Collecchio September and Holy Cross Festival

A Village Festival Almost Two Centuries Old

The Collecchio September with the Holy Cross Festival is the event that closes the summer each year in the Municipality of Collecchio, in the province of Parma, in the heart of the Emilian plain along the Taro stream. It is one of the historic events of Emilia-Romagna: its origin lies in the devotion to a relic of the Cross of Christ brought to the village by knights returning from the Holy Land, while the fair itself was officially established in 1838, when Duchess Maria Luigia of Austria, sovereign of Parma, Piacenza, and Guastalla, granted Collecchio a fair for the trade of livestock and goods to be held on the Monday following the third Sunday in September.

When it Takes Place

The festival spans much of the month of September. The Collecchio September events begin in the first weeks of the month with scattered activities, while the heart of the Holy Cross Festival is concentrated on the central weekend, with the opening ceremony accompanied by the "Città di Collecchio" Musical Band along the streets of the capital and the traditional evening fireworks display.

The Program

The calendar is rich and designed for all ages. Among the events that are renewed year after year are:

• Concert of the Cross in Piazza Repubblica, with the "Città di Collecchio" Musical Band;
• Opening ceremony of the Festival along the streets of the capital;
• Fireworks display in the evening in the amusement park area;
• Amusement park, traditionally the largest in the province of Parma;
• Holy Cross Market, with stalls and exhibition stands from local associations;
• evenings of music, comedy, ballroom dancing, and dance in the town squares;
• sporting events, car and motorcycle rallies, and solidarity initiatives;
• gastronomic offerings with typical cuisine and street food.

A Community Event

What makes the Holy Cross Festival special is its collective dimension: the organization is handled by the Municipality of Collecchio together with the Pro Loco and dozens of associations, groups, and volunteers from the town, who animate squares, parks, and streets with shows, exhibitions, concerts, and convivial moments. It is a festival that tells the identity of a territory in the province of Parma, a land of Verdian musical culture and great gastronomic tradition, where the September fair remains a collective ritual capable of attracting visitors from all over the Parma area.

Why Visit

Those who come to Collecchio for the Holy Cross Festival will find an authentic Emilian atmosphere: the aroma of typical cuisine, the lights of the amusement park, the band parading through the streets, and crowded squares. An excellent opportunity to discover a village in the Parma plain and experience a popular festival that, since 1838, continues to unite different generations.