Village festivals, medieval reenactments, and celebrations: events scheduled for the weekend of August 22, 23, and 24, 2025.

Italy is the most beautiful country in the world, let's face it, with its folk traditions and gastronomic specialties. And what's better than taking advantage of the summer holidays to spend time outdoors and discover the customs and traditions of the places where we're spending our vacation?

For those still on vacation somewhere, or for those who have stayed or returned to the city, the weekend is the perfect opportunity to visit villages, try some local dishes, and attend a traditional event. Here are the events, festivals, and celebrations organized for the weekend of August 22nd, 23rd, and 24th.

August Fair in Castel d'Ario (MN)

Take a Mantua village, add a square filled with steaming risottos, top it off with music, free entertainment, and a tombola with a €2,500 prize, mix well, and serve piping hot: this is the recipe for the thirteenth Castel d'Ario August Fair, scheduled for August 23-26, 2025, between Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza Castello. The star of the show is the increasingly competitive "Spiga d'Oro" Risotto Competition, where every evening you can sample a selection of classic and innovative dishes. Some examples? Risotto with citrus fruits and Taleggio cheese, risotto with apples, Asiago cheese, and speck, risotto with Prosecco, guanciale, and Gorgonzola. The choice is yours.

The 2025 Bravìo delle Botti in Montepulciano (SI)

A week of events and performances kicks off on August 22, 2025, in the historic center of Montepulciano. The 2025 edition of the Bravìo delle Botti will take place from Friday, August 22, to Sunday, August 31, when the eagerly awaited barrel race between the eight Contrade of Montepulciano will take place. On Friday, August 22, Cantine in Piazza will be held in Piazza Grande, featuring a wine and local food tasting accompanied by live music. On Saturday evening, the Historical Procession begins, followed by a performance by the Montepulciano Flag-Wavers and Drummers Group. On Sunday, the 24th, in the Cloister of the Medici Fortress, the awards ceremony for the "A tavola con il Nobile" competition, in collaboration with the Consorzio del Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, will take place. The Historical Procession with the Flag-Wavers and Drummers will also resume, and the presentation of the Panno will be held in Piazza Grande. The events will continue throughout the week until next weekend's events, which we will share with you in more detail.

Medieval Games of South Tyrol in Sluderno (BZ)

From August 22nd to 24th, the village of Sluderno in the Venosta Valley hosts the South Tyrolean Medieval Games. In the history-rich plain stretching between Churburg Castle, the ruins of Lichtenberg Castle, the Prince Castle, and the Benedictine Abbey of Marienberg, spectacular combats and duels will leave spectators breathless. A journey back in time to the Middle Ages, with 2,000 re-enactors from eleven countries. It's the richest program in the entire Alpine region. All attractions within the event area are free, from shows to pony and camel rides, from archery to tournaments.

From Piazzetta to Piazzetta in Poggio Moiano (RI)

In Poggio Moiano, on Saturday, August 23rd, the historic center will transform into a vast open-air lounge where history, music, and gastronomy meet under the stars. The event "From Piazzetta to Piazzetta" returns, a food and wine trail that invites you to lose yourself in the alleys and stairways, savoring dishes that express the authentic soul of Sabina. The common thread will be Sabina DOP extra virgin olive oil, long considered the "green gold" of this land, the star of the first stop with bruschetta. From there, the tour continues with bold and authentic flavors, including Sabine-style coratella, local aged and fresh cheeses, handmade macaroni with rustic ragù, and fallone, a typical traditional stuffed pizza. For those who love grilled food, there will be grilled meat served with seasonal salad, and then a feast of traditional local desserts will conclude the tour. The gastronomic journey will be accompanied by folkloristic shows, street artists, and dialect poetry. Between stops, the village will reveal its treasures: the churches of San Martino, San Sebastiano, and Sant'Anna, the parish church of the Immaculate Conception and San Giovanni Battista, and the country shrine of Santa Liberata, an ancient pilgrimage site.

“Ginevra d'Illasi” Festival and San Bartolomeo Festival in Illasi (VR)

The "Ginevra d'Illasi" Festival, scheduled for August 22-24, 2025, is part of the historic Sagra di San Bartolomeo and aims to be an authentic, immersive and engaging experience in the world of the 16th century, with a major Renaissance event dedicated to the legendary figure of Ginevra d'Illasi. Three days packed with events will transform the vibrant Renaissance village with theatrical performances, installations, historical reenactments, parades in period costume, camps, and educational workshops that will engage adults, children, families, tourists, and history buffs. A unique opportunity to rediscover the charm of the Venetian Renaissance, in the enchanting setting of Illasi Castle, which serves as the backdrop for spectacular performances and engaging narration.

