Food is central to Italian life, and there’s no better way to dive into that world than by visiting a local food festival. In Italy, these are often called a sagra, and they’re fantastic, community-run events celebrating a specific local ingredient. Each season brings a new reason to celebrate, be it wild mushrooms in autumn or fresh artichokes in spring, giving you a real taste of regional life through Italy’s food festivals.
What is an Italian Sagra?
A sagra is essentially a local fair, but one that’s completely devoted to a single food. These traditions are often rooted in the agricultural calendar, marking the harvest of a particular crop, or sometimes they’re tied to a local patron saint’s day. Don’t expect anything fancy; the charm is in its simplicity. The entire event is usually run by local volunteers, with long trestle tables, plastic chairs, and a spirited, no-frills atmosphere. The star of the show is always one ingredient – be it chestnuts, polenta, wild boar or a specific type of pasta. It’s a chance to tuck into authentic, home-style cooking for a brilliant price and get a real feel for the local community.
The biggest and most popular food festivals in ItalyAlba White Truffle Festival (Fiera Internazionale del Tartufo Bianco d’Alba)
Held in Alba, Piedmont, from the 11th October to 8th December 2025, Alba Truffle Festival is one of the most prestigious food events in the world. The heart of it is the truffle market, where the air is thick with the scent of prized white truffles. You’ll find plenty of opportunities to sample local wines and cheeses, too.
Battle of the Oranges, Ivrea (Carnevale di Ivrea)
This one is less about tasting and more about tradition. Held in the lead-up to Lent, on January 6th 2026, this famous carnival in Ivrea involves a city-wide food fight with tonnes of oranges. But beyond the fruity chaos, Carnevale di Ivrea is rooted in history, and you’ll find plenty of stalls serving traditional carnival foods, like a hearty bean stew called fagiolata, to keep the energy up.
Gragnano Pasta Festival (Festa della Pasta di Gragnano)
For any true pasta lover, this is a must. Gragnano, a town near Naples, is famed as the birthplace of dried pasta. During its festival, the streets are filled with stalls from legendary local pasta makers, offering tastings and serving up classic Southern Italian pasta dishes.
Autumn food festivals in Italy
Autumn is probably the best season for food festivals in Italy. This is when the harvest really kicks into gear, and towns all over the country come alive to celebrate their local produce. Think earthy mushrooms, pungent truffles, sweet chestnuts, and new wine.
Eurochocolate in Perugia
Every October, the city of Perugia in Umbria hosts one of Europe’s biggest chocolate festivals. The historic centre is taken over by stalls selling every kind of chocolate imaginable, and you can even see giant chocolate sculptures being carved. Taking place from the 14th to 23rd November 2025, Eurochocolate is a huge event and a must-see for any serious chocolate lover.
Chestnut festivals (Sagre delle Castagne)
You’ll find chestnut festivals all over Italy in October and November, particularly in hilly or mountainous regions like Tuscany and Piedmont. Towns like Marradi in Tuscany are famous for them. The main event is always the caldarroste (roasted chestnuts), sold in paper cones, but you’ll also find all sorts of dishes made with chestnut flour, from pasta and bread to cakes and beer.
Boccaccesca Food and Wine Festival in Certaldo
Held in the medieval hilltop town of Certaldo in Tuscany, Boccaccesca is a celebration of local food and wine. In early October, the streets are filled with stalls where you can sample regional specialities, from cheeses and cured meats to the famous local onion. It’s a great place to wander, glass of Chianti in hand, and just soak up the atmosphere.
Summer food celebrations in Italy
As the weather gets warmer, the Italian festival scene shifts. Things move towards the coast, and many events take place in the cool of the evening. The food gets lighter, celebrating fresh seafood, ripe summer vegetables and sweet fruits. Many of these summer sagras are brilliant for all ages, with music and a relaxed atmosphere making them some of the best family-friendly festivals in Italy.
