Occit'amo Festival — Sant Joan (Saluzzo)

Sant Joan, the summer soul of Occit'amo

Every year, as the summer solstice arrives, the Occit'amo Festival dedicates two special days to Sant Joan, the ancient feast of Saint John that has marked the calendar of Occitan communities in the Cuneo valleys for centuries. This event is part of the festival's year-round program, spanning spring, the solstice, summer, and autumn, and remains one of the most cherished moments for the public in the Terre del Monviso, in the heart of the Province of Cuneo, Piedmont.

The Grande Orchestra Occitana beneath the Ala di Ferro

The festival opens in the historic center of Saluzzo, the ancient capital of the Marquisate, under the evocative Ala di Ferro of Piazza Cavour. Here, the Grande Orchestra Occitana comes to life: nearly one hundred musicians, aged 7 to 70, bringing together students and masters of the year's Occitan music courses. On stage, the instruments of the alpine tradition intertwine:

• accordions and hurdy-gurdies, the beating heart of Occitan dance;
• bagpipes, clarinets, and transverse flutes;
• harp, bass, and drums supporting the orchestra.

The result is a grand choral, popular, and intergenerational concert, a symbol of the living transmission of a unique musical heritage.

The musical ascent to Roccerè

The following day, the festivities literally head for the heights. Hikers set off from two sides — Sant'Anna di Roccabruna in the Maira Valley and the Sanctuary of Valmala in the Varaita Valley — accompanied along the trails by Occitan music and songs: the Bandia with their bagpipes, religious chants directed by Cristina Saltetto, and the violins of the valleys. The two paths converge at Colle della Ciabra before reaching the Roccerè Cross at 1,800 meters together, where the final concert takes place amidst bagpipes and violins, in a setting of rare beauty featuring rock carvings and panoramic views of Monviso.

Occitan identity and artistic direction

The artistic direction is entrusted to Sergio Berardo, the soul of Lou Dalfin and a central figure in the rediscovery of Occitan music. The festival, organized by the Fondazione Amleto Bertoni with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Piedmont Region, and the Province of Cuneo, affirms the identity and tradition of Occitan history through culture and music—a language and culture still vibrant in the valleys of south-western Piedmont.

A festival for everyone

Both days of Sant Joan are free to attend and designed for families, folk music enthusiasts, and hikers. It is the ideal opportunity to discover Saluzzo, the Occitan valleys, and one of the most authentic traditions in Piedmont.