Pieve del Grappa is situated in Treviso province within Italy’s Veneto region, and was created in 2019 through a merger of two towns, Crespano del Grappa and Paderno del Grappa. The sister‑city relationship began in 2000, officially linking Folsom and Crespano del Grappa. After the Italian municipalities merged, the bond continued seamlessly with the new entity, Pieve del Grappa.
Over the past decades, Folsom has honored this relationship through joint cultural events: bocce ball quandaries, language exchanges at the Murer House Foundation, and a shared celebration of Italian food, wine, and community heritage. Ciao Folsom manifests this synergy at outdoor gatherings where stalls offer prosciutto‑wrapped delights and artisan gelato, and musicians perform Italian folk songs or modern sets inspired by Italian pop.
In previous years, attendees have remarked that the market’s Italian twist isn’t merely aesthetic—it’s educational: vendors proudly wear their Venetian roots, and market-goers often learn the origins of grappa and regional cheeses while walking along Sutter Street. Local nonprofits and cultural groups bring cooking demonstrations and bocce clinics that echo the Murer House’s mission to promote language and immigrant heritage awareness.
For Folsom locals, Ciao Folsom is more than a themed farmers market—it’s a family reunion, a sensory joyride to Italy in California, and a celebration of a 25‑year cultural partnership rooted in respect, shared stories, and community exchange. Whether you’re sampling Italian olive oils or cheering bocce matches, you’re partaking in something global yet rooted firmly in Folsom soil.
