What to do this weekend: the festivals and events not to be missed on May 9-11 in Italy
What to do this weekend? If you are asking yourself this question, or one of your friends or your partner is waiting for an answer, we at SiViaggia have created the perfect selection to help you plan the next few days. From cultural events to food festivals, from gardening fairs to historical initiatives, we have collected the festivals and events not to be missed on the weekend of May 9-11 in Italy .
Are you ready to relax and have fun?
Rice Festival at Pilota, Castel d'Ario (MN)On the occasion of the Festa del Riso alla Pilota , Castel d'Ario transforms into the kingdom of good food and entertainment. Located in the province of Mantua, the town will pay homage to the De.Co. rice alla pilota by hosting events dedicated to food and music every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from 8 to 25 May 2025. In addition to trying the most famous dish of the area, which combines a fine rice like Vialone Nano with salami, you can attend various initiatives.
In particular, in addition to the tastings, this weekend will feature the parade of the Casteldariese Band (8 May) and the performance of various bands including the Diapason Band with the best songs by Vasco Rossi (9 May), the Mascalzoni Latini Band (10 May) and Ma Noi No with their tribute to the Nomadi (11 May).
This is also the right occasion to visit the town of Castel d'Ario, from the majestic Scaligero Castle , guardian of medieval stories and chivalric secrets, to the Rice Museum , where you can discover all the secrets of Vialone Nano and the ancient "pilots".
Nice is Barbera 2025, Nizza Monferrato (AT)From May 9 to 12, 2025 , wine enthusiasts will be able to immerse themselves in the specialties of the Asti area by participating in the Nizza è Barbera 2025 event. At the Barbera Forum , under the historic Foro Boario, over 70 producers will present more than 400 labels of Barbera d'Asti docg and Nizza docg for tasting, and that's not all. There are also many other events planned for both adults and children.
Thanks to the new format created in collaboration with Collisioni Festival, “Nizza, Barbera & Music” , there will certainly be no shortage of music during these days: on Friday 9th there will be the live show of Eiffel 65 , while on Saturday 10th the evening “Voglio Tornare negli Anni '90” will take place. In addition, the squares in the center will be animated by the presence of free DJ sets.
For children, on Sunday 11th there will be Crazy Magic Sunday , a great magic gala in Piazza del Comune with much-loved magicians and artists, such as Mago Budinì, the ventriloquist Gi&Raf and the imaginative Mago Contini. Among the experiences not to be missed are also the bike tour through the vineyards of Nizza , the Ferrari and Supercar gathering , the food market and two special vertical tastings dedicated to the old vintages of Nizza docg.
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On Sunday, May 11, the Fiera del Mercato Verde will be held in the historic center of Pennabilli, in the province of Rimini . It is an unmissable event for gardening lovers because it will be possible to buy ornamental and fruit plants, roses, bonsai, succulents, aromatic and medicinal herbs and many other varieties, as well as equipment to take care of your green spaces.
There will also be some exhibitors dedicated to typical local products such as sweets, fried foods, cured meats, cheeses, ancient grains and pasta and, of course, fruit and vegetables. A sector of the fair will also be reserved for artisans from Valmarecchia who will exhibit their products such as crochet work, costume jewelry, accessories and clothing, soaps, wooden kitchen materials, artisan pens, vases, paintings and products of various kinds.
Lovers of good food will also be able to choose from the various spring menus offered by restaurants throughout the area, so as to savour traditional dishes based on flowers, wild herbs and seasonal vegetables.
Eatinero Food Truck Festival, Palazzolo sull'Oglio (BS)From May 9th to 11th , Palazzolo sull'Oglio will host the first events of the Eatinero Food Truck Festival , as well as the Italian semi-final of the European Street Food Awards , the most important international competition dedicated to street food. The free-entry event will be held at Parco Metelli where you can experience three days of authentic flavours , concerts , shows , conviviality and culinary challenges .
In detail, you can try the specialties prepared by the best food trucks in Italy , quench your thirst with craft beers and cocktails, attend concerts and DJ sets, as well as various circus shows, purchase artisanal and handmade products.
Landscapes of Art, TarquiniaMusic, dance and theatre meet during the cultural festival Paesaggi dell'Arte in Tarquinia . From 10 May to 7 September 2025 , one of the most beautiful cities in the province of Viterbo will host 14 unique musical events , organized in its most important cultural places. The event, created in collaboration with the Archaeological Park of Cerveteri and Tarquinia, aims to enhance the heritage of the territory in a unique and different way.
