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Spring: traditions and peasant culture

Spring brings the first colors of the season to the Vara Valley, with blossoming villages, religious celebrations, and events celebrating the area's most authentic traditions.

  • Corpus Domini Flower Festival – Brugnato (May/June): The village streets are transformed into a colorful carpet of petals almost a kilometer long, created by the residents according to an ancient tradition.

  • Feast of San Lazzaro – Brugnato (April): Street food, craft stalls, and celebrations enliven the historic center of the village.

  • Santa Croce Festival – Riccò del Golfo (May): tastings of typical products, a market exhibition, and local traditions in the evocative setting of the Agostina Sanctuary.

  • Procession of the Madonna del Buon Consiglio – Pignone (May): an event that combines spirituality and tradition, immersed in the chestnut groves surrounding the sanctuary

Summer: the holiday season

Summer is the valley's liveliest season: festivals, patron saint celebrations, outdoor music, and traditional flavors enliven villages and hamlets from June to September.

  • Festival of the Mind – Sarzana (September): An important cultural event dedicated to ideas, innovation, and creativity, with meetings and conferences in the historic center of Sarzana.

  • National Antiques Exhibition – Sarzana (August): an important event dedicated to art and collecting, which every year attracts antique dealers and visitors from all over Italy to the evocative Firmafede Fortress.

  • Groppo and the Scarecrows (August): The Groppo Scarecrow Festival is an opportunity to discover the rural traditions of the Upper Vara Valley, featuring artistic scarecrows, local flavors, and the charm of an ancient Ligurian village.

  • Testaroli Festival – Ziona (July): A chance to taste one of the most iconic dishes of Lunigiana tradition.

  • Ravioli Festival – Sesta Godano (July): ravioli, smooth dancing, and a festive atmosphere in the heart of the Vara Valley.

  • Agrimiele – Calice al Cornoviglio (August/September): Market and tastings dedicated to new honey and local products.

  • Threshing Festival – Tavarone (August): reenactment of ancient peasant traditions with music and food.

  • Peasant Culture Festival – Zignago (August): farm animals, traditional crafts, and typical products of the Alta Val di Vara.

  • Scottish Festival – Stadomelli (late August): A unique event celebrating the glen’s historic connection to Scotland, featuring music and food.

  • Wine Festival – Tivegna (first week of September): tastings, art exhibitions, and dance evenings dedicated to local wine excellence.

  • Sesta Godano Cavalli – Sesta Godano (September): country music, equestrian competitions, and markets dedicated to the world of horses.

Autunno: sapori e tradizioni contadine

With the arrival of autumn colors, the valley celebrates the fruits of the earth and the rural traditions that have characterized these places for centuries.

  • Lucca Comics & Games Festival – Lucca (October-November): Europe's largest festival dedicated to comics, games, cinema, fantasy, and pop culture. For a few days, Lucca's historic center transforms into a vast open-air stage, enlivened by exhibitions, events, international guests, and thousands of fans from around the world.

  • Paganini Genova Festival - Genoa (October-November): An opportunity to immerse yourself in the music, history, and traditions of Genoa through concerts, cultural events, and itineraries dedicated to the famous violinist Niccolò Paganini.

  • Torza Bean Festival – Torza, Maissana (October): an event dedicated to one of the valley's most characteristic legumes.

  • National Vara River Gathering – Sesta Godano (last weekend in October): sports, outdoor activities, and meetings for canoeing and river enthusiasts.

  • Chestnut Festival of L'Ago – Borghetto di Vara (autumn): roasted chestnuts, castagnaccio (a chestnut cake) and traditional costumes in an atmosphere of times gone by.

  • San Martino Fair – Sesta Godano (November): markets, local products, and events linked to rural traditions.

Winter: Christmas atmospheres

Winter offers a cozy and authentic atmosphere, with living nativity scenes, markets, and the flavors of traditional cuisine.

  • Presepe Vivente di Pogliasca – Borghetto di Vara (dicembre): le vie del borgo si animano con figuranti, antichi mestieri e scenografie suggestive.

  • Mercatini di Natale – Bolano e Val di Vara (dicembre): prodotti artigianali, specialità gastronomiche e atmosfera natalizia.

  • Sagra della Polenta con Cinghiale – Tavarone (dicembre): uno degli appuntamenti gastronomici più attesi della stagione.

  • Carnevale dei Belli e dei Brutti – Suvero (periodo di Carnevale): una tradizione storica e irriverente, conosciuta in tutta la provincia per le sue maschere originali e l'atmosfera goliardica.

  • Carnevale di Viareggio – Viareggio (periodo di Carnevale): uno dei carnevali più celebri d'Europa, famoso per i suoi spettacolari carri in cartapesta, le sfilate e l'atmosfera festosa che anima tutta la città.

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