It happens only once every ten years and only if August 10th falls on a Sunday. That’s when the small village of Mione, nestled at the foot of the Maddalene mountains, comes to a halt to remember and proudly share its most treasured story: the San Lorenzo Festival.
A rare and precious celebration, awaited like an eclipse or a comet. Because this is more than a tradition or a date on the calendar. It’s the soul of an entire community that sets itself in motion - slowly, devotedly - months in advance.
In Mione, when the year of the San Lorenzo Festival arrives, no one stands by. Someone brings out the old embroidered tablecloths, someone polishes the benches, someone kneads, builds, plays, tells stories of life once lived between pastures and barns.
Every corner of the village is transformed, every family becomes part of a collective effort that involves everyone!
The square fills with flowers, courtyards open wide, and the scent of traditional cooking mingles with the summer air: crispy potato tortei, steaming strangolapreti, grilled meats, nostalgic desserts, and good wine.
But the real magic is in the connections: in hands working together, in smiles exchanged between shifts under the tent and dances in the square, in the pride of belonging to something that can't be bought or copied - a living, genuine community, rooted in time and in the solid landscape of the Maddalene.
On Sunday, at the heart of the celebration stands San Lorenzo himself - patron saint and symbol of an ancient bond, safeguarded within the walls of the small church of San Lorenzo Martyr. The solemn Mass and the procession become tangible signs of belonging, a way to reconnect with one's roots through tradition.
And then, the celebration continues: long tables under clear skies, music, performances, and late-night conversations. It’s a warm summer embrace where even those arriving from afar feel welcome, as if returning to a familiar place that feels like home.
The San Lorenzo Festival is not your typical local fair. It’s a collective ritual, a promise renewed every ten years to remember, reconnect, and celebrate together.
Those who visit Mione during these special days won’t just find food stands and music. They’ll find a village telling its story with pride, opening its heart and welcoming visitors with the strength and simplicity of a small mountain community.
A place that, once every ten years, celebrates San Lorenzo by rediscovering the joy of being together.
And that’s what makes this celebration so extraordinary: it only happens once every ten years, but it stays in your heart forever.
The 2025 edition, taking place from August 7th to 10th, follows the last one held in 2014. And while it usually takes a full decade to return, this time the wait will be a little shorter than usual—the next San Lorenzo Festival will be in 2031, and once again, it will be time to celebrate!
