The weekend of October 2-4, 2026 is packed with opportunities to enjoy food and Italian traditions. Regional products, seasonal and typical specialties will accompany lunches and dinners in the square with the whole family. From farmstead cheeses to truffles, from pumpkin to bread, from chestnuts to wine there are in fact many specialties to try in the villages and towns, places all to be discovered on the occasion of an event that draws the interest of many people.
We have selected the ten most interesting events to visit, here are our tips for a weekend getaway.
Caseus in Piazzola sul Brenta (PD)
Saturday and Sunday the historic Villa Contarini, one of the largest Venetian villas, hosts Caseus, two days of cheese-focused events. There will be as many as 536 cheeses with productions from all provinces, from Belluno to Padua, from Treviso to Vicenza, from Venice to Verona, many of which compete in the 22nd Veneto Regional Cheese Competition and the 8th National Farmstead Cheese Competition. There will be 140 events ranging from guided tastings, masterclasses, cooking shows, meetings with cheesemakers and moments of deeper insight, and 53 Italian DOPs gathered for the first time, with over 5,600 consumers involved in the tastings. Completing the picture will be the 13th Festival of Veneto DOPs which, this year for the first time, will host all 53 Italian cheeses with Protected Designation of Origin in a dedicated space that will let visitors traverse Italy through its dairy productions. The event also confirms its international vocation with Caseus Mundi, dedicated to European dairy productions, with exhibitors from several countries. In the Villa Contarini park an additional market fair will showcase typical products and regional, national and international cheeses.
Santa Bellunese Pumpkin Festival in Caorera (BL)
From October 2 to 4, the Santa Bellunese Pumpkin Festival of Caorera is dedicated to the traditional agri-food specialty that forms the basis of both sweet and savory dishes. This event, held annually in the Low Feltrino area, has become a must-attend for lovers of good cuisine and tradition, with the aim of promoting this traditional agri-food product included in the Quality Charter of the Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park. The pumpkin is the main ingredient in numerous specialties offered during the festival: gnocchi, crepes, lasagna and desserts. Valbelluna plays a leading role in the event, which also reveals the culture and traditions of the territory thanks to exhibitions, markets and musical performances.
Gnoche ’n Festa in Auronzo di Cadore (BL)
On the same dates (October 3 and 4), in Auronzo di Cadore, Gnoche ’n Festa blends the Cadore gnocchi festival with a lively parade in traditional costumes that accompanies the cattle’s descent to the valley, the Desmonteada. Along the shores of Lake Santa Caterina, craft markets and, Saturday and Sunday, starting at 11, the heated tent opens for the start of Gnoche n Festa which also resumes on Saturday evening from 7 pm. In the meantime, all afternoon there will be live music, continuing after dinner. Sunday is dedicated to the Desmonteada parade, accompanied by local musical groups and with the Blessing of the cattle in Piazza Santa Giustina. As in previous editions, in collaboration with the Tre Cime Dolomiti Tourist Consortium and the Unione Ladina del Cadore de Medo, the best traditional Auronzan costumes of the Desmonteada will be awarded.
Fine White Truffle Fair in Pergola (PU)
On October 4, 11 and 18, 2026, a three-Sundays event in Pergola, in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, to celebrate the white truffle, tell the territory’s story, and open new relations in Europe. The Fine White Truffle Fair of Pergola reaches its 29th edition and chooses to widen its borders and become international. The town will be crossed by two kilometers of exhibitors, producers and craftsmen, with a program that blends gastronomy, culture, tourism, show and in-depth learning. The central novelty is the international dimension of the event: Gernsbach, a German city tied by a historic twinning to Pergola, will be present with its own space and with the Black Forest’s typical products. From France will arrive Château-Thierry, in the heart of the Marne valley and the Champagne region, birthplace of fabulist Jean de La Fontaine. Its participation starts a collaboration path that uses gastronomy to bring communities and territories closer. In the town hall arcade will emerge the new Food & Wine Experience area, with Enoteca, tastings and the Academy of Flavors. Next to the Truffle House and the restaurant there will be cooking shows, climate talks, aperitifs, concerts, DJ sets and activities for children.
Bread and Strudel Market in Bressanone (BZ)
Vinschger Paarlen, Schüttelbrot and Apple Strudel from South Tyrol: for three days Bressanone will be the capital of gourmets. The farmer’s baked goods have a long tradition in Bressanone. No wonder there are about ten bakeries just in the historic center, which impress with their products. In the first weekend of October everything revolves around the traditional culinary specialty with regional South Tyrolean products. At the Bread and Strudel Market of South Tyrol you can taste savory and sweet creations in the Cathedral Square. The event starts Friday morning with a historical route and musical accompaniment. Guided tours for children are offered on Friday in collaboration with the Hofburg Diocesan Museum in Bressanone. Sunday at 10:00 a.m. there will be the solemn entry of the bakers into the Cathedral, followed by the Mass for Thanksgiving together with the cathedral choir.
