The Fiera del Cacio in Pienza (Pienza Cheese Fair), created and promoted in the 1960s by Maestro Dario Formichi, President of the Pro Loco, has three very important souls.
The idea of the square as a social place
One is the idea of the square, a vital space that Pope Pius II desired and inaugurated in 1462, at the end of the construction works of the entire, brand new inhabited centre, which is the symbol of a new and different way of experiencing the town: it was a meeting place for collective and social life and still is, after almost six centuries.
The game ofCacio al Fuso
The second soul is that of the game: ever since the inauguration of Pienza, the square has been the venue where the game is played and where public celebrations take place. The Game of Cacio al Fuso is a test of skill that entails getting a whole pecorino cheese as close as possible to the target (the spindle, or fuso), fixed in the centre of the square, and it is the direct heir of this tradition; much loved in Pienza, it had been pursued over the centuries in farmyards and farms, before becoming the central element of the fair, again thanks to Maestro Formichi.
Pecorino cheese of Pienza
The third element is, of course, the cheese itself: a small wheel of pecorino cheese, which can be consumed fresh or matured, was mentioned by Cardinal Giacomo Ammannati (1422-1479), builder of one of the palaces located in the centre of Pienza, and by Pius II himself in the Commentaries, after a trip to the Crete Senesi, travelling towards Monte Oliveto Maggiore, as he boasted about its tastiness. Many centuries later, in the 19th century, the cheese, named Cacio di Pienza, obtained from the Crete Senesi farms was exported to America and France. The current success of this healthy, natural food, pleasing to every palate and suitable for every diet, is found in the unconditional consensus of consumers, who see this product as yet another healthy expression of the territory.
The most important popular event
The Cheese Fair, which reached its 63rd edition in 2025, is the most important popular event in Pienza. It is organised by the Pro Loco and the Contrade (districts), which compete in the game with their respective colours, and with the support or the co-organisation of the Municipality. It normally lasts for a week.
The programme of events
In this period, during which time Pienza is filled with the electrifying climate of the Contrada challenge, numerous events take place, like the fair itself, with the display of local food and wine products, including organic ones, as well as dinners, live demonstrations of how the exquisite, inimitable pecorino cheese is made. There are also tastings, performances by musicians and flag-wavers and young people performing the traditional Trescone dance. Above all, there are the “rituals” envisaged by the game’s regulations, ranging from the choice of the wheel of cheese to be used for the competition to the youth competition.
The competition
To try to understand the spirit of the Pienza Cheese Fair, it is necessary to witness the challenge of the game, in which the most admired protagonists are the older experts who, in their elegant Sunday outfits, put their great passion to the test, along with their reliability in respecting tradition and representing their colours. The winning district receives a cloth painted by an artist.
