Forni & Fornai•e

Forni & Fornai•e, bread as rural resistance

Forni & Fornai•e is the festival dedicated to grain and bread held in Monghidoro, a municipality in the Bologna Apennines in the province of Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna, between 400 and 800 meters above sea level, about 45 minutes from the provincial capital. It is a biennial event promoted by the Slow Food Community of the High Apennine Grain, an organization founded over twenty years ago and formalized in the Slow Food circuit in 2019, the year it took over from the historic Festa del Pane (Bread Festival) of Monghidoro.

A festival between city and mountain

Forni & Fornai•e was created to promote "high" grains, traditional non-dwarf varieties selected for their resilience in the mountains and the aroma of stone grinding. The festival focuses on the idea of bread as a "form of permanence" and rural resistance, giving a voice to those who cultivate, mill, and bake in the high lands of the Apennines. The event involves a network of local realities: the Bologna Apennines Biodistrict, the Mercato Ritrovato (Rediscovered Market), as well as artisans like Forno Calzolari and Molino Pransani.

Two days of work and community

The program typically spans two days and alternates moments of discussion, field experiences, and convivial occasions:

• Thematic meetings with farmers, agronomists, geneticists, millers, and bakers on the future of grain, crop rotations, logistics, and the survival of mountain communities;
• Evening peasant vigil with a collective dinner and music;
• Collective bread baking in the middle of the night at Forno Calzolari;
• Breakfast in the fields and a guided walk to identify grain varieties;
• Apennine farmers' market with local producers;
• Public workshops and a final toast.

A free and participatory event

Admission to Forni & Fornai•e is free and open to all, with registration recommended for some activities. It is an event designed for both enthusiasts and professionals of grain and bread, but also for families and curious visitors who want to discover the Bologna Apennines through food, biodiversity, and peasant culture.