The Taste of Sagre Food Festivals Food and Community in Southern Piedmont Abstract The phenomenon of gourmet festivals is quite popular in Italy at present. The article is based on the ongoing ethnographic research led in Northwestern Italy since 2006. It highlights the history of festivals and their modern development. Analyzing food productions, it presents the main characteristics of these celebrations and suggests that these festivals play a fundamental role in countering the perceived marginalization experienced by local, rural communities. In this context, food is the object able to reestablish a positive relationship between urban and rural communities. Keywords: food, ethnography, food festival, sagre, Piedmont, marginalization