La Pro Loco of Montiano (municipality in the province of Forlì-Cesena) organized together with theFree Hunting Association the eleventh edition of the Pig Festival for Sunday 24 January 2016. It is a fixed appointment and much appreciated by the citizens, so it is worthwhile to deepen the program. Usually theevent's audience begins with a market of typical products, followed by the real food stand, which it will start at 12 and finish at 20:30. The place chosen is, as usual, the very central Piazza Maggiore. There will be a tasting of fresh pork, with a truly varied menu.
Puntarine will be prepared with beans and pork rinds, but also grilled livers (with net and bay leaf) and tripe, without forgetting the sausages, fresh grilled salami, wraps with ham, salami and cheeses and many other cold cuts, undisputed protagonists of the party. In the afternoon, pork will be processed using homemade methods under the awning.
As happened also in the last edition of last year, then, the atmosphere will be enlivened by traditional songs and by Pasquaroli groups, people who traditionally go from house to house during the Epiphany period to sing the so-called Pasquella, a sort of auspicious rite for the new year. The organizers underlined in the program that there is no need to worry in case of bad weather, as the party will take place indoors. As already pointed out, they are now eleven years that the appointment of the Pig Festival is repeated in the Romagna village.
The event is obviously popular and the celebration of the pig serves as a reminder of Montiano's past. In fact, the peasants' diet was mainly based on pork, essential together with chicken to take on noble proteins. The slaughter took place in the coldest period of the year, that is to say the one between the months of December and January: this is why the Festival is organized on this day.
Two years ago this event was also talked about in relation to a protest. The European Animalist Party argued against the alleged slaughter of pigs, a debate silenced by the Pro Loco and the mayor with the clarification that in the square there was and never would have been a slaughter, but a simple processing of the meat. Another fundamental commitment of the organizers is to guarantee the certain origin of the meat that are processed, a guarantee for the final consumer who is able to recognize the quality and freshness.