The road that leads to Picinisco is one of the most convoluted and picturesque in the Val di Comino and in these mountains there is a truly original festival that combines gastronomy and music: Pastorizia in Festival of Picinisco.
It is a journey where one experiences the link between the inner self and nature and rediscovers traditional tastes and instruments. Pastorizia in Festival was created to promote the farming tradition of the Valle di Comino.
Most important element is the tasty Pecorino cheese from Picinisco which in 2013 obtained the DOP recognition. Over the years the event has been enriched with sensorial experiences for the visitor, who goes from learning how to make cheese to meetings on farming. It takes place in different places of Picinisco and spans 2 days.
In addition to the Picinisco DOP, you can find excellent cheeses from all over Italy and abroad and a local craft market. You can taste agro-pastoral dishes typical of seasonal grazing and take a tour care for with love by restaurateurs, wine cellars and local breweries.
Transhumance was the journey that every farmer made twice a year to bring the flock to the best pastures: in summer in the mountains and in winter to the plains near the sea. During Pastorizia in Festival you can try the typical lunch of farming tradition.
The festival includes concerts from the afternoon with performances of alternative theatre, street performers in the historic centre and traditional itinerant musicians. In the evening, bands of the Italian folk scene perform.
On the stages of Pastorizia in Festival in recent years, Radici Popolari, Cantori in Terra di Lavoro, Orchestra Bottoni, Vento del Sud, Lucilla Galeazzi, and Valentina Ferraiuolo have performed.
Among the other experiences that the visitor can make at the festival is the excursion "Sui passi del pastore", an interesting walk with a shepherd along with his flock, led by an anthropologist. It starts in the morning along the migration trails of the Abruzzo National Park, with tasting of fresh ricotta and then a farmer’s snack (at an economical price).
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Picture by Igor Todisco[/caption]
"The Shepherd's Terrace", meanwhile, is the story of travel, relocation and migrations linked to the history of the Picinisco DOP Pecorino, and is recommended for fans of stories. For children there is the opportunity to participate in "Pastorelli at work", a workshop where they learn to make cheese and traditional desserts guided by expert advice.
During the festival there are seminars /concerts of folk songs and dances related to the agro-pastoral world. Other conferences are dedicated to cheeses and new sensory experiences, such as the one on medicinal cheese.
Alongside the food and wine experiences, music lovers can specialize in intensive courses of pipes, ciaramella, bagpipes and tambourine. But above all you can dance in the square to the rhythms of traditional music.
For more information:
http://www.pastoriziainfestival.it
https://www.facebook.com/PastoriziaInFestival
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