Glorious autumn days, spectacular Italian food, wine, dance, film, and even a living chess match all come together in the enchanting Victorian town of Myrtleford for the annual La Fiera Festival in May.
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The festival is the pinnacle event of High County Harvest, a regional celebration of food, wine and beer in the state’s spectacular north-east.
With returning favourites and new events, La Fiera, from May 16-21, will be six days of fun the Italian way, kicking off with Celebrazione Michelini, the festival launch party on the Tuesday.
One of the highlights this year is a free re-enactment of the Living Chess Match, first played in 1454 in the northern Italian town of Marostica. The popular chess match is making a come-back in the Clyde Street Piazza on Sunday after last being performed in 2012.
The festival continues the tradition of cultural delights such as the Nonni in Cucina cooking demonstrations, wild mushroom forages and an Italian street procession, with all its colour and pageantry.
Saturday is peak activity day, with the Food & Wine Festa in the Piazza. Alpine Valley vignerons will be on hand with wines, regional growers will present their produce and there will be traditional dishes from Italian clubs.
Special events throughout the day will include free face painting, balloon animals, pizza dough throwing demonstrations and the barista race. Music from Italy will delight the crowd, with Toni Marchi just one of the many entertainers performing on the Piazza on the Saturday.
Other events include:
* From Italy with Love! meal each night at Club Savoy
* Harvest Feast hosted by Stefano Manfredi on the Friday
* The La Fiera Cup Soccer Challenge, with matches on Sunday., 8.30am-5.30pm
* Torneo Annuale Tournament at Myrtleford Golf Club