Between late September and early October, the only festival dedicated to the Cappelletto Ferrarese takes place in Vigarano Mainarda, in the Ferrara hinterland. This delicious filled pasta has been a staple on the tables of the people of Ferrara since the time of the Dukes of Este.

Among the specialities not to be missed are cappelletti in capon broth and the ‘Tris’ del Cappelletto: three generous samples of Cappelletti Ferraresi (with truffle, cream and ragù) prepared strictly by hand.

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Between late September and early October, the culinary festival dedicated to the most famous cured sausage in the province of Ferrara – the ‘salamina da sugo’ – returns once again this year to Madonna Boschi, in the municipality of Poggio Renatico.

It’s the perfect opportunity to discover and savour this product with its truly unique flavour, which has also been recognised with PGI status.

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On the weekends in late September and early October (26–27 September, 3–4 and 10–11 October 2026) in Comacchio, the town on the water, the famous Eel Festival returns.

The programme includes markets, concerts, shows for adults and children, literary readings and cultural talks, excursions to the valley and guided tours of the town. Not to mention the unmissable tasting of delicious dishes made with eel, as well as seafood and fish from the valley.

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From Thursday 1st to Sunday 4th October 2026 in Cotignola, a small town in the Ravenna hinterland situated on the banks of the River Senio, the annual festival celebrating the new Cagnina – with its fresh, fruity flavour – and other wines of Romagna, notably Sangiovese and Trebbiano, returns.

Amidst music, folk dancing and the ritual of treading the grapes barefoot, there will be plenty of opportunity to sample the local culinary specialities and all the most traditional dishes of Romagna cuisine.

On the first weekend of October (2–3–4 October 2026), the National Porcini Mushroom Fair returns to Albareto, the village in the Parma Apennines considered to be one of the heartlands of the porcini mushroom.

Twin-event with the International White Truffle Fair of Alba, the fair offers a rich programme of events and entertainment.

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From 3 to 4 October 2026, Mast Còt will return to Spilamberto to celebrate the production of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena PDO.

The highlight of the weekend is, as per tradition, the ritual of cooking the must in the open air in the characteristic ‘paioli’ (cauldrons), which are simmered over a low heat by the masters of the Consorteria.

Also not to be missed are the guided balsamic vinegar tastings led by the masters and the market dedicated to the sale of the cooked must.

The event is organised by the Museum of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar in collaboration with Spilamberto Town Council and the Consorteria dell’Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena.

The Parmigiano-Reggiano da gustare festival returns to Lama Mocogno in the Modena Apennines on the first weekend of October (3–4 October 2026). This two-day event is dedicated to the ‘king of cheeses’ and showcases the excellent producers of the Modena Apennines.

The programme includes tastings, the cutting of wheels aged for up to 100 months, food stalls, markets selling local produce and music!

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On Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October 2026, the charming medieval village of Castell’Arquato comes to life with the traditional Chestnut and Memories Festival: a day to relive the atmosphere and flavours of the past, linked to the local farming tradition.

As well as the markets lining the village streets, the programme includes demonstrations of traditional crafts, a tractor parade through the village streets and a host of entertainment.

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On Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October 2026, the Palazzo dei Congressi in Salsomaggiore Terme will host the first edition of the Salsomaggiore Wine Fest, an event dedicated to the finest Italian wines. Over fifty wineries from across Italy will be in attendance, with a selection ranging from major appellations to niche producers.

The programme also includes a series of masterclasses led by experts from AIS Emilia Romagna, focusing on wine-growing regions, grape varieties, tasting techniques and industry trends.

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On Sunday 4 October 2026, the streets of the village of Bobbio (one of Italy’s Most Beautiful Villages and a Touring Club ‘Bandiera Arancione’ award winner) in the Trebbia Valley will host the Mushroom and Truffle Fair and Grape Festival, as every autumn.

From early morning, the village comes to life with a market selling typical local produce and wines, whilst the restaurants offer themed menus.

