When you combine a ginormous wheel of Italian cheese, live accordion music, and a neighborhood ready to celebrate, you get The Great Crucolo Parade—and it’s returning to Rockridge Market Hall on Saturday, October 17, from noon to 3pm.
The star of the celebration is Crucolo, a three-foot wide wheel of coveted, creamy cow’s milk cheese from Italy’s famous Trentino-Alto Adige region. Market Hall Foods is one of only two shops in the entire country that sells this Italian specialty—and its arrival calls for much more than an ordinary delivery—it calls for a procession with cheese at its center and neighborhood spirit all around it.
The Giant Wheel Makes a Grand Entrance
Join the family-friendly festivities as Market Hall’s expert cheesemongers, dressed in Italian garb and escorted and prayed for by the Dominican friars, cart the 350- to 400-pound Crucolo wheel down Shafter Avenue amid music, dancing and plenty of fanfare. Come watch the spectacle, cheer on the cheesemongers, or arrive by noon to join the parade and help welcome this beloved cheese back to the neighborhood!
The Ceremonial Cutting—and a Taste of Crucolo
After the parade, the festivities continue with the ceremonial cutting of the enormous wheel. Then it is time for the moment cheese lovers have been waiting for: plenty of Crucolo samples to go around.
Juliana Uruburu slices the big wheel as Alma Avalos, Market Hall Foods’ principal cheese buyer cheers on. Video clip: Anna L Marks
“Last year, Market Hall sold half the wheel during the Crucolo event. This year, we expect to sell the entire wheel in a single day. If Crucolo is already a favorite in your household—or becomes one after your first sample—be sure to be there to get your piece. The celebration is your chance to enjoy the festivities and take home some of the cheese that inspired them,” says Market Hall Retail Program Director, Juliana Uruburru.
Should you manage to grab a chunk of the delicious cheese, here’s a link to five fabulous ways to share it with your friends and family: https://www.markethallfoods.com/blogs/news/5-ways-to-enjoy-crucolo. You can also enjoy the many Italian themed samples throughout the market.
Bring the whole family and your appetite for a celebration of good food and neighborhood tradition. For more information, visit rockridgemarkethall.com/events.
