Asti’s annual calendar is dominated by two September behemoths: the Festival delle Sagre, a two-day food festival that takes over the city’s main piazza, and the Palio di Asti, a bareback horse race dating to 1275 that makes Siena’s more famous Palio look like a newcomer. Beyond September, the city hosts wine competitions, truffle fairs, and a Carnevale that fills the streets with floats and confetti. Book accommodation months ahead for Palio weekend; rooms in the historic centre routinely sell out by June. For more detail, see our Asti weather by month.
Asti Events: Palio di Asti
The Palio di Asti is Italy’s oldest documented horse race, first recorded in 1275 when the city ran a palio under the walls of enemy Alba. Today it happens on the third Sunday of September in Piazza Alfieri, where a temporary dirt track is laid down. Twenty-one horses representing Asti’s historical rioni (neighbourhoods) and surrounding comuni race bareback over three laps. The winning contrada parades through the city with the palio banner to the Collegiata di San Secondo, where it is presented at the altar. The week before the race (known as the Settimana Astigiana) fills with medieval parades, flag-throwing competitions by the sbandieratori, and open-air neighbourhood dinners. Race tickets for the grandstand cost 30-50 euros; standing spots along the track are free but arrive by 13:00 for a 16:00 start. For more detail, see our best time to visit Asti.
Asti Events: Festival delle Sagre
Held the second weekend of September, the Festival delle Sagre transforms Piazza Campo del Palio into the largest open-air restaurant in Piedmont. Over 40 pro loco (local community associations) from villages across the province set up themed stands recreating rural life from the early 20th century, each cooking the signature dish of their town. You buy a ticket booklet (roughly 20 euros for 4-5 dishes) and work your way through the piazza sampling agnolotti, bagna cauda, fritto misto, and tajarin. The festival opens Saturday evening and runs all day Sunday from roughly 11:00 to 22:00. Arrive hungry and bring cash; not all stands accept cards. For more detail, see our things to do in Asti.
Asti Events: Douja d’Or
The Douja d’Or is Italy’s national wine competition, held in Asti for 10 days in mid-September (overlapping with the Palio buildup). The name comes from the Piedmontese word douja, a terracotta wine vessel. Palazzo del Collegio and surrounding buildings in the historic centre host tastings of DOC and DOCG wines from across Italy, with a particular focus on Asti Spumante, Barbera, and Moscato. A tasting pass costs about 15 euros and includes a glass and 8-10 tasting tickets. The event also features a gastronomic salon with products from across Italy. Check doujador.it for exact dates each year. For more detail, see our Asti neighborhoods guide.
Asti Events: Truffle Fairs
Asti holds its own truffle fair, usually on a weekend in late October or early November, in Piazza San Secondo and Piazza Roma. While smaller than Alba’s international fair (30 minutes away), Asti’s event is more accessible and less expensive. You can buy white truffles directly from trifolau (truffle hunters) at prices well below restaurant markup. The fair includes truffle-hunting dog demonstrations, tasting stands, and cooking workshops. Exact dates are announced in September; check the Asti tourism website or ask at the tourist office on Piazza Alfieri. For more detail, see our where to stay in Asti.
Asti Events: Carnevale di Asti
Asti’s Carnevale runs for two weekends in February, anchored by a large parade through the city centre on the Sunday before Shrove Tuesday. The parade features elaborate floats, costumed performers, and the comical figure of Gianduja, Piedmont’s traditional Carnevale character. Local schools and community groups build most of the floats, giving it a distinctly local feel. The parade route runs along Corso Alfieri and through Piazza San Secondo. Street food stalls sell fritto misto and chiacchiere (fried pastry strips dusted with powdered sugar). Free to watch; arrive 30 minutes early for a good spot. For more detail, see our Asti travel tips.
Asti Events: Palio degli Sbandieratori
While technically part of the Palio buildup in September, the flag-throwing competitions (sbandieratori) are a standalone spectacle. Teams from Asti’s borghi and surrounding towns compete in choreographed flag-throwing routines accompanied by drum corps. The national championship finals rotate through different host cities but Asti frequently holds qualifiers and regional rounds in Piazza San Secondo during the summer months, typically on weekend evenings in June and July. Free to watch; check the Comune di Asti events calendar for specific dates.
Asti Events: Christmas Markets
From early December through Christmas Eve, Piazza Roma and Piazza San Secondo host Asti’s Christmas markets (Mercatini di Natale). Roughly 30-40 wooden chalets sell artisanal gifts, Piedmontese food products, mulled wine (vin brul), and Christmas decorations. A small ice rink sets up in Piazza Roma. The markets open daily from roughly 10:00 to 19:30, staying open later on weekends. The atmosphere is local rather than tourist-driven, and prices for food gifts (hazelnut torrone, gianduiotti chocolates, Barbera wine) are fair.
