Ferragosto sotto il Salice

A week of celebration on Lake Maggiore

For almost fifty years, Ferragosto sotto il Salice has been the summer event that makes the heart of Ranco beat faster, a small municipality in the Province of Varese overlooking the Lombardy shore of Lake Maggiore. For seven consecutive evenings, the "Gianni Rodari" lakeside gardens fill with music, culinary aromas, and lights reflecting on the water, in one of the most beautiful scenic settings on the lake.

The cuisine: lake fish takes center stage

The true common thread of the festival is gastronomy. Every evening, the Pro Loco stand serves lake fish specialties — whitefish, trout, coregone — alongside traditional hot dishes. There are also some international incursions, like the large paella prepared at lunchtime by the Associazione barchedese, a sign of a festival that knows how to unite local roots and open conviviality.

Music, shows, and Brovelli Day

Every evening, starting at 9:00 PM, you can dance to live orchestras and tribute bands, while for the little ones there are jugglers, magicians, soap bubbles, and fire-eaters. Among the most curious events is Brovelli Day, the gathering of people with the surname Brovelli, which attracts participants from all over Italy and abroad: a small cult event that embodies the joyful and identity-driven spirit of this festival.

The grand finale fireworks over the water

The most anticipated moment is the fireworks display synchronized with music, which illuminates the water in front of the gardens and offers one of the most evocative evenings of the Larian summer. Thousands of people gather along the shore to watch the fireworks reflected on Lake Maggiore.

A local tradition

Organized entirely by the Pro Loco Ranco with the support of the entire community, the event is now a summer classic in the Varese region, capable of transforming a village of a few hundred inhabitants into a focal point for tourists and holidaymakers across Lake Maggiore.