Festa d'Autunno di Poggio Ferrato

A festival in the medieval village of Oltrepò

The Festa d'Autunno di Poggio Ferrato takes place every year on the second Sunday of October in the hamlet of the same name in Val di Nizza, a municipality in the province of Pavia. The medieval village, perched at about 600 metres above sea level in the heart of the Oltrepò Pavese, comes alive with stalls and aromas to celebrate the arrival of autumn and the traditional peasant customs of the area.

Flavours of Pavese tradition

The day begins around 10:30 AM with stalls along the village streets, an opportunity to stroll among the colours and scents of the season. From 12:00 PM, the food stands open, offering a rich menu of typical dishes: polenta with stew, gorgonzola, sausage and mushrooms, hot sandwiches, roasted chestnuts, and the traditional schite. A journey into the authentic flavours of the Oltrepò Pavese, a land of wines and ancient agricultural culture.

Music, popular games, and panoramas

In the afternoon, the village fills with music starting at 2:00 PM, followed by traditional popular games — such as 'tiro del palo' (pole pulling), 'pesca della bottiglia' (bottle fishing), and 'rottura delle noci' (nut cracking) — designed to involve children and adults. Throughout the day, you can also visit the famous Big Bench (giant bench) overlooking the panorama, offering a spectacular view of the Oltrepò hills. Organised by the Associazione Culturale Amici di Poggio Ferrato, the festival is an opportunity to rediscover the identity of a village where tradition, gastronomy, and landscape merge.