Festival Bianco

A day dedicated to white

The Festival Bianco is the event that Calvene, a municipality in the Vicenza Pedemontana in the province of Vicenza, dedicates to milk and its derivatives: cheeses, butter, and ice cream. Organized by the Municipality, it celebrates the cheesemaking and rural culture that has animated this mountain corner at the foot of the Altopiano dei Sette Comuni for centuries, showcasing milk as a product of community and tradition.

Workshops, tastings, and pairings

At the heart of the festival are the tasting workshops in the so-called "Palestra del gusto" (Taste Gym), led by speakers from the ONAF (National Organisation of Cheese Tasters) Vicenza delegation. They explore pairings between cheeses and beers, and cheeses and wines from the Pedemontana, in a packed schedule that alternates tastings, stories, and comparisons between territories. There are also moments dedicated to butter, ice cream, and "snacks of yesteryear".

Producers and the territory

Along the streets of the town centre, stalls of local producers allow visitors to buy and taste cheeses and dairy products from the area, in a festive atmosphere that brings together mountain huts, dairies, and visitors. The Festival Bianco is a free event open to the public, while the workshops – with limited places – require booking.

Flavours of the mountains

More than just a simple sagra (food festival), the Festival Bianco tells the story of the territory through taste: an opportunity to discover Calvene, its waterfalls and mills, and to understand how much cheesemaking tradition is part of the identity of the Vicenza mountains.