Chestnut festival: autumn and sweet cider

With the autumn arrival, from the east to the west of Asturias there is a popular festival called “amagüestu” . During this festival the people pick chestnuts and apples from the forests. This festival goes around the dry fruit of the chestnut tree. The origin of the word “amagüestu” is the verb “amagostar” what means to grill the chestnut and eat it a cider that is the one from the first apples that have arrived to the Llagar.

The home-made “amagüestu” has been celebretaing in all towns in Asturias since time immemorial. The chestnut is one of the main feeding sources during the winter, as time goes by, this tradition was adopted by the Church and its priests started to give chestnuts at the exit of the mass. This way, this simply tradition become in a regional festival, which is celebrated eating chestnuts and sweet cider at the same time that regional dances, bagpipes and tambourines take place.