Great Bonfire of the Geoubia

The ancient tradition of the Giöbia

The Great Bonfire of the Geoubia (or Giöbia) is one of the oldest winter traditions of Lombard peasant culture, linked to Shrove Thursday or the end of January. In Oggiona con Santo Stefano, in the province of Varese, the custom is revived every year with a large bonfire that, according to tradition, symbolically burns away winter and ushers in the good season.

An evening around the fire

The evening begins with the opening of the food stalls, while the community gathers in anticipation of the bonfire's lighting. The bonfire is the highlight: the fire illuminates the winter evening in Via San Giovanni Bosco, accompanied by the conviviality of the festival and the prize draw. In case of bad weather, the event is postponed by a week, confirming its connection to an ancient calendar and the rhythm of the seasons.

The Pro Loco and the town

The event is organized by the Pro Loco of Oggiona con Santo Stefano with the patronage of the Municipality. More than just a festival, the Great Bonfire of the Geoubia is a community ritual that links new generations to the peasant memory of the Varese area, passing down a custom that throughout Lombardy symbolically marks the transition from winter to spring.