Festa della Zucca di San Martino

A village that returns to the Middle Ages

There is a time in autumn when the village of San Martino, a hamlet of Terzo d'Aquileia, sheds its skin as a quiet village in the Bassa friulana and dresses in rough fabrics, torches, and the scent of spices. It is the Festa della Zucca (Pumpkin Festival), one of the most characteristic medieval reenactments in the province of Udine, organised by the Associazione Amici del Borgo di San Martino. For an entire weekend in October, the narrow streets become a camp of artisans, archers, and costumed figures, in an atmosphere suspended between history and village festival.

Between archery, dances, and fire

The programme intertwines historical reenactment and entertainment: archery competitions, medieval dances, and evocative candle dances, the election of the abbess, spice exhibitions, and fire shows that illuminate the evening. Along the village winds the medieval historical and handicraft market, while for the little ones there are workshops, entertainment, and games. It is an event designed for families, where history becomes a hands-on experience.

The pumpkin, queen of the table

She remains the absolute protagonist, the pumpkin, featured in traditional Friulian dishes. From pumpkin gnocchi with goose sauce or butter and sage to pumpkin frico, to the great autumn classics of Carnia and the Bassa: cod with polenta, goose with polenta, beans, sauerkraut, and sausage. The village's cuisine thus accompanies the visitor on a journey of robust and genuine flavours, perfect for the season.

Where and when

The festival takes place in the heart of the village of San Martino, in the municipality of Terzo d'Aquileia, in the province of Udine, a few kilometres from Aquileia and the Grado lagoon. Traditionally, the event falls on one of the central weekends in October, an ideal time to combine the visit with a walk in the surroundings of the ancient Roman city of Aquileia.