Village festivals, also known as “Sagre“, are a cult in Tuscany. Every town and village organizes its own. For a brief introduction to what a sagra is, please read our May “Sagre” in Tuscany post from last year.

If you are in the area during the month of May 2010, you might not want to miss the following village festivals in Tuscany:

Local product festivals

• I sapori del Monte Cetona (The flavours of Monte Cetona), Siena Province, May 2 – June 1. Various events organized in several towns and villages in the Siena area (Montepulciano, Chianciano Terme, Celle sul Rigo, etc.). The festival is dedicated to the local products that can be purchased in the town squares during the various events organized. The interesting thing is that all the products are “a km 0“, literally zero-kilometer products, which means that they come directly from the surrounding area.
• Sapori delle Crete (the flavours of the Crete Senesi), Siena Province, May 9 and 15. Various events organized in Chiusure, Arbia and Asciano in the beautiful Crete Senesi.
• CantaMaggio, Barberino del Mugello (Florence), May 13-16.
• Medoliva, Arezzo, May 14-17. Festival dedicated to Mediterranean olive oil with the participation of Italian, French, Spanish, Croatian and Israeli producers.
• La Palamita, San Vincenzo (Livorno), May 15-16. Festival dedicated to this type of fish (bonito) similar to tuna fish.
• Senesi in Casentino (the Sienese people in the Casentino region), Bucine (Arezzo), May 22. Nice day dedicated to the visit to the Villa La Mausolea and to the Eremo di Camaldoli with a final lunch in Bucine.
• I sapori della Valle (the flavours of the valley), Montecatini Val di Cecina (Pisa), May 22-23. The big day is the Sunday with the participation of the flag wavers from Volterra and the possibility to visit old mines and the new Parco Eolico (Eolic park).
• Pane e companatico, Marradi (Florence), May 23. Festival dedicated to the traditional bread (for the meaning of the stock phrase “pane e companatico” in Italian see our post on Tuscan bread) and other products of the area that go well with it.
• Festival delle Regioni, Bucine (Arezzo), May 22-30. If you love Italian food but you have only time to visit one or two regions, well, make sure you attend this festival: every single Italian region will be present with a stall selling typical products. Foreign products as well (Hungary and India).
• Un mare di sapori (a sea of flavours), Marciana Marina (Isle of Elba), May 29-30. A festival dedicated to the flavours of the beautiful Isle of Elba.
• Festa del cavatore (mine festival), Capoliveri (Isle of Elba), May 29-30. Festival celebrating the life of miners in the old days.
• Mangia…longa, Pontedera, May 30. The name of the event is a play on word: mangia…longa (“long-distance eating”) instead of marcialonga (long-distance walk). And as a matter of fact, this is a long-distance walk with stops to taste the local products on the way. At the end of the journey, a bus will take the participants back to Pontedera for… the dessert! Interesting idea! It is necessary to register for the event before May 22 (ufficioturistico@comune.pontedera.pi.it).

Wine festivals in Tuscany

• Classico è…, Chianti Classico, May 29-June 5. Various events organized in the area where the Chianti Classico wine is produced. Many wineries will be open to visitors (10am-1pm and 3pm-6pm) and special bike tours can be arranged.
• Mostra del Chianti (Chianti wine fair), Montespertoli (Florence), May 29 – June 6.
• Wine and bike, Cinigiano (Grosseto), May 30. This great event is organized in a village close to ours. The participants will gather in the village of Cinigiano and they will be led on a 35km bike tour through the beautiful countryside, vineyards and olive groves with stops in wineries in the Montecucco wine region. It is necessary to register (aplc@interfree.it). Bikes can be rented on site.
• Cantine Aperte (open cellars), Tuscany, May 30. This is now a very popular event organized throughout the region. Check the official website for the detailed program.

