Music, dancing in the square, local flavors, and cultural events. Gesico prepares to close tomorrow, Sunday, October 25th, with the Feast of Sant'Amatore, African Bishop and Martyr, and the Snail Festival, which has enlivened the town for much of the month, attracting visitors and tourists. A positive outcome for the dual event, now in its 405th year for the religious festival and the 34th for the food festival.
A program combining tradition and entertainment, with squares enlivened by music and dance, food and agricultural fairs, exhibitions, and initiatives dedicated to local culture and produce. A calendar that offered opportunities for meeting and participating, showcasing the town's resources and traditions. Among the most interesting events were the entertaining Snail Race, which became one of the festival's most original highlights, and the Golden Snail food festival, which saw chefs compete in preparing snail-based menus.
The festival thus confirms the connection between the event and the town's identity. "The continuity of the festival," emphasizes Carlo Carta, president of the Pro Loco, "also comes through the transformation of its spaces. The urban and exhibition area that once hosted the ancient Fiera di Sant'Amatore has become the heart of the festival, keeping alive the spirit of hospitality and encounter that has accompanied this event for over four centuries."
Tomorrow, the religious dimension will mark the final moment. At 10:00 a.m. in the parish, Father Efisio Zara will celebrate Mass. At the end, the relic of Saint Amatore's skull will be removed from the wooden reliquary and placed in the shrine carved into the wall of the chapel dedicated to the African martyr. This gesture will officially close the celebration, bringing its spiritual roots and significance for the community back to the forefront.
