Bargo-Esteri Festival

A festival that spans the globe

The Bargo-Esteri Festival is one of the most heartfelt events of the Barga summer. It is held in Barga, a stunning medieval village in the Province of Lucca, Tuscany, and every year it gathers around the same table the Barga natives who emigrated abroad and return to their hometown during the summer months. The term "Bargo-Esteri" was coined in the pages of the Giornale di Barga to describe the many fellow citizens who, having left between the 19th and 20th centuries, built new lives far from home while keeping their bond with their native land alive.

The "tourism of the heart"

Significant waves of migration departed from Barga and the Serchio Valley: Barga natives settled in Scotland and Great Britain, the United States, and countries in South America. The festival celebrates this "tourism of the heart," the annual return of those who never forgot their roots and who, every summer, fill the village streets and family homes. It is not just a dinner, but a ritual of belonging that strengthens the threads of a community spread throughout the world.

An evening of music and memories

The evening opens with greetings from local authorities and continues with a convivial dinner accompanied by live musical entertainment. In past editions, the festival has taken place at the Pasticceria Lucchesi in Barga, featuring timeless melodies of the Italian tradition, tributes to the Neapolitan repertoire, and themed choreographies on migration and hospitality performed by the local city districts. There is no shortage of recognition for individuals who have distinguished themselves for their contribution to the Barga community, in an atmosphere that alternates between joy and moments of genuine emotion.

Organizers

The event is promoted by the Municipality of Barga and the Giornale di Barga, together with the Pro Loco Barga, with the patronage of Unitre Barga and the Barga-Scot association, a historic bridge between the Tuscan village and its Scottish diaspora. Participation requires booking through the Municipality's Culture Office.

Barga, jewel of the Garfagnana

Visiting Barga during the festival is also an opportunity to discover one of Italy's most beautiful villages: the Duomo di San Cristoforo, the medieval alleys of the upper town, and the panoramic views of the Apuan Alps and the Apennines. A setting that explains for itself why so many Barga natives, wherever they may be, continue to call it home.