August kicked off with a bang for foodies and lovers of good dining. There are numerous events continuing into the second weekend of the month, with fairs, eno-gastronomic events and tastings, occasions to celebrate, listen to music, visit new places and enjoy good company.
Among all the festivals across the regions of Italy, we have selected the most interesting celebrations suitable for the whole family who, during this period of summer holidays, move in unison. Here are our recommendations for the weekend of August 7–9, 2026.
Ascoliva Festival in Ascoli Piceno
From August 8 to 19, 2026, Ascoli Piceno hosts the thirteenth edition of Ascoliva Festival, the world festival of the Piceno DOP stuffed olive. The program is very rich, featuring numerous novelties, first of all the festival venue which, for the first time, will be the scenographic Cloister of San Francesco in the heart of the city, just behind the wonderful Piazza del Popolo, one of Italy’s most beautiful and elegant views, entirely carved in the delicate tones of the precious local travertine. In this evocative setting the “Olive Village” will be set up, an exhibition path that, in addition to producers of DOP stuffed olives, will also host another 12 dishes of traditional local gastronomy, as well as cultural and eno-gastronomic meetings, guided tastings, laboratories and various initiatives, including Olive Day with the Olive Olympics and the “Ascoliva” Award.
Grika in Cerrate (LE)
On Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9, 2026, from 7:00 pm to 11:30 pm, the Abbey of Santa Maria di Cerrate, a few kilometers from Lecce, will host the inaugural edition of “Grika,” an event dedicated to discovering Grika culture, expression of the millennial Greek-speaking minority that still lives in Puglia, in the Grecìa Salentina area. Two special evenings, curated by FAI – Fondo per l’Ambiente Italiano – to recall, starting from three thematic strands – music, cuisine, language – the Byzantine origins of the Abbey, which in 2012 was entrusted to it by the Province of Lecce. A rich program combines recipes, dances and folk songs, fairy tales, stories, workshops, games in Griko and guided tours.
Tuna Fish Fest 2026 in Valderice (TP)
In Bonagia, from August 6 to 9, Tuna Fish Fest returns – “Tuna and bluefin: culture and taste” – four days of sea flavors, culture and performances at the Tonnara di Bonagia in the municipality of Valderice, with the seaside gastronomic village, stalls, tastings and local restaurants offering the best of seafood cuisine, cultural talk shows, cooking shows, music and performances, and the second edition of the International Grand Prize of Red Tuna, dedicated to cuisine and the valorization of Mediterranean tuna, which will feature chefs, culinary challenges and moments dedicated to maritime culinary tradition. The event tells the tuna fishing culture through excellent gastronomy, safeguarding a centuries-old heritage.
Calici di Stelle in Castiglione di Sicilia (CT)
On August 10, 2026, Castiglione di Sicilia hosts Calici di Stelle, the year’s most anticipated event. An evening dedicated to wines, mainly from Etna, but also from the wineries in Sicily affiliated with the Movimento Turismo del Vino. In the historic center, among alleys and squares, the tasting itinerary unfolds—from Piazza Lauria, to Piazza Sant’Antonio, to reach the castle where the Enoteca Regionale for Eastern Sicily is a key stop on a route that touches the most evocative monuments of one of Italy’s most Beautiful Villages. The start is at 8:00 pm, with guided tastings of red, rosé, white wines and sparkling wines. To enrich the setting of the charming old town, the music from various bands stationed across Piazza San Martino, Piazza Lauria, Piazza Sant’Antonio and the Castello di Lauria.
Back in Abruzzo for the fourth edition of the Festa delle Narrazioni Popolari. From August 7 to 9, in the stunning setting of the Convento di Civitaretenga, a hamlet of the Municipality of Navelli, three days of talks, tastings, street art and music, a free festival that places at the center the relationship between narratives, territory and community. Throughout the festival, it will be possible to savor the authentic flavors of the area thanks to the Pro Loco gastronomic stand, which every day will offer traditional dishes prepared with local products and accompanied by wines from the region.
Sagra delle Sagre in Barzio (LC)
From August 8 to 16, 2026, in Barzio, in the heart of the Valsassina, the 61st edition of the Sagra delle Sagre takes place, nine days dedicated to gastronomic excellence, crafts, local culture and conviviality. You can taste the valley’s best gastronomic specialties and typical products, accompanied by cold beer and cocktails and by music coming from the new Arena Sagra, the large live music, cabaret and main evening shows stage. The shows and evening events are free. There are about a hundred exhibitors, on a 10,000 square meter area, a vast showcase of zero-km products, local crafts and local businesses of the territory.
