Fête de la polente

The Polenta Festival is celebrated on Ash Wednesday, the day after Mardi Gras. In the town square, there are seven small stone squares and one large one that are still used to build the fire for cooking the sauce and the polenta. Originally, a group of village “elders” would prepare the polenta in the square and share the meal with all the villagers. Every year, Belvédère carries on the festive and culinary tradition of the Polenta Festival, because not just anyone can make good polenta, and few villages can count on the unwavering participation of volunteers who, year after year, ensure the festival’s success. The volunteers serve generous portions of polenta accompanied by a fragrant tomato and mushroom sauce with efficiency and generosity, while a line forms in front of the cauldrons. Then, everyone finds a seat at one of the long tables set up in the square for the occasion, and it’s a moment of togetherness cherished by the people of Belvédère. Pipes and drums liven up the festival, and traditional songs are sung by the village’s beautiful voices. Organized by the Belvédère Festival Committee on Place des Tilleuls, the event will be followed by the Bouaire auction.