Merenda in Musica - Giant Bench Anniversary

The Barengo Giant Bench Festival

Among the rolling hills that separate the rice-growing plains of Novara from the first slopes of the Vergante, the municipality of Barengo, in the Province of Novara (Piedmont), celebrates one of its most beloved symbols every year: the Giant Bench. The Merenda in Musica, organized by the Pro Loco Barengo in collaboration with the local council, is the event that commemorates the inauguration of this installation and has become a delightful spring tradition for families, cyclists, and tourists alike.

The Giant Bench number 130

Inaugurated in 2021, the Barengo bench is number 130 of the Big Bench Community Project, an initiative created by American designer Chris Bangle to promote local territories and craftsmanship through oversized benches that invite people to pause and view the landscape through the eyes of a child. Located among the vineyards, behind the parish church bell tower, it offers a view that, on clear days, reaches the dome of the Basilica of San Gaudenzio in Novara, embracing the surrounding rice paddies and hills.

An afternoon of taste and scenery

The festival kicks off in the afternoon, typically starting at 3:00 PM, transforming the area around the bench into a convivial meeting point. The program includes:

• Tastings of local products from the Novara area;
• Wines from the Novara hills, cold beer, and artisanal gelato (historically provided by the Gelandia gelateria in Oleggio);
• Live music and background melodies to accompany the afternoon;
• Activities for children, from face painting to balloon sculpting.

Between hills, vineyards, and rice paddies

The strength of the Merenda in Musica lies in its simplicity and its connection to the landscape: an open-air snack immersed in nature, with the scent of vineyards and a view over the rice paddies. It is the perfect opportunity to discover Barengo, its village dominated by the Visconti castle, and to experience an authentic corner of the Novara region far from the main tourist flows.

An event for the whole territory

Over the years, the Giant Bench has become a fixed stop for cyclists and those seeking panoramic views, and its birthday celebration has now become a small identity-defining event for the community. The Pro Loco Barengo, with the motto #laprolocochespinge, continues to promote the village and its traditions starting right from this symbolic location.