Miassa Festival

The Miassa Festival in Tavagnasco

Established in 2009 by the local Pro Loco and the community, the Miassa Festival has become one of the most beloved gastronomic events in the northern Canavese area. It takes place in Tavagnasco, a small municipality in the Metropolitan City of Turin nestled at the entrance to the Aosta Valley along the Dora Baltea river. Every year, it attracts visitors from across the province and neighboring valleys, all eager to taste the specialty that gives the festival its name.

What is miassa

Miassa is a traditional product typical of Tavagnasco and the entire Canavese region, as well as parts of the Valsesia valley. It is a thin, crispy, golden sheet of polenta made from cornmeal and cooked for a long time between two red-hot iron plates. Once a humble staple of necessity, it is now a delicacy enjoyed with various fillings: at the festival, you can try miasse stuffed with cotechino, sausage meat, salignun, local cheeses, and even a sweet version with hazelnut cream. Alongside the miasse, there is no shortage of traditional cabbage soup and other dishes from the Piedmontese peasant cuisine.

Program and atmosphere

The festival spans a weekend in early September and features food stalls serving miassa, stands selling local products, and evenings of live music. The heart of the event is the youth band gathering, which has accompanied the festival for many years with concerts and performances in Piazza del Municipio: a direct nod to the town's strong band tradition, preserved by the historic Società Filarmonica Vittoria, founded in 1896. With traditional games, family activities, and workshops dedicated to preparing miassa, the festival is a perfect opportunity to rediscover the folk culture of the Canavese.

A local event

The Miassa Festival represents the grand finale of the Tavagnasco summer, following the events that animate the town from June onwards. It is much more than just a food festival: it is a meeting point for the entire community and a showcase of the identity of the alpine Piedmont, where humble mountain cuisine becomes a shared heritage. For those visiting the area, the festival is also the ideal starting point to discover Tavagnasco and the Ivrea Morainic Amphitheatre, amidst nature, history, and gastronomy.