DiVino Etrusco in Tarquinia (VT)

Palazzo Vitelleschi in Tarquinia, with its elegant Renaissance architecture, will host the 2025 edition of DiVino Etrusco from August 22nd to 30th. The cloister of the National Archaeological Museum of Tarquinia will host "Degustazioni DiWine," an event featuring cooking demonstrations, conferences, and guided tastings, offering a captivating blend of art, history, and flavor. The journey through the world of wine is enriched by an encounter with Sardinian wine culture. The first week of "Degustazioni DiWine" will feature some well-known names in the culinary and food culture world. On Friday, August 22nd, 2025, at 9:00 PM, Chef Andrea Astolfi will present a live cooking demonstration. This will be followed at 10:30 PM by a discussion on "Prati Stabili" (Stabili Meadows) in a meeting organized by the Slow Food Costa della Maremma Laziale Convivium. Saturday, August 23rd, features a double event: at 9 pm, the tasting "Nel paniere del DiVino Etrusco" (Etruscan DiVino Basket), a journey through typical and traditional products. Immediately following, a special tasting led by food and wine expert Carlo Zucchetti will lead the audience through a reflection on the theme "Il DiVino Etrusco and the Evolution of the Territory."

40th Festival of the Scandrigliesi Sagne in Scandriglia (RI)

Join us on Friday, August 22nd and Saturday, August 23rd for the traditional, historic Sagne Scandrigliesi festival, first held in 1986 and now celebrating its 40th anniversary. This eagerly awaited and heartfelt folk festival, featuring tastings of local specialties, traditional products, and evenings of music and dance, centers on "Sagne" (fettuccine), a specialty of egg pasta, handmade by local women and topped with sauce cooked according to an ancient recipe. A demonstration will be held with the "Sagne" (fettuccine), accompanied by bruschetta with Scandriglia extra virgin olive oil and wine. Artisan markets, children's entertainment, folklore, the Casperia Majorettes, and the Roman Stornellatori led by maestro Fabrizio Masci will enliven the festival.

Fregnaccia Festival and Canestrelle Procession in Amandola (FM)

The Fregnaccia Festival, held annually during the August celebrations in honor of Blessed Antonio, takes place this year on August 23rd for dinner only, and on August 24th for both lunch and dinner. It was created to preserve the ancient flavors of the past and offer a taste of the authenticity and goodness of the true Amandola tradition. Fregnaccia is a typical first course of local peasant cuisine, waiting to be discovered and savored. On August 24th, the Amandola "canestrelle" procession also takes place, one of the oldest historical reenactments in the Marche region. The procession annually commemorates the offering of grain to Blessed Antonio. The event began in 1897 and is still very popular today, becoming the most eagerly awaited religious and folk tradition event in the Amandola area, attracting large numbers of residents from surrounding towns and the many tourists who visit the Sibillini Mountains during the summer. The procession, which winds through the town adorned with the symbolic colors of red and yellow and woven bundles of wheat ears, features folk groups singing and playing traditional music, figures carrying old farming tools and agricultural machinery, men in historical dress carrying sheaves, and women carrying small, characteristic baskets filled with wheat grains, all the way to the Church of Sant'Agostino – Sanctuary of Blessed Antonio – which houses the saint's remains.

Lands rediscovered in Piaggine and Castel San Lorenzo (SA)

Ancient and unforgotten traditions, popular music, and folklore are once again the focus of the summer events of "Terre ritrovate," a program of events created with the aim of promoting the small villages of the Calore Valley and their cultural and gastronomic heritage. On August 22nd, the event features a historical reenactment in period costume. An exceptional location will host the event in Castel San Lorenzo on August 23rd and 24th: the Castel San Lorenzo Viccio Festival, dedicated to one of the flagship products of the local gastronomic tradition, at the Mulino del Principe, renovated by the municipal administration and now a true attraction. The focus of the event will be Castel San Lorenzo Viccio, a product made from flour and water that was once made to test the oven temperature before baking bread. Workshops, tastings, and music are also scheduled.

The Wine Hills in Rovescala (PV)

From August 24th to 31st, as part of the DiVinAgosto event, "Le Colline del Vino" will feature tastings, winery tours, al fresco dining, and live music among the Oltrepò Pavese vineyards. Each evening, you can savor traditional local dishes paired with a selection of Oltrepò wines, from Bonarda DOC to Chardonnay.