San Carlo Fair

A historic fair in the heart of Arquata Scrivia

The San Carlo Fair is one of the most cherished events in the calendar of Arquata Scrivia, a municipality in the province of Alessandria nestled in the Scrivia Valley, at the gateway to the Ligurian-Piedmontese Apennines. It is held punctually every November 4th, the day the Church commemorates Saint Charles Borromeo, the patron saint to whom the town pays tribute by tradition. The event brings Via Libarna and the historic center to life, transforming them into a large open-air market for the entire day.

The three historic fairs of Arquata

San Carlo is one of the three major fairs that mark the Arquata year, alongside the bustling May Day Fair and the San Bartolomeo Fair at the end of August, also known as the "Onion Fair." For generations, these three dates have represented moments of celebration and gathering for the valley community, occasions when merchants, artisans, and local producers meet in the town's streets.

Autumn stalls and produce

Along Via Libarna, about eighty licensed stalls are set up, offering a wide range of goods, clothing, crafts, and gastronomic specialties. However, the heart of the fair remains tied to farming tradition: historically, local farmers and growers would converge on Arquata to display their autumn harvests. Even today, there is no shortage of chestnuts, mushrooms, flour, pumpkins, and legumes, alongside typical local food and wine products, in a tradition that has remained essentially unchanged over time.

History and local identity

The very name of Via Libarna recalls the ancient Roman city of Libarna, which rose along the Via Postumia not far from the current town: a link to the thousand-year history of this part of southeastern Piedmont. The San Carlo Fair fits into this long continuity, keeping alive a popular ritual that combines devotion to the patron saint, commercial exchange, and conviviality.

An event for the entire Novese district

Thanks to its strategic position between Genoa, Alessandria, and Novi Ligure, Arquata Scrivia welcomes visitors from the entire Novese district and surrounding valleys for the fair. The day of November 4th is also the perfect opportunity to stroll through the center, rediscover local shops, and savor the flavors of the Piedmontese autumn.