of the entire Saint Peter's calendar, from Carnival to the September Palio.