The Fogheraccia of Saint Joseph

An ancient Romagna tradition in San Savino

La Fogheraccia di San Giuseppe is one of the most deeply rooted folk rites in the province of Rimini. In Montescudo-Monte Colombo, in the hilly hamlet of San Savino, the festival is organized by the Associazione E Poz D'la Piva APS along with local Pro Loco associations, who every year revive this event linked to the night of March 18th, the eve of Saint Joseph's Day.

The meaning of the propitiatory fire

Throughout Romagna, bonfires were lit in March on the eve of Saint Joseph's Day as a propitiatory rite to celebrate, coinciding with the spring equinox, the arrival of the good season. Known by various dialectal names—Fogheraccia, Focarina, Lòm a Merz, Fugaraza—the tradition invoked a favorable year for the fields: agricultural waste was burned to encourage new sowings. In San Savino, the rite has been kept alive as a moment of community gathering, capable of intertwining peasant memory and village festival.

San Savino and the E Poz D'la Piva Association

The name of the promoting association refers to e' poz d'la Piva, the ancient well of the Pieve di San Savino, restored by local volunteers: water once considered the best in the area for cooking legumes according to local recipes. It is this spirit of valuing roots that also animates the Fogheraccia, designed to bring different generations together around the fire.

An evening of music and conviviality

The Fogheraccia of San Savino is not just a bonfire; it's a true evening of celebration held in the parish hall of San Savino, with live music and a reception featuring specialties from Romagna's culinary tradition. The intimate, indoor, and communal format distinguishes this event from the large bonfires on the Rimini coast beaches, restoring the authentic flavor of a community festival in the hinterland of Valconca.

In the heart of Valconca

Included in the calendar of events for Montescudo-Monte Colombo, in the province of Rimini, the Fogheraccia di San Giuseppe is a great opportunity to discover the hilly villages of Valconca during a less touristy time of year, amidst panoramas of the Romagna hills, folk traditions, and local hospitality.