Sagra: The best Italian food festivals to visit in October
If you're visiting Italy in October, you won't want to miss the many local food fairs held around the country. Here are some of the best 'sagre' you can stop by in the coming weeks.
One of the best things about visiting Italy in the autumn months is having the opportunity to attend a sagra, a type of harvest festival or fair centred around one particular food or drink item local to the town hosting it.
A sagra has a fairly broad definition: it could last for several weeks or one day, and might consist of anything from raucous celebrations with music and dancing to more relaxed tasting experiences amid food stalls and wooden benches. It will usually be hosted in a field or a piazza (square), and entry is free.
READ ALSO: Seven reasons autumn is the best time to visit Italy
What all sagre have in common is the focus on eating and drinking fresh local produce, and the assurance that you won’t leave unsated.
As October is by far the month with the most sagre, here are some of the best events taking place across the country in the coming weeks.
Campania
Festa della Mela Annurca ('annurca' apple festival), 20th-22nd October in Valle di Maddaloni, Caserta.
Sagra del Cinghiale (boar festival), every Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the month in Dugenta, Benevento.
Emilia Romagna
Sagra della Salamina da Sugo (salami festival), 4th-9th October in Poggio Renatico, Ferrara.
Sagra del Vino Romagnolo (Romagna's wine festival), 5th-8th October in Cotignola, Ravenna.
Sagra del Tartufo (truffle festival), 6th-8th October in Bondeno, Ferrara.
Sagra dell'Anguilla (eel festival), first three weekends of the month in Comacchio, Ferrara.
Friuli Venezia Giulia
Sagra del Pan-Zal (pumpkin focaccia festival), 12th-22nd October in San Vito al Tagliamento, Pordenone.
Roasted chestnuts are a staple of Italy’s October ‘sagre’. Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP
Lazio
Sagra dell'Uva Cesanese del Piglio ('cesanese' grapes festival), 29th September-1st October in Piglio, Frosinone.
Enorvinio (wine festival), 1st October in Orvinio, Rieti.
Castelli di Cioccolato (chocolate castles festival), 20th-22nd October in Marino, Rome.
Sagra delle Tacchie ai Funghi Porcini ('tacchie' pasta and porcini mushroom festival), first two weekends of the month in Bellegra, Rome.
Lombardy
Castagnata a Caglio (chestnut festival), first two Sundays of the month in Caglio, Como.
Festival della Mostarda (mustard festival), 6th October-19th November in Cremona.
Fasulin de l'Oc con le Cudeghe (beans and pork rind festival), 28th-31st October in Pizzighettone, Cremona.
Marche
Castagnata in Piazza (chestnut festival), 21st and 22nd October in Montefiore dell'Aso, Ascoli Piceno.
Piedmont
Sagra del Ciapinabò (Jerusalem artichoke festival), 6th-8th October in Carignano, Turin.
Cioccolato nel Monferrato (chocolate festival), 15th October in Altavilla Monferrato, Alessandria.
Puglia
Sagra del Calzone (calzone festival), 13th-15th October in Acquaviva delle Fonti, Bari.
Sicily
Funghi Fest (mushroom festival), 20th-22nd October in Castelbuono, Palermo.
A number of chocolate festivals take place up and down the boot in October. Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP
Trentino Alto Adige
Festa dello Speck (smoked ham festival), 30th September-1st October in Plan de Corones, Bolzano.
Festa del Radicchio di Bieno ('Bieno' radicchio festival), 1st October in Bieno, Trento.
Tuscany
Sagra del Fungo Amiatino ('amiatino' mushroom festival), 14th-15th, 21st-22nd October in Bagnolo, Grosseto.
Sagra delle Frugiate (roasted chestnuts festivals), first three Sundays of the month in Pescia, Pistoia.
Boccaccesca (local food festival), 13th-15th October in Certaldo, Florence.
Umbria
Sagra del Sedano Nero e della Salsiccia (black celery and sausage festival), 14th-15th October in Trevi, Perugia.
Veneto
Festa del Baccalà (cod festival), 6th-9th October in Montegalda, Vicenza.
Festa delle Giuggiole (jujubes festival), 1st and 8th October in Arquà Petrarca, Padua.
