In 1970 the "Mid-August Festival Committee" was founded by some brave and forward-thinking village elders, who, with the support of the young people of the time, organized the first edition of the festival: three dancing nights with different kinds of games. From that moment it was a great success and for many years the Andagna Mid-August was a symbol for the whole valley.
Originally the village festivals were related to the patron saint's celebration of Saint Clementine which represented the only fun and dancing opportunity.
The committee's creation and the moving of the festival in the days of Mid-August was a big news for the village's residents who were changing a consolidated tradition.
In the first years, the festivals, always followed by hundreds of people, took place in the large square (à Fascia) in the shadow of the centuries-old horse chestnut tree where the structures for the festivals were set up (stage, bar, track...). The orchestra stage was set up at the beginning of the festivals and then dismantled at the end. Dancing nightswere livened up by orchestras, shows and small gastronomy.
Many sporting and artistic events have been organized over the years:
Since 1998, children's games have been transformed into Il Paese dei Balocchi, (Land of Toys) an event that has been expanded with games and news over the years and now counts more than 30 attractions and the participation of hundreds of children.
In 2009 took place the 1st competition of extemporary painting "Memorial Ing. Enzo Emanuelli" with the theme "Carruggi, piazze e cortili di Andagna".
In 2013 were also realized 12 petanque fields and organized the first Endas trophy with many participants.
In 1999 the Committee became a Proloco and, thanks also to a donation from the notary Firighelli, construction work began on anevent area, , where all the dancing nights and festivals are organized today.
Proloco Andagna has always been at the forefront in the search for events and festivals to attract and entertain both young and old from the valley and beyond.
First of all to propose the Maxidiscoteca Sotto Le Stelle (maxidisco under the stars) in 1999, the Proloco di Andagna has been able, until today, to entertain hundreds and hundreds of young people who flocked to the village to spend a nice evening with friends, music and excellent food specialties. For years the Proloco has been the only one to offer this kind of evenings designed specifically for young people, enriched by DJs and various animations and a special surveillance service.
With the creation and construction of a professional kitchen, as well as of the big tend that has expanded indoor and outdoor seating, it was possible to extend the small gastronomy and organize real festivals with typical dishes. For some years, in addition to the usual dancing nights, Latin American nights were organized with performances by professional dancers.
For many years Proloco brought Argentina to the Argentina Valley with the Asado Festival, a typical Argentinean dish made with barbecued beef.
In 2013 a new event was born: "E Lizzete de San Zane"(St. John's fireflies) an itinerant event among the farmyards and carruggi of the village, combined with the competition of bands "Belin, che a band!".
Other successful festival are the Tajain e Cunigliu Festivalwhich is a typical dish of the village, and the Chestnut Festival, to remind the past years when the chestnut was the main source of nourishment for the locals.
The Proloco Andagna also offers its typical dishes around the valley and beyond, participating in numerous events such as the Spring Festival, and the celebrations of St. John and Imperia.
Many were the presidents who had the pleasure, honor and responsibility to lead this fantastic association with success over the years. The first president was Pietro Bracco (Pierì) and the factotum secretary Giorgio Longagnani (Adriano). Then Giovanni Battista Borea (Bacì Morena), Giovanni Bianchi (Nino de Tulina), Enzo Emanuelli, Giovanni Pietro Alberti (Gianpiero), Renato Tirso, Luciano Capponi, Rosalba Gironda, Giovanni De Marchi (Gianni) and the current president Annarita Tirso.
English (UK) 
