"Festa dei Cornuti" (Horned Festival) of Ruviano

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This irreverent and playful event was born by chance many years ago, when some friends decided to celebrate San Martino with a dinner based on mutton and wine. After dinner, quite tipsy, they staged a procession through the streets of the town with lit candles and horn trophies. That comical skit amused the locals so much that they decided to hold the parade again the following year. Although it was only officially revived in recent times, this particular rite actually has very ancient roots and was already celebrated in pagan times. In fact, San Martino is also remembered as the patron saint of “cornuti”, an attribution that seems to have been generated as a result of the livestock fairs (mostly horned, in fact) which were held during the summer of San Martino. The heart of the event is represented by the procession, accompanied by the band, along the streets of the town which ends with the burning of a rag puppet, also equipped with large horns. The reason of the horns worn is a constant feature of the festival and serves to propitiate an ancient rite aimed at avoiding the annoying weight of the horns. After the ritual bonfire in the square, the event continues by paying homage to the tradition of Ruviano with the tasting of the gastronomic excellence of the area, accompanied by the folklore of traditional songs and dances.