Vicentina Bacalà Festival: an explosion of flavors and shows in Sandrigo

From 14 to 25 September the squares and streets of Sandrigo (Vicenza) will be filled with scents and flavors during the 36th edition of the Vicentina Bacalà Festival . The event, now awarded the title Quality Festival by UNPLI, returns with a program full of culinary proposals based on cod, food and wine events, exhibitions, concerts and shows for adults and children. Like every year, the Gran Galà del Bacalà preceded the start of the Festival with an elegant gala evening held on Tuesday 12 September . The occasion involved a team of professionals made up of 30 chefs, 30 waiters and 18 sommeliers who offered a unique experience to the 530 diners with a seven-course menu based on cod served paired with local wines. Among the guests of honor the famous singer-songwriter Francesco Guccini and the world archery champion Sandra Truccolo , both awarded the nomination as honorary brothers of the Venerabile Confraternita del Bacalà alla Vicentina. Also present was the singer gIANMARIA who collected the 2023 Basilica Palladiana Giovani Emergenti Award , awarded to him last June. The food stands will be open from the evening of Thursday 14th to Sunday 17th and then from Thursday 21st to Monday 25th September with various cod-based dishes such as gnocchi , gourmet pizza , bigoli al torcio , pasticcio and cod risotto . The main dish of the event, Vicenza-style cod , and other typical products made only with PGI stockfish from the Torrfisk Fra Lofoten consortium are always available, as well as alternative fish-free or vegetarian options. The Bacco & Baccalà food and wine event will be held on Sunday 17th , from 5.30pm to 10.00pm , in the historic Villa Mascotto in Ancignano di Sandrigo. This year's event for wine lovers will host a tasting table with over 80 labels , including a selection of champagnes , paired with cod-based dishes. Entry is permitted only by advance sale, which can be purchased from the website www.festadelbaccala.com while available seats last. There will be three cod-themed gastronomic insights that will be held in Central Square: Club Sandwich , the masterclass on Thursday 14th , 8.00 pm, which will teach the preparation of the traditional club sandwich and the variant with cod, with final tasting; On the trail of Querini: Malvasia&Bacalhau , the meeting on Thursday 21st , 8.00 pm, between the Venerable Confraternity of Bacalà alla Vicentina, the Union of Chefs of Veneto and special guests from Masterchef, followed by a cooking show with final tasting; and the appointment on Sunday 24th , 4.00 pm, with talks, cooking shows and tastings in the company of the Confraternita del Formaggio Piave, Confraternita del Cavallo and Confraternita del Folpo. The annual Investiture Ceremony of the new brothers of the Venerable Confraternity of Bacalà alla Vicentina with the parade of figures and flag-wavers is scheduled for Sunday 24 September at 10.00 in Central Square, while at 15.30 the Dragon Knights of Wavents will perform in a spectacular sword show, followed by flag-wavers, drummers and jugglers. For the entire duration of the festival , exhibitions and daytime markets will enliven the streets of Sandrigo with exhibitions of paintings and stands of objects, local crafts and typical products. Many musical moments will liven up Piazza Centrale during the evenings by: Jazz Quintet ; H1N1 with hits from the 80s and 90s; Guns Celebration , Guns N' Roses tribute band; Mist , the greatest hits party band of the 2000s; Celebrity Stars , the show dedicated to female pop icons; Sandrigo Youth Orchestra. Other entertainment shows are scheduled for Saturday 16th with Ballincontra' , the historical re-enactment group of Venetian traditions and the peasant civilization of the late 19th century, while on Sunday 17th, starting from 4.30pm, theaters for children and families “The onion soup” and “LaBollatorio” and performances by street artists, fire-breathers, magicians and jugglers. On Sunday 24th, at 5.00 pm, the presentation of the European Orienteering Championship 2023 will take place with technical test and orienteering demonstration. Monday 25th, at 8.30pm, the grand closing with the performance of the Centro Idea Danza of Sandrigo