Chianni, a charming village in the province of Pisa (Tuscany) with a population of little over 1000 people, organizes an annual event emblematic of Italian tradition: the Wild Boar Festival.
The 47th edition is here, and the program is more extensive than ever, with delights to be enjoyed in an atmosphere of tradition, passion, and love for our lovely Italy.
For two long weekends from Thursday to Sunday (November 9 to 12 and November 16 to 19), you have the opportunity and honor to sample the traditional flavors of a historical, genuine, and peasant culture. While sipping a delicious glass of wine in the Tuscan hills.
The roots of the Boar Festival
Let’s travel back to October 1976. At the time, the community of Chianni made the decision to construct what would become a landmark of Italian cuisine and gourmet cuisine. The Boar Festival was born from the collaboration of multiple entities, including the Union Sports Chianni, the Association of Hunters, and several municipal committees, in order to push the boundaries of its tradition.
The event has carried on the founding fathers’ tradition and structure. From wild boar hunting to cooking recipes, it’s as if nothing has changed.
The hunt for wild boars
The wild boar is an extremely intelligent animal, accustomed to life in the wild and now learning methods to avoid man’s traps. Tuscany is the most common home for the Maremma wild boar (cinghiale maremmano), a subspecies of the more well-known European wild boar. This does not imply that they are not also hunting multiple daughter lines of spontaneous crossovers with the evolution of time.
The hunting stages
Hunting wild boar is anything but straightforward, especially as autumn approaches, and we anticipate a profitable and significant haul with the entrance of the festival.
The Chianni hunting trip requires a collaborative effort and meticulous planning:
- Tracciamento. It’s the first step when the senior hunters look for wild boar trails to mark a hunting zone.
- Armatura. This is a strategy game in which hunters select the shooting lines to hit the boar once it is located.
- Sciolta dei cani. Dogs are the hunt’s wild card. Their mission is to entice the wild boars from their burrows and transport them within the perimeter defined in the first phase.
- Scaccioni. This name refers to hunters who stand on opposite sides of the perimeter, whistling and screaming in an attempt to keep scared boars from escaping.
The celebration is a collaborative endeavor, from hunting to cuisine
The festival’s organizers want to make it clear that the recipes are undeniably presented with the same wisdom, love, and passion as in the past. The chefs, all of whom are highly accomplished women, prepare delectable dishes ranging from roast polenta to wild boar. The sweet and sour boar is delicious and cannot be missed; you can see the recipe by going here. I highly recommend it!
The schedule
For more information, please visit the festival’s official website by clicking here. The program, which spans nearly 10 days of conviviality and tastings, also includes multiple markets throughout the village’s streets and photographic events.
Every day, you can reserve (in advance) your lunch or supper from a variety of options available both online and on-site.
You can start with polenta with wild boar and mushrooms or penne with wild boar sauce as your first course. There are substantial second dishes, such as sausages and livers, steaks, and several preparations of the event’s star: roast boar, stewed boar, or with local olives.
To round out the culinary adventure, there is no shortage of sweets and traditional Tuscan side dishes, particularly of Chianni.
On this occasion, among the most distinctive events suggested for the 47th edition are:
- Street food in Piazza Castello Saturday, November 18th, at 18.00
- Live music concert at 19.00
- Traditional products are on sale during the entire day of closure (Sunday, 19th) along the streets of Chianni
I cordially invite you to join us in this one-of-a-kind celebration, where the infectious enthusiasm of the Chianni Wild Boar Festival combines with the desire to learn more about Italy’s cultural traditions.
Live the ritual, savor the cuisine, and immerse yourself in a festive atmosphere that will make you feel at home even if you are on the other side of the world.
