Nimaleda "From the Strambi to the Paròl"

A festival celebrating the pig, "of which nothing is wasted"

The Nimaleda "Dal Strambi al Paròl" is one of the most heartfelt gastronomic events in the Enza Valley, in the heart of the Reggio Emilia plain. It takes place at the Antica Corte Ortalli, in Ponte Enza, a hamlet of the Municipality of Gattatico (Province of Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna), bordering Sant'Ilario d'Enza. The name itself encapsulates the spirit of the festival: in the Reggio dialect, nimaleda refers to a large feast related to the pig, and the subtitle "Dal Strambi al Paròl" — meaning "nothing of the pig is wasted" — summarizes the peasant philosophy of fully utilizing the animal, from breeding to processing in the cauldron.

The tradition of winter slaughterings

The event is rooted in a precise collective memory: that of family gatherings in January, the coldest month, when pigs were slaughtered and processed in the courtyards of the plain. It was a community ritual that united entire families and neighbors, and which today is revived thanks to the Pro Loco of Gattatico and Sant'Ilario d'Enza, who organize the festival with the patronage of their respective Municipalities.

What to eat

The absolute star is pork, prepared in all its traditional Emilian ways. On the menus, you'll find grasol (cracklings, also called nimal in the Reggio dialect), salami, cotechino, pork butcher specialties, and hot dishes cooked according to old recipes. Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch offer unique pork menus, always by reservation.

Not just food

The Nimaleda is also about popular culture and entertainment. The program includes demonstrations by pork butchers working the meat using ancient methods, traditional games, puppet theater, exhibitions, music, and folk tales that tell the identity of the Enza Valley. The most anticipated moment remains the Marcialonga della Maialata, a non-competitive fun run that on Sunday morning takes participants through the countryside around the Antica Corte Ortalli.

A local event

A village event in the truest sense, the Nimaleda is an opportunity to discover a corner of the province of Reggio Emilia far from the tourist circuits, where gastronomy becomes a narrative of a community and its peasant roots. A delicious and convivial weekend, ideal for lovers of the most authentic Emilian cuisine.