Festa di Occhiate

The farmhouse festival

The Festa di Occhiate, also known as Festa sull'Aia, is the traditional festival of the hamlet of Cascina Occhiate, in Brugherio, in the province of Monza and Brianza. Organized by the villagers, it is one of the most heartfelt and long-standing events in the city: for over forty years, it has drawn people from Brugherio and visitors to a corner that preserves the atmosphere of the Brianza countryside.

Music, dancing, and good food

For several days, the Feste area in Via Aldo Moro comes alive with live music, dancing, games, and home-style, genuine cuisine: polenta, salamelle (sausages), Valtellina pizzoccheri, fries, and draft beer, served in the shade of the old mill. The evenings feature a mix of country music, children's entertainment, and performances by local associations.

The Palio delle Oche and charity

The most characteristic moment of the festival is the traditional Palio delle Oche, held on Sunday. The event's special nature is also its solidarity: all proceeds are donated to volunteer associations operating in the area. The Festa di Occhiate thus remains an authentic example of a community festival, where tradition, taste, and generosity intertwine.

A festival born from the farmhouse

What makes the Festa di Occhiate special is its spontaneous and popular origin: it is not an event imposed from above, but a festival created by the residents of Cascina Occhiate themselves, a rural hamlet of Brugherio, in the province of Monza and Brianza. For over forty years, residents have organized the festival, cooked, entertained evenings, and preserved traditions like the Palio delle Oche. It is this participatory dimension, combined with the charitable destination of the proceeds, that gives the event a value that goes beyond a simple food festival: the Festa di Occhiate is a living story of a rural Brianza that, despite transformation, has not forgotten its roots.