Maranzana in Festa (The Village Festival)

A village celebrating its roots

In the heart of the Asti Monferrato, Maranzana is a small municipality of fewer than 300 inhabitants nestled among the vineyards of the province of Asti, in Piedmont. Once a year, the village gathers for Maranzana in Festa, affectionately dubbed the "Village Festival": a day designed to experience local traditions together, through faith, music, and conviviality. It is organized by the Pro Loco of Maranzana, the heart of the village's community initiatives.

The Corpus Domini tradition

The most solemn moment of the festival is the procession with the artistic crucifixes of the Arciconfraternita S.M. Assunta di Genova Prà, accompanied by the Acqui marching band. It is a re-enactment of the ancient Corpus Domini tradition, a rite that weaves local religious history with the enduring bond between Monferrato and Liguria. The streets of the historic center come alive with the sounds of the band and the evocative sight of the crucifixes carried in the pageant.

Music and conviviality

After the procession, the festival shifts gears and becomes a moment of pure togetherness. The Pro Loco organizes a community dinner in the town center, followed by music from DJ "Ema" for dancing until late. It is the most popular and joyful aspect of the day, where locals and visitors share a meal under the Monferrato sky.

The village of the babaci

Visiting Maranzana also means discovering the famous babaci (babaciu in the singular), a Piedmontese dialect term meaning "puppets." These are life-sized figures created by citizens using fabric and recycled materials, depicting scenes of daily life from the past: artisans at work, doctors, carabinieri, musicians. Created to breathe life back into a village marked by depopulation, the babaci have become the symbol of Maranzana and can be seen along the village streets, especially between May and September. Maranzana is also linked to the Arctic explorer Giacomo Bove, to whom a house museum is dedicated.

Why it's worth it

Maranzana in Festa is the authentic festival of a small town: nothing is staged for tourists, but rather a community opening its doors and sharing its traditions. Between the solemnity of the procession and the cheerfulness of the dinner with music, it is the ideal opportunity to get a close-up look at a little-known corner of the province of Asti and the identity of the Asti Monferrato.