This event was first established in 1954 as an interesting competition reserved for sculptors. After a few editions held in Saint-Vincent and in Courmayeur, the Exhibition-Contest moved to Aosta and, since the twentieth edition, it has been extended to other crafts from the Valle d'Aosta tradition: carving, turning, farming tools, weaving, leather and wrought iron processing, toys, furniture, costumes and typical footwear. On the occasion of every edition, the regional administration proposes the themes for the competition for every sector, themes on which
the craftsmen are put to the test, after patient research work. The Exhibition-Contest is the pride and joy of the summer craftsmanship events in the Valle d'Aosta traditions in terms of the quality and heterogeneity of the works presented: it is the occasion to face the main aspects of the culture of the Valle d'Aosta with an artistic approach. The themes picked by the regional administration in fact include, to name just a few, the Mediaeval period in the Valle d'Aosta, school, water and the traditional skills linked to it, family, life on the mountain pastures, the "veillà" and the religious expression
of Valle d'Aosta craftsmanship. The items presented, sometimes genuine works of art, are exhibited in the main square in Aosta, under a tensile structure of over 1,000 m2, where tourists and enthusiasts alike can admire them well into the night, also seeing the practical demonstrations of the techniques used, which emphasise how much skill and commitment lies behind each individual piece.