Scarecrow Festival

A workshop of creativity and tradition

The Scarecrow Festival is one of the most beloved and original events in the cultural calendar of Arignano, a small town in the hills of the Piedmont region, near Turin. Promoted by the CuBiAr Cultural Association (Culture and Library of Arignano), the festival features a large collective workshop where residents, families, and children gather to hand-build scarecrows of all shapes and sizes, using fabric, straw, old clothes, and plenty of ingenuity.

The heart of the event: the Mulino di Arignano

The workshop takes place at the Mulino di Arignano, located at Via del Lago 4, a picturesque setting overlooking the lake area. Here, during an afternoon dedicated to craftsmanship and sharing, participants bring their creations to life under the guidance of association volunteers. Admission is free and open to all ages; it is the perfect opportunity to spend time together, rediscovering the joy of making things by hand and the simple gestures of rural tradition.

From the workshop to the Wheat Festival

The Scarecrow Festival is more than just a single afternoon. The scarecrows built during the workshop are displayed for several weeks along the village streets, gardens, and fields, turning Arignano into an open-air gallery. The creations are then awarded prizes in June during the Wheat Festival, a major rural celebration coordinated by the Arignano Pro Loco that honors the harvest and the life cycle of wheat, from sowing to bread-making.

A bond with the village roots

The initiative weaves together folk art, rural memory, and local identity. The scarecrows, once ancient guardians of the fields, become symbols of a community gathering around its traditions: caring for the land, working in the fields, and village life. In an era of increasing depopulation in small towns, events like this serve as a precious tool for social cohesion and the promotion of the cultural heritage of the Chieri area.

Why attend

• A free creative workshop open to everyone, perfect for families and children
• A hands-on crafting experience in the evocative setting of the Mulino di Arignano
• The joy of seeing your creations displayed throughout the village
• A connection to the Wheat Festival and the rural traditions of the Turin hills
• An authentic chance to discover a Piedmontese village off the beaten tourist path