Ciocco C'è – Chocolate Festival
The most delicious weekend of the year in the heart of Castelfranco Emilia
About Ciocco C'è
A weekend dedicated to chocolate in Castelfranco Emilia
Ciocco C'è – Chocolate Festival is the event that, at the beginning of February, lights up the historic center of Castelfranco Emilia, an important municipality in the province of Modena, in Emilia-Romagna. For an entire weekend, the city squares and streets transform into a large open-air laboratory dedicated to the art of artisanal chocolate, with master chocolatiers, pastry chefs, and local producers.
The heart of the festival
The focal point of the event is Piazza Garibaldi, alongside Corso Martiri, Via Garibaldi, Piazza Aldo Moro, and Piazza Curiel, along with the city's main cultural venues such as the Simonini Civic Archaeological Museum. Along Corso Martiri, the Ciocco Shop comes to life, where master chocolatiers exhibit and sell their creations and demonstrate live the process from cocoa bean to finished product.
Show cooking, workshops, and tastings
The program alternates moments of entertainment and in-depth learning: masterclasses and chocolate-making courses, show cooking with local pastry chefs, tastings, and themed offerings. Ample space is reserved for families, with workshops for children, animated readings, wooden games, and itinerant performances. Live music, markets, and cultural initiatives involving local associations and schools, starting with students from IIS Spallanzani, are also featured.
A delicious tradition that is growing
Born a few years ago, Ciocco C'è has quickly established itself as one of the most anticipated winter food and wine events in the Modenese area, attracting thousands of visitors in just one weekend. The event highlights Emilia-Romagna's pastry-making vocation and the artisanal fabric of Castelfranco Emilia, combining taste, culture, and conviviality in a festive atmosphere throughout the city streets.
Free admission
Admission to the festival is free: you only pay for what you choose to buy or taste at the stands. A perfect opportunity for a day trip to discover the flavors and traditions of the Modenese territory.
Ciocco C'è — edition 2026
Ciocco C'è 2026 – Fifth Edition
The fifth edition of the Chocolate Festival was held on February 7 and 8, 2026, animating Piazza Garibaldi and the streets of Castelfranco Emilia's center. Saturday's official inauguration at 10:00 AM in Piazza Garibaldi opened a day full of events, with masterclasses and chocolate-making courses, show cooking dedicated to the Castelfranco Emilia praline, workshops for children, and in the afternoon, the return of *Ciocco Après Slide* and initiatives like *Mulled Wine on a Vespa* along Corso Martiri. Sunday featured the morning farmers' market, the arts and crafts market, shows for children, a chess tournament, and live music with the Manzolino Band, concluding with a closing ceremony with tastings.
Along Via Garibaldi, students from IIS Spallanzani animated their dedicated space, while the Ciocco Shop on Corso Martiri offered tastings and sales of artisanal creations throughout the weekend. Admission was free.
Programme Ciocco C'è 2026
Saturday, February 7
- 10:00 AM – Official inauguration (Piazza Garibaldi)
- 10:00 AM-12:00 PM – Masterclass and chocolate-making course
- 10:30 AM – "Not just chocolate…", reading marathon for children aged 3-7
- 11:00 AM-2:30 PM – Show cooking: "The Castelfranco Emilia Praline", "Sweet Tastings", "How a Praline is Born"
- 2:30 PM-6:30 PM – "Mulled Wine on a Vespa" (Corso Martiri)
- 3:00 PM-7:00 PM – Bio GAS C'È Market, wooden games, Radio Ciock, and workshops for children
- 6:00 PM – Ciocco Après Slide (Piazza Aldo Moro)
Sunday, February 8
- 8:00 AM-1:00 PM – Farmers' market
- From 9:00 AM – Arts and crafts market
- 11:30 AM – Itinerant show "The Wagon of Wonders" and puppet theater
- 2:00 PM – Show cooking "How a Sacher Torte is Born"
- 2:30 PM-5:00 PM – Ciocco Chess Tournament
- 3:00 PM – Ciocco Music with the Manzolino Band
- 6:00 PM – Closing ceremony with tastings
For both days: "Spazio SPA…CIO…C'È" curated by IIS Spallanzani students along Via Garibaldi (10:00 AM-7:00 PM) and Ciocco Shop along Corso Martiri (9:00 AM-8:00 PM).
Highlights Ciocco C'è 2026
- Fifth edition of the Chocolate Festival
- Master chocolatiers and live show cooking
- Workshops, readings, and shows for children
- Farmers' market and arts and crafts market
- Live music with the Manzolino Band
- Free admission
Prices Ciocco C'è 2026
Practical information — Ciocco C'è
How to get there
Castelfranco Emilia is located along the ancient Via Emilia, between Modena and Bologna. By car, it is accessible from the A1 motorway (Modena Sud or Valsamoggia exit) and from the Via Emilia (SS9). By train, Castelfranco Emilia station is on the Milan–Bologna line, a few minutes' walk from the historic center.
Opening hours and admission
The event takes place over the weekend, generally from morning to evening. Admission is free; purchases and tastings are paid for at the stands.
Practical advice
It is advisable to reach the center by public transport or to park in the surrounding areas, as many city center streets are pedestrianized during the event. Dress appropriately for the winter season.
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Where does it take place — Ciocco C'è
Centro storico di Castelfranco Emilia
Piazza Garibaldi, 41013 Castelfranco Emilia