San Bernardo Fair

The San Bernardo Fair in Scopello

The San Bernardo Fair is one of the traditional events that bring Scopello to life, a small town in the Valsesia valley in the province of Vercelli, Piedmont. Held every year in mid-June, it is part of a series of fairs and markets that, from San Marco in spring to San Michele in autumn, mark the rhythm of village life and reflect its history as a crossroads between the valley and the mountains.

A day of market stalls in the square

The heart of the event is the Piazza del Municipio, which transforms into a large open-air market for the occasion. Along the streets of the center, stalls display a wide range of goods: clothing, linens, homeware, artisanal products, sweets, and local gastronomic specialties. The fair runs all day, from early morning until late afternoon, and admission is free.

Between tradition and tourism

More than just a spectacle, the San Bernardo Fair is a village festival in the most authentic sense: an opportunity to gather, stroll among the stalls, and meet neighbors and the traveling merchants who return faithfully every year. Scopello, with its hamlet of Mera and the departure station for Alpe di Mera, has always been a gateway to the mountains of Upper Valsesia and the Monte Rosa region; the fair thus also attracts the many hikers and vacationers who visit the valley in summer.

Other fairs in Scopello

San Bernardo is part of a rich calendar: the San Marco Fair opens the season in spring, the flower festival colors the town in early May, while the San Michele Fair, held on the last Sunday of September, closes the year with its historic livestock market and local products prepared by the Pro Loco. Together, they form the cultural identity of this corner of Valsesia.