Throughout the day at the central stand, visitors can learn how to identify mushrooms, and the programme includes activities such as the truffle-hunting dog competition and the chestnut roast.

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Every Sunday in October and the first Sunday in November (4, 11, 18 and 25 October and 1 November 2026), the streets and alleyways of the picturesque village of Sant’Agata Feltria host the National Fine White Truffle Fair dedicated to the precious local tuber, or – as Pico described it in 1788 – the Tuber Magnatum, the tuber of the magnates, of the wealthy lords.

Here is the full programme of events, including markets, artisans at work, travelling shows, competitions and prize-giving ceremonies.

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On Sundays in October (4, 11, 18 and 25 October 2026), the mountain village of Zocca, in the province of Modena, traditionally hosts the Chestnut and Local Marrone Festival.

Along the streets of the town centre, there are numerous food stalls, a craft market, roasted chestnuts and mulled wine, all accompanied by music and entertainment for young and old alike.

This festival highlights the link between Zocca and chestnut production, a prized forest fruit that has historically been important to the people of the Apennines; a link also emphasised by the presence in the area of a centuries-old chestnut tree and the Chestnut Museum.

Every Sunday in October, the spa town of Bagno di Romagna comes alive with a programme of food festivals dedicated to the region’s traditional recipes and local produce.

All the events feature a market selling local specialities, entertainment, music and street performers.

At the same time, on Sundays 4, 11, 18 and 25 October 2026, the small hamlet of Selvapiana, in the municipality of Bagno di Romagna, is organising the traditional Autunno Selavapianese festivals, dedicated to the region’s autumnal flavours, with food stalls, music and entertainment.

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From 9 to 11 October 2026, the international festival dedicated to Bologna’s most famous cured meat returns to the historic centre of Zola Predosa, just a few kilometres from Bologna: the Mortadella Bologna PGI!

The event offers tastings, cookery demonstrations and entertainment for the whole family, as well as guided tours of the production facilities to see first-hand how Mortadella is made.

From Friday 9 to Sunday 18 October 2026, Savio di Cervia will once again host the food festival dedicated to passatelli, a typical Romagna speciality that can be enjoyed in many different ways: served in broth or dry, in meat, fish or vegetarian dishes.

On the weekend of 10 and 11 October 2026, the Gran Galà del Tortél dòls returns to the streets and under the marquee opposite the Royal Palace of Colorno – an event celebrating the quintessential first course of the Bassa Parmense region, prepared according to the Confraternity’s ancient traditional recipe.

It is a fresh pasta dish, filled with a mostarda made from pears, quinces, sugar and mustard; once cooked, the tortelli are then served with butter and Parmigiano Reggiano (some also add double-concentrated tomato purée to give the sauce a pinkish hue).

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On the two middle weekends of October (10–11 and 17–18 October 2026), the market showcasing local autumn produce and heirloom fruits returns to the streets of Casola Valsenio, a charming village in the province of Ravenna.

The Festa dei Frutti Dimenticati (Festival of Forgotten Fruits) features a programme entirely dedicated to rural life of yesteryear, offering visitors the chance to rediscover local farming traditions through tastings, exhibitions and workshops.

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On Sundays in October and the first Sunday in November 2026, the traditional local Chestnut Festival returns to Castel del Rio, an event that has also been awarded PGI status.

Castel del Rio is a mountain village situated in the province of Bologna, along the Santerno Valley, surrounded by woods and centuries-old chestnut groves.

During the festival, in the village centre, you can browse the market stalls selling local specialities and sample – both at the stalls set up in the square and in the various local restaurants – the many local dishes where chestnuts are the main ingredients, such as castagnaccio.

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On Sunday 11 October 2026 in Bore, one of the villages in the Val Ceno in the Parma Apennines, the Chestnut Festival returns – a traditional autumn festival celebrating the fruits of the Apennine woodland, featuring roasted chestnuts, themed markets and food stalls.

