Festa della Birra e degli Avannotti dell'Astego

Forty years of celebration in Pedescala

The Festa della Birra e degli Avannotti dell'Astego (Beer and Astego Fry Festival) takes place in Pedescala, a hamlet of the municipality of Valdastico, in the upper Astico valley in the province of Vicenza. It is one of the most deeply rooted popular festivals in Alto Astico: the 2025 edition marked the 44th for the beer festival and the 11th for the fry festival, a sign of a tradition that has been renewed for over forty years thanks to the volunteers of the Pro Loco of Pedescala.

Beer and Astego Fry

The combination that gives the festival its name tells its soul well. On one hand, beer, the star of the stand with quality taps; on the other, avannotti de l'Astego (Astego fry), the small fish from the Astico stream, fried and served as a local specialty, around which the dedicated festival was born over the years. To complete the menu, typical regional dishes, bruschetta, and sandwiches.

The Valley Derby and the Gavetton Party

In addition to gastronomy, the festival is famous for its more light-hearted and identity-focused events:

• the derby of our valley, a football match pitting the hamlets of Pedescala, San Piero, and Pedemonte against each other;
• the Gavetton party, the water fight that cools down the hot August evenings;
• piazza games and entertainment for children;
• live music evenings, with bands ranging from Italian music to folk-rock and 80s hits.

A Community Festival

Organized by the Pro Loco of Pedescala, the Beer Festival is much more than a local festival (sagra): it's the moment when the hamlet and the entire Astico valley come together, keeping alive the identity of a mountain territory on the border between Veneto and Trentino.