BacalàFest
The festival of salt cod and stockfish in Fano and the Marche region
About BacalàFest
Two months of flavour dedicated to salt cod
BacalàFest is one of the most anticipated food and wine events of the winter in Fano, in the province of Pesaro and Urbino, and now extends to a good part of the Marche region. Promoted by the Associazione di Cultura Enogastronomica Viandanti dei Sapori (Gastronomic Culture Association of Travellers of Flavours) together with Confcommercio Marche Nord, the festival celebrates salt cod and stockfish, symbols of the Adriatic maritime tradition and the region's popular cuisine.
One fish, two different products
Both salt cod and stockfish originate from North Atlantic cod, largely caught in the Lofoten Islands in Norway, but they are two distinct products: salt cod is preserved in salt, while stockfish is air-dried. Once humble Lenten food, they have now become premium ingredients capable of adapting to infinite interpretations, from grandmother's recipes to the most creative reinterpretations by chefs.
The Giro Bacalà
The heart of the festival is the Giro Bacalà: not an event concentrated in one square, but a widespread gastronomic journey through the participating restaurants, trattorias, and osterias. Each establishment offers dishes based on salt cod and stockfish at special prices for the entire duration of the event, allowing you to create your personal taste itinerary across Fano, the inland areas, and other involved provinces of the Marche.
Challenges in the kitchen
Among the most spectacular moments are the challenges, culinary competitions that pit professional and amateur chefs against each other. Chefs compete with their own interpretations of salt cod before expert juries, in highly attended evenings traditionally hosted at the Alla Lanterna restaurant in Fano. It's an opportunity to discover new recipes and see how the Marche tradition continues to reinvent itself.
A network of local realities
BacalàFest involves numerous local associations and academies, from the Confraternita del Brodetto (Brotherhood of Brodetto) to entities related to olive oil and winemaking, up to the Italian Academy of Cuisine. A network that makes this festival much more than a gastronomic review: a collective narrative of the maritime identity of Fano and the Marche.
BacalàFest — edition 2026
From January 30 to March 30, 2026, BacalàFest returned to Fano and numerous municipalities in the Marche region with the proven formula of the Giro Bacalà: for two months, participating restaurants offered dedicated menus for salt cod and stockfish at special prices, allowing visitors the freedom to create their own culinary itinerary.
As tradition dictates, the festival promoted by the Associazione Viandanti dei Sapori paid great attention to the challenges between professional and amateur chefs, culinary competitions that focus on the creativity of chefs in interpreting the symbolic fish of Fano's maritime cuisine.
Programme BacalàFest 2026
BacalàFest 2026 took place according to the established festival formula, divided into two main parts.
The Giro Bacalà (January 30 - March 30, 2026)
- Widespread gastronomic journey in participating restaurants, trattorias, and osterias in Fano and various municipalities of the Marche.
- Dedicated menus for salt cod and stockfish offered at special prices for the entire duration of the event.
- Traditional Marche recipes alongside creative reinterpretations.
The Chef Challenges
- Professional Chefs' Challenge: competition among restaurants in the area, traditionally hosted at the Alla Lanterna restaurant in Fano.
- Amateur Chefs' Challenge: competition dedicated to cooking enthusiasts.
The updated list of participating restaurants and the schedule for individual evenings are released by the Associazione Viandanti dei Sapori and Confcommercio Marche Nord at the opening of the event.
Highlights BacalàFest 2026
- The Giro Bacalà among participating restaurants in Fano and the Marche region.
- Gastronomic challenges between professional and amateur chefs.
- Salt cod and stockfish menus at special prices for two months.
Prices BacalàFest 2026
Practical information — BacalàFest
When and where
BacalàFest takes place annually between the end of January and the end of March. It does not have a single venue: it is spread across the participating restaurants of the Giro Bacalà in Fano and in various municipalities of the Marche, especially in the province of Pesaro and Urbino.
How to participate
To enjoy the Giro Bacalà menus, booking directly with the participating restaurants is recommended. The complete list of establishments and the schedule of the challenges are published by the Associazione Viandanti dei Sapori at the start of the event.
How to get to Fano
Fano is easily reachable by train (station on the Bologna-Lecce Adriatic line) and by car via the A14 motorway, Fano exit. The nearest airport is Ancona-Falconara.
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Where does it take place — BacalàFest
Ristoranti aderenti (Giro Bacalà)