Fair of Saint Orso in Donnas

A Sunday celebrating traditional crafts

This event, also known as the "Fiera del Legno" (Wood Fair) is thought to be about a thousand years old like the festival with the same name, held in Aosta of which it can be considered the forerunner: it takes place on the penultimate Sunday in January, about two weeks before the fair held in the regional capital. In the extraordinary backdrop provided by the mediaeval town, which has worked hard in recent years to cope with the growing number of exhibitors and visitors, you can admire the work of about 500 craftsmen, as well as those of the students taking part in crafts courses. It used to be a fair for the sale of

farming equipment manufactured during the winter, but has turned into a showcase for typical and traditional craftwork from Valle d’Aosta. Not only can you find rakes, baskets, spoons and ladles, casks, "sabot" and household articles, but you can also admire some bona fide works of arts: sculptures, bas-reliefs and some minutely carved items in wood or pottery stone. You can also see, on the other hand, articles in copper and wrought iron, lacework, fabrics in hemp or wool, slippers etc. … There are plenty of side attractions: on the Friday evening

before the event, the “veillà” takes place, a kind of festive vigil held in the town's taverns, accompanied by lively musical groups; on the Saturday a mass is held, followed by the craftsmen's characteristic torchlight procession and traditional folk shows. On Sunday, as dawn breaks, the town comes to life in an atmosphere, that has stayed the same for centuries, as the carftsmen appear and prepare to welcome the public.