I Grasol in Streda – Pork Cracklings and Truffle in Viano (with Viano Carnival)

A Festival of Taste and Tradition in the Reggio Emilia Apennines

I Grasol in Streda is the event that animates the streets of Viano, a small municipality in the Province of Reggio Emilia, at the foot of the Emilian Apennines, every February. The name, in the Reggio dialect, literally means "pork cracklings in the street": the absolute protagonists are indeed the pork cracklings, the crunchy residues from lard processing that are part of the most authentic peasant gastronomic tradition of Emilia-Romagna.

From Pork Cracklings to Truffles

The festival was born as a natural winter extension of the historic Viano Truffle Fair, the autumn event that has celebrated the prized tuber of the Matildic hills for over thirty years. "I Grasol in Streda" revives that same spirit of promoting local products, combining freshly cooked cracklings, truffles, and other typical flavors of the Apennines in a single day of tastings and conviviality.

The Competition Among Pork Butchers

The heart of the event is the competition among pork butchers for the best cracklings: in front of the public, the cutting of the meats, curing, boiling, and pressing of the forms take place, ancient gestures passed down from generation to generation. The crackling forms are then presented and awarded in the afternoon, a moment eagerly awaited and deeply felt by the community.

The Viano Carnival

In recent years, "I Grasol in Streda" has been enriched with the Viano Carnival, which takes place on the same day with a different theme each year. Masks, entertainment, creative workshops, inflatables, wooden games, soap bubbles, and live shows make the festival a perfect event for families with children.

Where it Takes Place

The hub of activities is the Piazzale della Villetta, at Via Provinciale 17, while the delivery of the crackling forms takes place in Piazza XXV Aprile. A special market, refreshment points, entertainment, and shows are spread along the streets of the center, transforming the entire town into a festive stage. The event is promoted by Pro Loco Le Terre Matildiche AGV-APS together with Pro Loco Viano, with the support of the Municipality.