Fiano Love Fest in Lapio (AV)
Lapio is getting ready to host the 15th edition of the Fiano Love Fest, scheduled from August 7 to 9, 2026, opening its doors to thousands of visitors and enthusiasts to discover the territory through three days of tastings, art and music. At the center of the event is the Fiano di Avellino DOCG, a wine tied to the history and viticultural tradition of Lapio, the homeland of Fiano, where this grape finds one of its most authentic and recognizable expressions. The theme of this edition is “Vita Lenta Viva” and pays homage to small towns, places where time still maintains a human measure and relationships continue to be the heart of community life. Located on the Irpinian hills overlooking the Valle del Calore, a few kilometers from Avellino, Lapio holds a deep bond with Fiano, a grape with ancient origins known since the times of Latin poets and cultivated by generations in these lands. The food and wine stalls will open at 19:00, initiating evenings dedicated to local flavors. By reservation, it will be possible to participate in technical tasting tables organized by the Consorzio Tutela Vini d’Irpinia at Palazzo Filangieri. At 20:00, also at Palazzo Filangieri, the tasting counters dedicated to Fiano di Avellino DOCG will open.
Pizzafritta Nerolese Festival in Nerola (RM)
In Nerola, on August 8 and 9, starting at 7:00 pm, returns the queen of Sabina street food during the 33rd Nerolese Pizzafritta Festival, fragrant, golden, made to order, and capable of telling a story made of peasant traditions, conviviality and recipes handed down through generations. Two evenings of freshly baked fried pizza, extra-virgin olive oil, folk music and the views of one of the most enchanting villages of Roman Sabina. For two evenings the historic center comes alive with aromas, long tables and music, turning into the ideal destination for a night devoted to tradition and authentic flavors, just a stone’s throw from Rome. Alongside fried pizza you can also sample sheep skewers (arrosticini di pecora), fries and other specialties at the gastronomic stands, accompanied by the excellent extra-virgin olive oil produced on Nerola’s hills, a land that has lived in symbiosis with olive cultivation for centuries. But the festival is also an invitation to discover one of the most evocative villages of Roman Sabina. Nestled among olive groves and hills, Nerola preserves a historic center rich in charm, dominated by the majestic Orsini Castle, making the town a perfect destination for those who want to combine good food, culture and authentic landscapes.
Festa di San Lorenzo in Valiano (SI)
Since August 2 and until Monday the 10th, in the historic center of Valiano, a hamlet of Montepulciano, the Festa di San Lorenzo takes place. In honor of the patron saint, religious celebrations, events highlighting the region’s agricultural tradition, and evenings of music and eno-gastronomy are planned. On Friday, August 7, at 7:30 pm, the gathering is in the Rocca garden with the event “The Night of the Senses: Scents Under the Stars,” an original tasting of perfumes accompanied by gourmet dishes and wines from the territory. On Saturday, August 8 at 8:30 pm, the program includes “Aperifritto,” a tasting of fried foods and boards to the notes of the musical band. On Sunday, starting at 8:30 pm, “Waiting for Calici di Stelle” launches a wine-and-food itinerary set up at the Castello di Valiano with taverns and tasting points from local wineries, while Monday, August 10, the main celebrations for Saint Lawrence begin in earnest.
Note di Grappa in Santa Massenza (TN)
Friday, August 7, from 7:30 pm to midnight, Note di Grappa returns to animate the streets and distilleries of Santa Massenza, the small village in the Valle dei Laghi, which represents the beating heart of Trentino’s artisanal grappa. Now in its third edition, the event aims to promote one of the most representative distillates of the territory. The stars of the evening will be original cocktails based on grappa, created by professional mixologists to enhance its aromas and versatility in a fresh, contemporary, and surprising key. And the setting could only be the village of Santa Massenza, which holds the record for the highest concentration of artisanal distilleries in Italy, with five active producers in a town of just over a hundred inhabitants. Each distillery will host a professional bartender who will present their own creation. To accompany the tastings, there will be small bites devised by Slow Food Trentino-Alto Adige to enrich the tasting experience. A food truck with a selection of express dishes will also be available. Music will also play a central role: the different locations will be enlivened by live jazz, soul and folk concerts.