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On Sunday 11 October 2026, in the ancient village of Scascoli, in the Bolognese Apennines, just a few kilometres from Loiano, the Festa dei Marroni promises a day of culture and tradition, featuring music, exhibitions, performances and autumnal cuisine!

On Sundays 11 and 18 October 2026 in Premilcuore, a charming village in the Forlì Apennines on the edge of the Casentinesi Forests National Park, the traditional Chestnut Festival returns – a celebration dedicated to the fruit that symbolises the autumn season and its related products.

In the village streets, you can sample roasted chestnuts and castagnaccio, as well as many other traditional local specialities: cappelletti, polenta and tortelli nella lastra.

On Sunday 11 October, the festival is enhanced by the Raviggiolo Festival, a typical local cheese that boasts the prestigious Slow Food Presidium designation, whilst Sunday 18 October sees the traditional pig slaughter.

Also on the programme are a performance by the Romagna “sciucarén” and a chestnut-picking session in the chestnut grove, accompanied by local guides.

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On Sundays 11, 18 and 25 October 2026, Marola – a hamlet in the municipality of Carpineti in the province of Reggio Emilia – will host the traditional Chestnut Festival, a festival whose origins date back to October 1964.

The Marola festival was the first of its kind dedicated to chestnuts in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and one of the first in the whole of Italy, with the aim of rediscovering and promoting a forest product which, until a few decades earlier, had formed the basis of the local diet.

The programme includes guided walks through chestnut groves and drying racks, orienteering excursions, roasts of chestnuts served with mulled wine, and plenty of activities for children.

In the picturesque setting of Pavaglione in Lugo, in Bassa Romagna, just a few kilometres from Ravenna, the wine festival Vén – Vignaioli e Terroir returns from Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October 2026.

An event dedicated to wine, where you can taste and purchase wines from producers representing wineries across Italy. The programme also includes numerous masterclasses and a food area.

On Sunday 18 October 2026, the streets and squares of the town centre of Soliera will once again host the festival Il profumo del mosto cotto, which celebrates the region’s food and wine traditions, history and rural culture every autumn.

The programme includes markets, traditional dishes, demonstrations of traditional crafts, guided tours, performances and activities for children.

On the last two Sundays in October (18 and 25 October 2026), the Truffle Fair and Festival returns to Dovadola, an event created to showcase not only the local truffle but also the many typical local products and dishes, such as tagliatelle, which are strictly hand-rolled by the sfogline.

As well as the truffle market, the programme includes an awards ceremony to recognise the finest truffles on display at the fair.

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On Sundays 18 and 25 October 2026 in Alfero di Verghereto, in the Savio Valley, in the heart of the Tuscan-Romagnolo Apennines, the traditional Chestnut Festival returns, dedicated to this local speciality known as the “Bread of the Mountains”.

Numerous food stalls will be offering roasted chestnuts, ‘cagnina’, traditional sweets made with chestnut flour and the traditional fried ‘ciacce’. There will also be plenty of entertainment for everyone, including musicians and street performers.

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On Sunday 18 October 2026 in Loiano, in the Bolognese Apennines, the traditional Sagra del Marrone Biondo returns, featuring food stalls, musical entertainment, roasted chestnuts and mulled wine.

Every Sunday from 18 October to 8 November 2026, Calestano will once again host the Fragno Black Truffle National Fair.

As well as the ever-popular stalls selling traditional and seasonal food products, there are numerous activities scheduled to take place Sunday after Sunday, whilst throughout the duration of the Fair, restaurants in Calestano and the surrounding area will be serving traditional dishes featuring the delicious local truffle.

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From Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October 2026, against the unique and picturesque backdrop of Piazza Grande in Modena, the La Bonissima fine food and wine exhibition and market returns – a festival celebrating the flavours and traditional specialities of Modena.

As every year, lovers of fine cuisine can discover and purchase exclusive products directly from the producers, as well as sample traditional specialities prepared on the spot, such as gnocco fritto, chestnut ciacci, tigelle, borlenghi and much more.