Festivals in Tuscany dedicated to specific products

• Festa di Sant’Ubaldo, Pisa, May 13-16. Flower festival. Check our post on Le Piagge, Pisa.
• Sagra del pesce (seafood), Certaldo (Florence), May 13 – June 13, every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30pm.
• Sagra del prosciutto e baccelli (prosciutto and broad beans), Boschi di Lari (Pisa), May 14-17.
• Sagra della nozza (the nozza is a dessert typical of the area of Calcinaia), Calcinaia (Pisa), May 15-16. The women of the village make the sweets for the visitors.
• Festival della fragola (strawberry festival), Terricciola (Pisa), May 15-16, and 22-23.
• Sagra del fungo porcino (porcino mushroom), Palazzolo di Incisa V.no (Florence), May 15-16, 21-23, 28-30, June 4-6 and 11-13. Not really a season product but if you haven’t had enough mushrooms in the Fall, you can enjoy them for the last time before the summer.
• Jazz e baccelli (jazz and broad beans), Certaldo (Florence), May 16.
• Festa del pane (bread festival), Gambassi Terme (Florence), May 16.
• Demetra, Capezzano Pianore (Lucca), May 21-23. Both for professionals and the general public: flower, vegetable and food sculptures.
• Sagra del Polliglio (play on word – pollo and coniglio, chicken and rabbit), Montespertoli (Florence), May 21-23.
• Sagra dei pastrignocchi e del cuculo (a type of pasta and a type of biscuit, named after the cuckoo bird), Cetona (Siena), May 21-23.
• Sagra della lasagna, Monte Argentario (Grosseto), May 21-23 and 27-30.
  
• Sagra della Lasagna, Montenero d’Orcia (Grosseto), May 21-23 and 27-30.
• Sagra della fragola (strawberry festival), Marsiliana d’Albegna (Grosseto), May 21-23 and 28-30.
• Il senso della birra, Viareggio (Lucca), May 22-23. Festival dedicated to local micro-breweries.
• Festa della fragola (strawberry festival), Sant’Agata di Scarperia (Florence), May 22-23.
• 30th Sagra del porcellino (porcellino means piglet), Casciana Terme (Pisa), May 22-23 and 29-30.
• Sagra del tortello e del cinghiale (tortelli are a type of ravioli and cinghiale is wild boar), Scarperia (Firenze), May 22-23 and 29-30.
• Maggiolata lucignanese, Lucignano (Arezzo), May 23 and 30. Flower sculptures are carried around on carts throughout the village.
• 41st Sagra dei pici (pici are a type of fresh pasta, sort of thick spaghetti, typical of Southern Tuscany), Celle sul Rigo-San Casciano dei Bagni (Siena), May 28-30.
• Firenze Gelato Festival, Florence, May 28-31. If you like ice-cream, you can’t miss this.
• Sagra del Tartufo (truffle festival), Arcille (Grosseto), May 28-31.
• Sagra del tortello e della bistecca alla fiorentina (bistecca alla fiorentina is the traditional Florentine T-bone steak), Sagginale-Borgo san Lorenzo (Florence), May 28-30, June 1-2 and 4-6.
• Sagra del ranocchio (frog festival), Brozzi (Florence), May 29-30.
• Sagra del fungo prugnolo (a type of mushroom), Firenzuola (Florence), May 29-30 and June 19-20.
• Festival della Lumaca (snails), Camucia di Cortona (Arezzo), May 29-June 6. Snails were very common on Tuscan tables in the old day.
• Sagra delle ciliegie (cherry festival), Lari (Pisa), May 29-30, June 2 and 5-6. Very popular. Check our post on cherries in Tuscany!
• Festa del pane (bread festival), Certaldo (Florence), May 30.

In the Maremma area, the most popular fair, and probably the one with the longest tradition, is Fiera del Madonnino, near the village of Braccagni, Grosseto. It is quite an event in the area! I remember going there every single year when I was younger, first with my parents and then with my friends. Most of the businesses in the province will have a stand: from car dealerships to fireplace makers, from farmers selling chicks to the John Deer truck dealers, from greenhouses to porchetta and cheese producers. Most of the visitors are families: kids love the enormous tractors and the cotton candy and the small farm animals! It’s really a piece of Maremma culture. This year Fiera del Madonnino will be on from April 22-25.

So here is what I found out about April 2010 “Sagre” and other events in Tuscany. The list is certainly not exhaustive, so please, if you know of any event that might be added to this list, leave a comment! Thank you!

