San Valerio Dinner

The patron saint's dinner in the heart of Monferrato

The San Valerio Dinner is one of the most cherished winter events in Occimiano, a small town in the Monferrato area of the Alessandria province, located in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage wine landscape of Piedmont. Organised by the Pro Loco Tourist Association of Occimiano, the dinner is held every year in January, close to the feast of the patron saint, celebrating the town's gastronomic tradition with a staple of the cold season: polenta served with wild boar.

San Valerio, the bishop of the wheat ear

San Valerio, bishop and martyr, is the patron saint of Occimiano and is celebrated on January 22nd. His devotion is linked to a captivating legend: the discovery of the saint's body in a field of ripe wheat in the frozen heart of winter. Hence the symbol of the wheat ear, which still appears today in the ear-shaped biscuits prepared by the Pro Loco cooks and blessed at the end of the solemn mass in the parish church. The dinner was born as a convivial extension of this religious anniversary: after the saint's feast, the community gathers around the table.

What to eat

The menu revolves around polenta and wild boar, a rustic and generous dish perfect for the season. The Occimiano Pro Loco, active since 1983, is the guardian of a local cuisine made of healthy and genuine ingredients, largely sourced locally: from the famous risotto with sausage and Barbera wine (which has been awarded the DE.CO municipal designation) to the Piedmontese mixed fry, oven-baked ham, and bagna cauda. The San Valerio Dinner is the winter occasion where this tradition is expressed through the wild boar dish.

The setting: Villa dei Marchesi Da Passano

The event takes place in the halls of the Villa dei Marchesi Da Passano, a historic residence of ancient origins that has hosted illustrious figures and is currently undergoing restoration. Its grand hall hosts the Pro Loco events, providing the dinner with a setting that tells the story of Occimiano and the Monferrato region.

A community gathering

More than just a gastronomic event, the San Valerio Dinner is a moment of community: a way to keep alive a village tradition that intertwines faith, rural memory, and conviviality. An authentic opportunity to discover the hospitality of Monferrato far from the main tourist flows, among the wine hills and the flavours of the Piedmontese winter.