Cerbaia in Festa

A village festival in the Montalbano hills

Cerbaia in Festa is one of the most beloved local festivals in the Lamporecchio area, a municipality in the province of Pistoia set on the slopes of the Montalbano hills in Tuscany. It takes place in the small village of Cerbaia, along Via Cerbaia, and has been organized for decades by volunteers from the Circolo ARCI Natale Tamburini, the true heart of the village. For two weekends in June, the community gathers around outdoor tables, rediscovering the convivial spirit that has always characterized Tuscan village festivals.

The cuisine: frogs, eels, and Tuscan tradition

The highlight of the event is undoubtedly the cuisine, which offers a rich menu of local delicacies prepared by volunteers every evening. Among the most anticipated dishes are the frog and eel specialties, the true stars of the gastronomic tradition of the Padule wetlands. The menu also features other rustic and flavorful Tuscan dishes:

• Tripe prepared in the local style
• Wild boar stew
• Snails in tomato sauce
• Cacciucco, the famous fish stew
• Delicious warm bomboloni (doughnuts), served every evening

The dishes vary from night to night, offering those who return multiple times the chance to always taste something new, accompanied by local wines.

Music, entertainment, and fun for everyone

Cerbaia in Festa is not just about food: every evening the stand is enlivened by dance orchestras and live music, with ballroom dancing attracting guests of all ages. There is no shortage of shows and entertainment on stage, while for families, a children's play area is set up within the club's green space. It is a genuine and family-friendly atmosphere where visitors from Lamporecchio and neighboring towns meet to dine together and dance under the stars.

The setting: Lamporecchio and the Montalbano

The festival is a great opportunity to discover Lamporecchio, a town famous throughout Tuscany for its brigidini, the thin anise-flavored wafers that originated right here. The Montalbano territory, straddling the provinces of Pistoia, Prato, and Florence, offers hilly landscapes of olive groves and vineyards, and is home to gems like the Medici Villa of Cerreto Guidi and the nearby Padule di Fucecchio. Cerbaia in Festa thus represents, beyond a night of good food, a small journey into the rural and convivial identity of the Valdinievole.