Sagra della Madòna dei Pom

The Madonna of the Apples

The Sagra della Madòna dei Pom — the Madonna of the Apples, in the local Brescian dialect — is one of the most characteristic festivals in Paratico, a village on the Brescia side of Lake Iseo, in the province of Brescia. It is celebrated on the days of the Immaculate Conception, December 7th and 8th, blending religious devotion, popular tradition, and an ancient legend linked to apples: it is said that lovers used to exchange an apple as a token of love.

The Market and the Flavours of Winter

For the two days of the festival, the streets around the Sanctuary of San Pietro are filled with a market of about fifty stalls and food stands offering the flavours of winter: chestnuts, bread and sausage, mulled wine, hot tea, candied apples, and takeaway roasted meat. For children, there are games, stilt walkers, bubble shows, puppet shows, an apple treasure hunt, and old-fashioned games.

The Procession and the Fireworks

The most solemn moment is the procession which, on the evening of December 7th, starts from the parish church and reaches the Sanctuary of San Pietro, accompanied by a band. After mass, the entertainment continues, and the evening concludes with a fireworks display. On December 8th, the day of the Immaculate Conception, the festival resumes in the morning along Via San Pietro.

A Living Tradition

Organized by the parish and the Municipality with local associations, the Madòna dei Pom is one of those festivals that preserve the identity of a village: it combines faith in the Immaculate Conception, the flavours of Brescian cuisine, and a romantic legend that still gives the sagra its name today. For those visiting Lake Iseo in December, it is an authentic dive into the traditions of the Sebino region.