The almost summer sun of the day accompanied the Ciliegeti Aperti 2023 event in the Villascema valley, now in its fourth edition.
About 3,500 people are planning to spend this Sunday among the historic cherry orchards of Villacidro , walking in the mountains among the unmissable stands of the local production of cherries, the artisan and food and wine ones. An opportunity to get together, let the children play in a wooded setting and savor the sweet fruit that is the symbol of the valley.
"We are proud of what we have managed to create with the help of everyone, sporting and cultural associations, farmers, breeders, friends, the public administration and the Youth Council", says Franco Curridori, moved, president of the social promotion association which gives its name to the event, which is attended by about thirty cherry producers. « It was nice to see the valley animated by Villacidro residents and tourists. This year, with the constant support of civil protection, ambulance rescue and the municipal police who helped us with the means of transporting disabled people and people in difficulty, everyone was able to experience a day of celebration in complete safety".
" I haven't seen so many people in Villascema since I was a child, " says some visitors from Villacidro. Ciliegeti Aperti is organized in the same period in which the religious festival and procession of San Giuseppe took place in the past, of which the homonymous country church stands in Villascema. «One of our goals is to be able to reopen the space of the church, which stands on private land. It would be nice to bring this ancient tradition of ours back to light», they indicate from the organization.
The event is part of the ViviVerde calendar, the rich program of initiatives organized or sponsored by the Municipality.
Visitors were able to enjoy the landscape thanks to the duct train service, the tourist train that traveled up and down from the large Leni dam to the entrance to the Villascema valley . Among the initiatives, there is also the possibility of getting to know the area on an excursion: « With the organizers we have devised an agile trek of about six kilometres , which would allow you not only to admire the vegetable gardens and cherry orchards but also to learn about the history: we covered part of the ancient paths of the charcoal burners», indicates the environmental hiking guide Carlo Aru.
Many volunteers and friends of the Asp Ciliegeti Aperti in green jersey, to take care of refreshments and to serve the traditional tourist menu designed for the occasion, also available inside the cherry orchards. The unmistakable music of launeddas and accordions in the background, someone improvising on ballu tundu; the Fiat 500 exhibition organized by the Quattroventi.Sar association in collaboration with the Fiat Club Italia Medio-Campidano; the demonstrations on cheese making and shearing in the Shepherds' Village organized by the farmers cheered up and colored the day.