Quadila Festival - Castelnuovo Don Bosco

The Quadila Festival in Castelnuovo Don Bosco

The Quadila Festival is a traveling cultural event that brings the hills of the Lower Monferrato, straddling the provinces of Turin and Asti, to life every summer. Conceived and organized by the association Lo Stagno di Goethe ETS, the festival winds through seven municipalities—Albugnano, Casalborgone, Aramengo, Castelnuovo Don Bosco, Cerreto d'Asti, Pino d'Asti, and Berzano San Pietro—bringing performances, theatrical walks, concerts, and sensory experiences to the most evocative spots in the region. In Castelnuovo Don Bosco, a municipality in the province of Asti, the festival stops in the hamlet of Mondonio, a village nestled within the Muscandia Woods nature site and linked to the memory of Saint Domenico Savio.

The Sixth Edition: "Percorsi di senso"

The 2026 edition, the sixth of the festival, revolves around the theme "Percorsi di senso" (Paths of Sense): an invitation to rediscover the sensory dimension of human experience, moving beyond the primacy of sight to rediscover hearing, touch, taste, and smell. The festival kicks off with a widespread preview on June 12 and 13, 2026, between Albugnano and Mondonio, before continuing with the main program across the seven municipalities starting on July 9, 2026.

The Mondonio Stage on June 13

Saturday, June 13 in Mondonio combines history, food, wine, and theatre in an evening itinerary starting from the heart of the village:

• 6:00 PM - Meeting at the Church of San Domenico Savio parking lot: Historical itinerary "Hillside schools and churches" guided by local historian Graziella Deideri, discovering the Mondonio schoolhouse—the classroom where Domenico Savio studied—the library, and the Museum of Peasant Life, featuring objects and photographs of daily life from the past.
• Tasting at Cascina Gilli: The itinerary continues towards the historic local winery, where a tasting of Monferrato wines and local gastronomic samples is planned.
• 9:30 PM - Churchyard of the Romanesque church of Santa Maria di Cornareto: The theatrical performance "Amatissima - lezione recitata", by and with Anna Delfina Arcostanzo for the Lo Stagno di Goethe company, reflecting on the profound value of dwelling and the identity bond between an individual and their territory.

In case of bad weather, the visit and tasting will proceed as planned, while the evening performance will move to the Council Chamber of Castelnuovo Don Bosco.

Mondonio, the village of Domenico Savio

The choice of Mondonio as a stage is no coincidence: the hamlet of Castelnuovo Don Bosco is famous for being the place where Domenico Savio, a young student of Don Bosco later proclaimed a saint, lived and died. The restored schoolhouse and the small museum tell the story of peasant and school life in the Asti hills, while the Romanesque churches of the area—such as Santa Maria di Cornareto—testify to the richness of the historical and artistic heritage of the Lower Monferrato.

A festival spread across the landscape

The Mondonio stage is part of a cultural project that turns the Monferrato hills into a widespread stage. The Quadila Festival evenings are held in open-air locations and historical spaces across the various municipalities, guiding the public through an experience that combines gentle hiking, local food and wine, and live performance. The traveling format allows for the discovery of villages, farmhouses, Romanesque churches, and panoramic views of the Asti province that are otherwise rarely visited.

Admission and bookings

All festival events are free to attend, with voluntary donations accepted to support the festival, but mandatory booking is required for each activity. Reservations can be made via the official website quadila.com. For the evening in Mondonio, comfortable shoes, a flashlight, and insect repellent are recommended.