Festival del Prosciutto di San Daniele
Towards the end of June, the town of San Daniele in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region celebrates its most famous product: the sweet, delicate Prosciutto di San Daniele. Located just 30 minutes from the city of Udine, the town’s prosciutto producers open their doors for tours and tastings, and the streets are filled with events where you can sample the ham paired with local wines and cheeses.
Sagra del Pesce in Chioggia
Every July, this bustling fishing town near Venice hosts a massive ten-day fish festival. The main canal is lined with food stands serving up enormous plates of fritto misto (mixed fried fish and seafood), grilled specialities, and classic Venetian dishes. It’s loud, lively, and a fantastic way to dive into the region’s maritime culture.Sagra della ‘Nduja in Spilinga
For those who like a bit of spice, this festival in Calabria is a must. Held on the 8th August 2025, it’s a celebration of the fiery, spreadable pork sausage known as ‘nduja. The whole town of Spilinga comes out for a huge open-air party with stalls offering ‘nduja on bread, with pasta, and on pizza. It’s a fantastic way to experience the bold flavours that make up the best and most authentic food in Southern Italy.
Spring food festivals in Italy
As the countryside bursts back to life, so does the festival calendar. The focus shifts from the heavy winter dishes to fresh, vibrant produce. You’ll find towns celebrating the first harvests of artichokes, asparagus, and fava beans, often with festivals that feel like a real welcome to the new season.
Pecorino and Fava Bean Sagre
Spring is when you get the freshest, youngest pecorino cheese, made from the milk of sheep grazing on new green pastures. Many towns, especially in Tuscany and Sardinia, have small festivals dedicated to it. A classic spring snack you’ll see everywhere is fresh pecorino served with raw fava beans. You just pop the beans out of the pod and eat them together with a slice of cheese.
Sagra del Carciofo Romanesco in Ladispoli
Just outside Rome, the seaside town of Ladispoli goes all out for its famous Roman artichoke every April. It’s an amazing sight – the whole town is decorated with artichoke sculptures, some of them absolutely huge. You can try them cooked in every way imaginable, from the classic alla romana (stuffed with herbs and garlic) to the crispy alla giudia (deep-fried until the leaves open like a flower).
White Asparagus Festivals
You’ll find asparagus festivals dotted around the country, but the white asparagus from places like Bassano del Grappa in Veneto is particularly special. Around April and May, you can visit local sagre dedicated to it, where it’s often served very simply, perhaps with boiled eggs and a drizzle of olive oil, which lets its delicate flavour shine.
Winter Food Festivals in Italy
When the cold weather sets in, the Italian festival calendar turns to rich, comforting foods that are perfect for winter. It’s a time for hearty dishes, cured meats, and sweet treats associated with Christmas and Carnival. These events are often cosy, indoor affairs or take place in Christmas markets, offering a brilliant excuse to warm up with some delicious local food and wine.
Pork Festivals (Sagre del Maiale)
Winter has traditionally been the season for butchering pigs in rural Italy, and many towns still honour this with a sagra. A great example is the Superzampone festival in Castelnuovo Rangone near Modena, taking place on the 7th December 2025. This porky feast offers the largest pig’s trotters sausage (zampone) in the world. At these festivals, you’ll find every part of the pig being used to create delicious cured meats, sausages, and hearty stews.
Festa del Torrone in Cremona
Around November, the city of Cremona in Lombardy celebrates its most famous creation: torrone. This is a traditional nougat packed with almonds and honey. The whole city centre gets involved, with historical parades, giant nougat sculptures, and, of course, endless stalls where you can sample and buy different varieties.
Radicchio Festivals in the Veneto
While a salad green might not seem like classic winter fare, the bitter, vibrant radicchio from the Veneto region is at its best in the cold months. Towns like Treviso host festivals dedicated to it, showcasing its versatility. You’ll find it grilled, cooked in risotto, or served fresh, and it’s a great way to taste a unique winter vegetable that locals are incredibly proud of.
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