Vernio Polenta Festival

The Vernio Polenta Festival

The Polenta Festival, also known as the Festival of Misery or Pulendina, is one of the oldest and most deeply rooted historical re-enactments in Tuscany. It takes place in San Quirico di Vernio, a village in the municipality of Vernio, located in the picturesque Bisenzio Valley in the province of Prato. Traditionally held on the first Sunday of Lent, the event attracts thousands of visitors and numerous historical delegations from all over the region every year.

The Origins: The Famine of 1512

The festival commemorates a real event that occurred in 1512. That year, following the arrival of Spanish troops in Tuscany and the tragic Sack of Prato, the population of the valley was struck by a severe famine. The Counts Bardi, lords of the Vernio fiefdom, ordered the free distribution of food to the starving population: sweet chestnut flour polenta, herring, and salt cod. That gesture of solidarity has remained etched in the collective memory and is re-enacted every year with great participation.

The Historical Pageant

The highlight of the festival is the historical pageant in costume, which sets off on Sunday morning and winds through the town to the town square. It includes authorities, guests, and numerous Tuscan historical groups: the Conti Bardi Historical Group, the Society of Misery, the Florentine Historical Football, the Bear Joust of Pistoia, the Valletti Group of the Municipality of Prato, the Star Joust of Bagno a Ripoli, the Musicians of the Saracen Joust of Arezzo, flag-wavers, the City of Pisa Musicians, and the Giuseppe Verdi Philharmonic of Luicciana. In the square, the performers line up along the steps of the Oratory of San Niccolò, creating a highly evocative scene.

The Distribution of Polenta

After the reading of the historical parchment and official greetings, the ancient gesture is renewed: the free distribution of sweet polenta made from chestnut flour, accompanied by herring and salt cod, according to a recipe passed down for generations. It is the most anticipated moment, where tradition, memory, and conviviality merge.

The Chestnut, Symbol of the Valley

The chestnut has always been a key element of the economy and culture of the Bisenzio Valley. For this reason, the festival pairs the re-enactment with a conference dedicated to chestnut cultivation, providing an opportunity for dialogue between tradition and innovation with experts, scholars, and local producers.

An Event Not to Be Missed

Organized by the Municipality of Vernio together with the Society of Misery and the Conti Bardi Historical Group, the Polenta Festival is a free, open-air event that combines history, folklore, and gastronomy. For those visiting the most authentic side of Tuscany, away from the classic tourist circuits, it is the ideal opportunity to discover the popular traditions of the Bisenzio Valley.