This weekend's events include Alessandro Santacaterina in concert with "Kaleidocordo" on May 10th in the Sala Consiliare of the Palazzo Comunale, while on May 11th , in the Antica Fornace rest area, Nubras ensemble with "Rotte balcaniche". Entrance to each individual event is subject to a fee and reservations are required.
Museums Walk, Grottammare (AP)Saturday, May 10th will be the first appointment of Camminata dei musei , an initiative organized by Bim Tronto and US Acli Provinciale to promote the deseasonalization of tourism in the area. The first of the sixteen total meetings will be held in Grottammare and includes a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Illustration and a walk along the city seafront to discover the works of art and the splendid villas present. Participation is free, but reservations are required.
Ludi Borgiani 2025, Civita Castellana (VT)Get ready to take a leap into the past: the Ludi Borgiani event takes you back to the times of the Borgias with parades in period costumes, shows, popular games, palios, taverns and many other fun initiatives. It will all take place from 9 to 18 May in the city of Civita Castellana, in the province of Viterbo, where the historic center will be transformed into a real historical stage. Among the most anticipated events is the arrival of Pope Alexander VI Borgia , recreated in a large historical parade with over one hundred participants.
The procession, rich in scenic details, armor, music and banners, will represent the beating heart of this edition, bringing the magnificence of the Borgias back to life among the alleys and squares of the city.
Aperitif Festival, MilanAperitivo is one of the most anticipated moments of the day for Italians: it is therefore not surprising that an ad hoc event was created! And where, if not in dynamic Milan ? Aperitivo Festival awaits you from 9 to 11 May , in the heart of the Tortona area, with 27 international bartenders to help you discover and try the trends that will accompany us in 2025.
Among these, we give you a preview of the “Nolo” trend, or No and low-alcohol , where the protagonists are non-alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks, and the return to vintage drinks with Vermouth and Bitter. The pairings between the best Italian specialties and the great classics of aperitifs will also be very interesting. One of these features Gin and Asiago DOP .
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Slow Fish 2025 , the event that Slow Food Italy dedicates to aquatic and coastal ecosystems, this year celebrates 20 years since its first edition and returns to the Porto Antico in Genoa. From May 8 to 11 , you can immerse yourself in the world of seafood cuisine by learning, discovering and tasting thanks to the meeting with fishermen, chefs, producers, scientists and experts in the sector, all united by the desire to defend the sea and those who live in it.
The initiatives organized are different, from conferences dedicated to climate change and the future of fishing to tastings with sustainable fish products, through thematic workshops with chefs, fishermen and local producers, up to educational activities for families and children in collaboration with the Aquarium of Genoa and that of Livorno.
Among the most interesting events we also highlight the one dedicated to markets: Slow Fish 2025 exhibits the best of fishing and coastal agriculture products. There are over 80 exhibitors from different regions such as Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Marche, Piedmont, Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany, Umbria and Veneto.
From Freisa to Freisa, Chieri (TO)On Saturday 10 May , in the historic centre of Chieri there will be the fifteenth edition of the event Di Freisa in Freisa , the great celebration dedicated to one of the most representative vines of Piedmont. During this day you will be able to participate in tastings and musical and cultural initiatives, with the involvement of the producers of the Consorzio Freisa di Chieri e Collina Torinese, all enriched by a gala dinner under the stars . The common thread of the program is Freisa, a red wine that embodies the excellence of the territory.
Waiting for Franciacorta in Bloom, Cazzago San Martino (BS)While waiting for the Franciacorta in Fiore event, which will be held on May 16, 17 and 18, 2025 in the ancient village of Bornato, other initiatives have been organized in the surrounding areas. On Friday, May 9 , at the portico of the Town Hall of the Municipality of Cazzago San Martino, at 8:45 pm you can attend the free concert with a clarinet quartet . On Saturday 10 at 3:00 pm there will be a free event, for which reservations are required, Scampagnata in Fiore : this is the ideal opportunity to discover the hamlet of Pedrocca together with a local guide.
Finally, on Sunday 11 May there will be the collective exhibition “Aria tra fiori di mille colori” at the Boccadoro winery in Calino.
