By The Ambito Turistico Amiata
The program of autumn events continues with the Crastatone, Fest Autunno and a special snack with new oil and an ancient festival dedicated to fire.
The rich calendar of autumn events that characterize the territories of the Amiata Tourist Area is about to end, but there is still room for excellent food, beautiful music and activities dedicated to the discovery of Mount Amiata. The communities of Piancastagnaio will greet the month of October and welcome the arrival of November with the 56th edition of Crastatone, scheduled from 31 October to 1 November and then from 3 to 5 November and Castell’Azzara with the “Fest Autumn” on October 31st and November 4th.
The Crastatone is one of the historical events of this mountain. Since 1967 every year in the week of the feast of Saints (1 November) the Amiata town famous for its castle and the four districts, organizes this “crastata” festival, i.e. the caldarrosta, roasted chestnut, within the historic centre. On festive days you can taste typical dishes, many based on chestnuts, and the cellars, stands and stalls are opened along all the streets of the town, where the atmosphere is full of scents and joy.
In Castell’Azzara, however, for a few years now the local pro loco has been organizing Fest Autunno, an original event not to be missed where it is possible to discover the village where many miners lived in the past and go on a gastronomic journey to discover traditional dishes. There are two events, October 31st and November 4th, in the first case the protagonist will be ‘polenta’, a typical mountain dish which in this town brings with it a long gastronomic tradition, while on the second day the streets of the village will host markets, street food and folk music.
In late November, when the mountain has shed all its leaves, two events enliven two provincial communities. In Montegiovi (a hamlet of the municipality of Castel del Piano), “Snack with new oil” takes place on November 5th, an event organized in collaboration with the Seggiano Dop Oil Consortium. November 24th and 25th is the time for the Focarazza Rite. Fire returns as a protagonist in Santa Caterina (a hamlet of the municipality of Roccalbegna). This is the ‘fire festival’ in memory of the martyrdom of the saint. The “shooters” from the town’s districts compete for the “stollo” in a very original competition. That of the “Focarazza” is a tradition that has arrived intact from the sixteenth century to the present day. On the 24th, the eve of the day dedicated to the patron saint Santa Caterina d’Alessandria, one of the most interesting rites of Monte Amiata is celebrated on the hill overlooking the town, rich in symbolism linked to fire.
However, the autumn festivals organized in the villages of Abbadia San Salvatore, Arcidosso, Bagnolo, Cana and Santa Fiora, which had enormous success with the public, have ended. Thousands of visitors participated in the various events every day, thus contributing to the success of the festivals and also to the economy of the entire mountain. For many tourists, the festivals were opportunities for leisure and also tours to discover the Amiata villages, each of which with its own peculiarities were able to offer original experiences that were at the same time integrated into the unique calendar of events. Much of the success is due to the many organizers and associations in the area who commit themselves every year with passion, dedication and love for this mountain with the aim of honouring autumn and its precious fruits.
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