• April 9-11, Sagra del Ciambellino (traditional biscuit), Rigomagno (Siena).
• April 9-11, Fior di Città, Pisa in Fiore, Pisa. For those with a green thumb.
• April 9-11, 16-18, 23-25, Sagra del Cinghiale (wild boar), Certaldo (Florence).
• April 9-18, Fiera di Primavera (crafts and food and drink), Sesto Fiorentino (Florence).
• April 10-11, Rassegna Enogastronomica Mugellana, Scarperia (Florence), food and drink of the Mugello area.
• April 10-18, Festa e Palio delle Rocche, Guazzino di Sinalunga (Siena). The festival is a celebration of the Virgin Mary. There is an interesting “Palio delle Rocche” on April 18th, at 6:30 pm, in which the town quarters compete on vehicles modeled after of Roman bigas.
• April 10-11 and 17-18, Sagra del Cighiale (wild boar), Ronta (Florence).
• April 11, Festa della Pina, Pieve ad Lamulas, Montelaterone, (Grosseto). This festival has a special place in my heart. It is a very ancient festival, in which young couples exchange colourful pine cones as a symbol of their love. The festival takes place by the ancient Pieve ad Lamulas (9th century), on Monte Amiata, which happens to be the church where we got married! The place is really beautiful and the festival dates back to the Roman era.
• April 11, Festa del Fiore e del Coccio, Torrita (Siena). Fair dedicated to ceramics decorated with flower motifs.
• April 11, 18 and 25, Festa della Civiltà Contadina, Montefoscoli (Pisa). Fair dedicated to the agricultural traditions of the area. Nice antique market.
• April 16-18, Piazze d’Europa, Grosseto. For 3 days, Grosseto houses a market of arts, crafts and traditional products of many European countries.
• April 17 and 18, Piazze del Gusto, Arezzo. Festival dedicated to the products of the province Arezzo, with 6 different types of food and drink in 6 different squares of the city.
• April 17 and 18, Enolia, Seravezza (Lucca), a festival dedicated to olive oil in front of the beautiful Palazzo Mediceo. If you like cycling you might be interested in the bike tour among the olive trees on the 18th at 9:30 am.
• April 17.18 and 24-25, Sagra del Tortello (large ravioli-type pasta), Scarperia (Florence).
• April 18, Cronomania, Sesto Fiorentino (Florence). Fair dedicated to those who collect watches. Curious.
• April 22-25, Sagra della Trota (trout), Bucine (Arezzo).
• April 23-25, 30 and May 1 and 2, Sagra della fava, baccalà e frittura di pesce (broad beans, dried salted cod soup and fried fish) Arcille (Grosseto).
• April 24 and 25, Chiusure in Piazza, Chiusure (Siena). Two days dedicated to artichoke tradition in the beautiful Crete Senesi. Two nice events are BiciCreta, a bike tour of the Crete, on April 24th at 9:45am and on the same day the possibility to take a ride on the Treno Natura stem engine train.
• April 24-25, Fiera dell’Elettronica, Pisa. For those who love technological gadgets more than food and traditions!
• April 24 – May 2, Art 2010, Fiera dell’Artigianato in Florence. Very large and popular fair dedicated to arts and crafts.
• April 25, Festa della Stagion Bona, Panzano (Florence). Literally the “festival of good weather”, the event commemorates the rivalry between the Gherardini and the Firidolfi families with a reenactment in period costumes. Lots of good Chianti food and wine.
• April 25, Regata di Primavera, Porto Santo Stefano (Grosseto). The regatta is at 6 pm, but if food is served starting in the morning. Porto Santo Stefano is a lovely town on the coast of the Maremma, in the area called Argentario.
• April 25, Il Gioco della Ruzzola, Petricci, (Grosseto). This festival brings visitors back to the time when a round piece of wood (la ruzzola) was enough to entertain people. It is also the perfect opportunity for a nice walk in an undiscovered, yet stunning, part of Tuscany. The link above will take you to a page with a video of past editions.
• April 25, Marcia dell’Indipendenza, Siena. April 25th is the day Italy celebrates the Liberation from the Fascist regime. But this Independence March has nothing to do with those events! It is a relay walk to Montalcino and back, and commemorates the “exodus” of the Sienese people in 1555 after Cosimo de’ Medici conquered the city.
• April 25, Rassegna della Pastorizia, Cutigliano (Pistoia). A day organized by Slow Food and dedicated to sheep-farming and its products in this beautiful village. If you love cheese, you have to go.
• April 25 and May 1, Sagra della Lumaca (snail), Cavriglia (Arezzo).
• April 25, May 1 and 2, I Vantaggi del Buon Gusto (the advantages of good taste), Vinci (Florence). Interesting days dedicated to food and colours. April 25 is dedicated to “green products”, May 1 and 2 are dedicated to “red products”. On April 25, you can also take a walk called “Sui Passi di Leonardo”. Reservations are required.
• April 25, May 1 and 2, Sagra del Baccello (broad beans), La Serra, San Miniato (Pisa).
• April 29 -  May 2, Spinofiorito, Massa. A festival dedicated to the tradition of local wines and products of Tuscany.
• April 30, May 1-2 and 8-9, Sagra della Porchetta (roast pork), Valenza (Massa).

If you would like to see anything else listed here, please leave a comment!