On Sunday 18 October 2026, Fanano once again hosts the traditional event known as ‘Ste Sroden, which in the Modena dialect means this autumn.

For the occasion, this charming village in the Modena Apennines takes on an autumnal air and, amidst a magical atmosphere of leaves, chestnuts and autumnal colours, stalls are set up by local restaurateurs serving seasonal specialities featuring mushrooms, chestnuts, pumpkin and much more, from starters to desserts.

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From Saturday 17 to Sunday 18 October 2026, Bedonia will once again host the Truffle Fair, the perfect opportunity to discover the black truffle of the Val Ceno.

The programme includes a food and wine market featuring local producers, themed menus in Val Ceno’s restaurants and a host of events dedicated to this prized local tuber.

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In the high hills of Piacenza a festival dedicated to the produce of the local woodlands, particularly truffles, is held in October.

In 2026, the event will take place on Sunday 18 October along the main street of the village of Pecorara.
Visitors can sample traditional dishes made with mushrooms and truffles at food stalls, enjoy street music and entertainment, and attend an awards ceremony for the finest truffles and mushrooms.
There will also be a truffle-hunting competition and awards for truffle-hunting dogs.

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Tartufesta and Tartòfla are the traditional festivals that bring the towns of the Bologna hinterland to life at weekends between late October and early November, with markets, themed menus and a host of events centred on the prized white truffle of the Bologna hills.

A fun way to spend a day immersed in the unforgettable aromas and flavours of the region’s food and wine traditions.

Here is the schedule for 2026:

Tartufesta in Lizzano in Belvedere (10–18 October 2026)
Tartufesta in Monzuno (11–18 October 2026)
Tartufesta in Pianoro (17–18 October 2026)
Tartufesta in San Benedetto Val di Sambro (18–25 October 2026)
Tartufesta in Castiglione dei Pepoli (18 October 2026)
Tartufesta in Sasso Marconi (24 October – 1 November 2026)
Tartòfla in Savigno (24 October – 15 November 2026)
Tartufesta in Monghidoro (1 November 2026)
Tartufesta in Grizzana Morandi (1 November 2026)
Tartufesta in Campolo (8 November 2026)
Tartufesta in Camugnano (8 November 2026)

On Sunday 18 and Sunday 25 October 2026, in the picturesque village of Brisighella, nestled amongst the hills of Faenza, two festivals dedicated to local produce will return: the Sagra della Porchetta di Mora Romagnola and the Sagra dell’Agnellone e del Castrato.

The village streets will be lined with food stalls offering themed menus, a market selling local specialities, as well as entertainment and live music.

On Sunday 25 October 2026, the town of Loiano, in the Bolognese Apennines, comes alive with the Festa del Pane nel Bosco: food stalls, markets, live music and children’s entertainment.

From Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November 2026, the canal harbour, squares and streets of the historic centre of Cesenatico will once again be a feast of aromas and flavours, featuring grilled fish, fried delicacies and traditional seafood dishes: as it does every year, Il Pesce fa Festa returns, the festival dedicated to the star ingredient of the local cuisine – fish from the Adriatic.

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Over the weekend of 24–25 October 2026, Ferrara will be celebrating the traditional autumn food and wine specialities of the Este region – including forgotten plants, flowers and fruits – with the Autunno Ducale event.

At the food and wine stalls in the squares of the historic centre, visitors can sample traditional dishes such as the delicious pumpkin cappellacci, Ferrara-style cappelletti in broth, passatelli with truffle and salama da sugo.

The programme also includes parades, medieval dances and jousting.

Furthermore, from 30 October to 1 November 2026, the Ferrara Food Festival returns to the historic centre of Ferrara (in Piazza Trento Trieste, Piazza Castello and Piazza Savonarola). This event is dedicated to Ferrara’s local produce and regional specialities, with a packed programme of themed events, including culinary challenges, guided tastings, masterclasses and award ceremonies.

The programme also features plenty of entertainment, with street performers, musical performances and art installations.

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