Which Pasta Are You? in Parma
From October 2 to 25, the Eastern Parma area transforms into a grand tasting laboratory with the second edition of “Which Pasta Are You?”, the project promoted by the Eastern Parma Lowlands Union (Sorbolo Mezzani, Colorno and Torrile) with support from the Emilia-Romagna Region to valorize the tradition of fresh pasta. An event that sits at the heart of Food Valley, the agri-food district among the world’s most renowned, where Parma – a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy – and its territory guard supply chains of excellence. Over four weekends, each stop tells the territory’s identity through its emblematic dishes. The festival begins in Sorbolo on October 2 with a large collective celebration that honors Pasta alla Sorbolese, the dish that joins the authentic taste of local ingredients in a distinctly Emilia-style balance. The show cooking by Damiano Carrara, one of Italy’s most beloved TV pastry chefs, is highly anticipated on October 3, followed on Sunday by the testimony of Nico Acampora, founder of the inclusive pizzeria network PizzAut, who will be there with his team. The next weekend the celebration moves to Colorno, then to Mezzani and finally to Torrile.
Chestnut Festival in Pedavena (BL)
Every year, with autumn’s arrival, Pedavena comes alive to celebrate the chestnut, the undisputed queen of the season. From October 4 to 25, the Chestnut Festival celebrates one of the fruits most closely linked to autumn in a warm and genuine atmosphere, with a strong sense of community. The heart of the festival is roasted chestnuts and the broad market of local agri-food and artisanal products, with food stalls and markets stretching along the Birreria Pedavena avenue to the town center. Every Sunday in October, a different event will mark the festival with activities such as the Sportful Grand Prix ski-roller race, the sports festival, accompanied by musical moments and activities for children, such as “Giochi di una volta” (games from yesterday).
Wine Castle in Corciano (PG)
From October 2 to 4, Corciano’s historic center hosts the 14th edition of the wine-focused event Castello di vino, featuring tastings, meetings, music and activities for both adults and children. The festival returns to enliven the village streets with its characteristic itinerant sensory journey, through which visitors can meet the wineries, taste the wines and discover, together with the enological proposals, the products and flavors of the territory. Alongside tastings, this year’s program also looks at the culture of wine in its broadest sense, offering opportunities for in-depth learning and dialogue with professionals and industry players. The journey into the world of wine will continue beyond regional and national borders. Friday will feature the Classic Method, with a tasting focused on Oltrepò Pavese and great sparkling wines; Saturday will host an innovative tasting, “In acqua veritas” promoted by Acque di Lusso and led by the hydro-sommelier Barbara Giancarlo, which will draw a parallel between water and high-quality wine, while Sunday’s “Journeys of Taste” will bring Corciano to meet Slovenia, with the Dolfo Wines winery in Ceglo, in the Goriška Brda region. Sunday will also be family-friendly, with “Playing in the Castle,” games for children in Piazza dei Caduti, while throughout the festival the village will be animated by live and itinerant musical entertainment.
National Fair of the White Truffle Pregiato in Borgofranco sul Po (MN)
The 32nd National Fair of the White Truffle Pregiato, held from October 2 to 22, 2026 in Borgofranco sul Po, is the new edition of the event dedicated to one of Mantuan territory’s most distinctive excellences. The gathering for enthusiasts, curious visitors and connoisseurs of the precious Tuber Magnatum Pico draws thousands of visitors each year, weaving a deeply rooted tradition in this corner of Lombardy. The heart of the event will be the large covered gastronomic area where the white truffle will accompany Mantuan traditional dishes. The area will be open Friday and Saturday evenings, Sunday lunch, and also Thursday, October 22, for dinner, with access available with or without a reservation. An entire month to celebrate the unique aroma and flavor of the white truffle.
Autumn Pavese 2026 in Pavia
From Friday the 2nd to Monday the 5th of October, Pavia hosts the 72nd edition of Autunno Pavese, the event that will bring together businesses, productions, tastings, meetings and new initiatives. The 2026 edition’s thread is “The Imprint of Taste,” and the protagonists will include chefs such as Erns Knamm, Andrea Mainardi, Luca Pappagallo, and Federico Fusca. The stands will be the starting point of the fair circuit, a direct meeting space between companies and visitors, where one can get to know up close productions, entrepreneurial stories and local specialties. Alongside the stands, the gastronomic offering will unfold in three areas, each with its own identity: Risotti & Sapori (Risottos & Flavors), one of the region’s symbolic products, Piazza del Gusto (Taste Square), and Mixology & Autumn Tastings with pairings and cocktails. In addition to the exhibition and gastronomic offerings, the four days will feature masterclasses, guided tastings, meetings, practical “hands-on” workshops, and in-depth moments. Sunday will also reserve a special space for children and families.
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