Every year, on 30 and 31 January, artists and craftsmen from Valle d\u2019Aosta proudly display their works along the streets of Aosta town centre.
\nIn the Middle Ages, the Fair took place in the \u201cBorgo di Aosta\u201d, the area surrounding the Collegiate Church that bears the name of Sant\u2019Orso. Legend has it that it all began opposite the church, where the Saint, who lived earlier than the 9th century, apparently used to help the poor by giving out clothes and \u201csabot\u201d, the typical wooden clogs visitors can still find at the Fair today. These days the whole of the town centre is involved in the event, which takes place both inside and outside the Roman walls.<\/p>\n
All of the traditional activities are represented: sculpture and inlay on wood, soapstone, wrought iron and leather working, weaving of drap, a traditional woollen fabric on old-style wooden looms, lace, wicker, household objects, wooden ladders, casks, etc\u2026<\/p>\n
The exhibitors are driven to attend the Fair not so much for the commercial aspect but rather to leave their workshops and make contact with an audience who appreciates the quality and creativity of their work, the result of traditions with age-old roots. Likewise those who go to the Fair are not just looking for a \u201cgood buy\u201d, maybe useful for everyday purposes, or a top quality item to decorate their homes, but rather to \u201cbreathe\u201d a unique and unrepeatable ambiance.<\/p>\n
The Fair of Sant\u2019Orso is not only a celebration of the creativity and industriousness of mountain people, but also a great popular event during which the peculiar characteristics of the identity of Valle d\u2019Aosta\u2019s population are revealed. A visit to the Fair is an extraordinary, unforgettable, intensely emotional experience, because the craftsmen present are here less for commercial reasons than out of a desire to venture outside their workshops in search of contact with visitors able to appreaciate creativity and quality craftsmanship, deriving from a tradition stretching back centuries. Likewise, visitors come here not just in search of a bargain, or a useful, everyday object or something to adorn their home, but also to revel in the unique atmosphere.<\/p>\n
During the fair it is possible to visit the \u201cAtelier, where objects from various craft categories are exposed and even on sale.<\/p>\n
The Fair is also about music, folklore and a chance to taste the traditional gourmet products and wines.
\nIn the \u201cfoodstaff pavilion you can taste the typical flavours of the Aosta Valley.<\/p>\n
The high point of this popular festival is the \u201cVeill\u00e0\u201d, on the night between 30 and 31 January, with the streets all lit up and full of people until dawn.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
30 January 2019 – 31 January 2019 – Aosta – Town centre<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":740,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events"],"yoast_head":"\n