The Wheat sheaf Festival is a religion based celebration originally meant to thank God for the harvest received. It is held in Campocavallo, an hamlet of Osimo, every first Sunday in August.
The "Covo" is the wagon on top of which an iron structure is built and covered with handspun ears of wheat.
Every year the theme changes, still maintaining a religious subject: be an abbey, a sanctuary or a church, it is always an accurate and detailed scale reproduction made with great artistic and architectural craftsmanship.
The festival lasts for two or three evenings with several events, concerts, plays, dancing and food stalls selling local specialties.
On the first Sunday of August, after the solemn holy mass, the Covo is carried in procession along the streets of Campocavallo till the sanctuary of the Beata Vergine Addolorata to which it is consecrated. This countryside sanctuary was built to celebrate a miraculous event occurred in 1892. On the 16th of June that year, apparently an image of Grieving Mary wept tears and the next day moved her eyes. The phenomenon repeated itself for ten consecutive years, attracting faithfuls from all parts.
More info:
Festa del Covo
www.festadelcovo.net
Tourist Information Offices - IAT
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iat@osimoturismo.it - www.osimoturismo.it
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