• Testamatta Wine Festival, July 2-23, Castello di Vincigliata, Fiesole (Florence)
• Sagra del Pesce (seafood festival), July 3-19, Badesse (Siena)
• Festa della birra (beer festival), July 10-12, Montemurlo (Prato)
• Festa della birra di montagna (mountain beer festival – mostly chestnut beer), July 11-12, Castagno d’Andrea (Florence)
• Sagra della zuppa (soup festival), July 11-12 and 16-19, Massarella (Florence)
• Jazz & Wine, July 15-19 and 23-25, Montalcino (Siena)
• Festa della musica (music festival), July 16-19, Chianciano Terme (Siena)
• Festa della birra (beer festival), July 17-19, Pieve Santo Stefano (Arezzo)
• Sagra del maiale e della pecora (pork and sheep meat festival), July 17-26, Monterotondo Marittimo (Grosseto)
• A pesca con il Montecucco (fishing with Montecucco wine), July 18, Cinigiano (Grosseto)
• Sagra della birra e dello gnocco (beer and gnocco festival), July 18-19, Roccalbegna, Grosseto
• Festa del tartufo d’estate (summer truffle festival), July 18-19, Castell’Azzara (Gr0sset0)
• Sagra del cocomero (watermelon festival), July 19, Rocca di Montemurlo (Prato)
• Festa dell’Unicorno, July 24-26, Vinci (Florence)
• Sagra del tortello (ravioli festival), July 24-26, Grezzano Borgo San Lorenzo (Florence)
• Sagra della patata (potato festival), July 24-26, Roccastrada (Grosseto)
• Torneo fra butteri (butteri tournament), July 27, Capalbio (Grosseto) – the Maremman butteri are like cowboys
• Sagra del fungo porcino (porcini mushroom festival), July 24-26, Palazzolo (Florence)
• Il vino e le stelle (wine and stars), July 25, San Casciano Val di Pesa (Florence)

These are some sagre that take place in Tuscany in May 2009:

• Raduno degli amanti del cinghiale (gathering of the “wild-bore-products lovers”), Strada in Chianti (Florence), May 8-10 and 15-17.
• Demetra, Capezzano Pianore (Lucca), May 22-24. Both for professionals and the general public: flower, vegetable and food sculptures.
• 29th Sagra del porcellino (porcellino means piglet), Casciana Terme (Pisa), May 22-24 and 30-31.
• Sagra del tortello (tortelli are a type of ravioli), Scarperia (Firenze), May 23-24.
• Sagra della bistecca alla fiorentina (bistecca alla fiorentina is the traditional Florentine T-bone steak), Sagginale-Borgo san Lorenzo (Florence), May 29-31, June 1-2 and 5-7.
• 40th Sagra dei pici (pici are a type of fresh pasta, sort of thick spaghetti, typical of Southern Tuscany), Celle sul Rigo-San Casciano dei Bagni (Siena), May 29-31.
• Sagra del prosciutto e baccelli (prosciutto and broad beans), Boschi di Lari (Pisa), May 14-17.
• Sagra del fungo porcino (porcino mushroom), Palazzolo di Incisa V.no (Florence), May 16-17, 22-24, 29-31, June 5-7 and 12-14. Not really a season product but if you haven’t had enough mushrooms in the Fall, you can enjoy them for the last time before the summer.
• Sagra della nozza (the nozza is a dessert typical of the area of Calcinaia), Calcinaia (Pisa), May 16-17. The women of the village make the sweets for the visitors.
• Sagra del fungo prugnolo (a type of mushroom), Firenzuola (Florence), May 23-24 and June 6-7.
• Festival della fragola (strawberry festival), Terricciola (Pisa), May 16-17, and 23-24.
• Sagra della fragola (strawberry festival), Marsiliana-Manciano (Grosseto), May 22-24 and 29-31.
• Sagra delle ciliegie (cherry festival), Lari (Pisa), May 23-24, 30-31 and June 1-2.
• Maggiolata lucignanese, Lucignano (Arezzo), May 24 and 31. Flower sculptures are carried around on carts throughout the village.
• CantaMaggio, Barberino del Mugello (Florence), May 14-17.
• Jazz e baccelli (jazz and broad beans), Certaldo (Florence), May 17.
• Festa del pane (bread festival), Certaldo (Florence), May 24.
• Classico è: otto giorni di vino e cultura (classic is: 8 days of wine and culture), Florence, May 30 – June 6.
• Festa di San Bernardino, Seggiano (Grosseto), May 20-21.
• Festa irlandese (Irish festival), Piazza del Sale, Grosseto, May 22-24.
• Sagra della Lasagna, Montenero d’Orcia (Grosseto), May 23-24.
• Sagra del Tartufo (truffle festival), Arcille (Grosseto), May 29-31.
• Festa di Sant’Ubaldo, Pisa, May 16-17. Flower festival.