Mele a Mel (apple festival), 6th-8th October in Mel, Belluno.
This list is not exhaustive. Did we miss out your favourite October sagra? Leave a comment below to let us know.
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One of the best things about visiting Italy in the autumn months is having the opportunity to attend a sagra, a type of harvest festival or fair centred around one particular food or drink item local to the town hosting it.
A sagra has a fairly broad definition: it could last for several weeks or one day, and might consist of anything from raucous celebrations with music and dancing to more relaxed tasting experiences amid food stalls and wooden benches. It will usually be hosted in a field or a piazza (square), and entry is free.
READ ALSO: Seven reasons autumn is the best time to visit Italy
What all sagre have in common is the focus on eating and drinking fresh local produce, and the assurance that you won’t leave unsated.
As October is by far the month with the most sagre, here are some of the best events taking place across the country in the coming weeks.
Campania
Festa della Mela Annurca ('annurca' apple festival), 20th-22nd October in Valle di Maddaloni, Caserta.
Sagra del Cinghiale (boar festival), every Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the month in Dugenta, Benevento.
Emilia Romagna
Sagra della Salamina da Sugo (salami festival), 4th-9th October in Poggio Renatico, Ferrara.
Sagra del Vino Romagnolo (Romagna's wine festival), 5th-8th October in Cotignola, Ravenna.
Sagra del Tartufo (truffle festival), 6th-8th October in Bondeno, Ferrara.
Sagra dell'Anguilla (eel festival), first three weekends of the month in Comacchio, Ferrara.
Friuli Venezia Giulia
Sagra del Pan-Zal (pumpkin focaccia festival), 12th-22nd October in San Vito al Tagliamento, Pordenone.
Lazio
Sagra dell'Uva Cesanese del Piglio ('cesanese' grapes festival), 29th September-1st October in Piglio, Frosinone.
Enorvinio (wine festival), 1st October in Orvinio, Rieti.
Castelli di Cioccolato (chocolate castles festival), 20th-22nd October in Marino, Rome.
Sagra delle Tacchie ai Funghi Porcini ('tacchie' pasta and porcini mushroom festival), first two weekends of the month in Bellegra, Rome.
Lombardy
Castagnata a Caglio (chestnut festival), first two Sundays of the month in Caglio, Como.
Festival della Mostarda (mustard festival), 6th October-19th November in Cremona.
Fasulin de l'Oc con le Cudeghe (beans and pork rind festival), 28th-31st October in Pizzighettone, Cremona.
Marche
Castagnata in Piazza (chestnut festival), 21st and 22nd October in Montefiore dell'Aso, Ascoli Piceno.
Piedmont
Sagra del Ciapinabò (Jerusalem artichoke festival), 6th-8th October in Carignano, Turin.
Cioccolato nel Monferrato (chocolate festival), 15th October in Altavilla Monferrato, Alessandria.
Puglia
Sagra del Calzone (calzone festival), 13th-15th October in Acquaviva delle Fonti, Bari.
Sicily
Funghi Fest (mushroom festival), 20th-22nd October in Castelbuono, Palermo.
Trentino Alto Adige
Festa dello Speck (smoked ham festival), 30th September-1st October in Plan de Corones, Bolzano.
Festa del Radicchio di Bieno ('Bieno' radicchio festival), 1st October in Bieno, Trento.
Tuscany
Sagra del Fungo Amiatino ('amiatino' mushroom festival), 14th-15th, 21st-22nd October in Bagnolo, Grosseto.
Sagra delle Frugiate (roasted chestnuts festivals), first three Sundays of the month in Pescia, Pistoia.
Boccaccesca (local food festival), 13th-15th October in Certaldo, Florence.
Umbria
Sagra del Sedano Nero e della Salsiccia (black celery and sausage festival), 14th-15th October in Trevi, Perugia.
Veneto
Festa del Baccalà (cod festival), 6th-9th October in Montegalda, Vicenza.
Festa delle Giuggiole (jujubes festival), 1st and 8th October in Arquà Petrarca, Padua.
Mele a Mel (apple festival), 6th-8th October in Mel, Belluno.
This list is not exhaustive. Did we miss out your favourite October sagra? Leave a comment below to let us know.
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