Fiera degli Oh Bej! Oh Bej!

Milan's oldest fair

The Fiera degli Oh Bej! Oh Bej! is the most traditional and popular event of the week of Sant'Ambrogio, Milan's patron saint. Its origins date back to the 13th century, and for over five centuries, in the days around December 7th, the city gathers around the Sforza Castle and Parco Sempione, in Piazza Castello (Municipio 1), amidst sweets, surprises, and objects of all kinds.

The origin of the name

The curious name Oh Bej! Oh Bej! — in Milanese dialect "Oh beautiful! Oh beautiful!" — is said to be the joyful exclamation of children upon receiving gifts and sweets at the fair. The tradition is deeply linked to the figure of Sant'Ambrogio and has marked the start of the Christmas festivities in the city for centuries.

What to find at the stalls

The fair brings together hundreds of stalls offering crafts, sweets, toys, flowers, books, antiques, modern design items, and local products. It is the realm of winter street food — roasted chestnuts, sweets, mulled wine — and traditional Christmas shopping, away from standardized commercial circuits. Strolling among the stalls, against the backdrop of the illuminated Sforza Castle, is an experience that is part of the Christmas identity of every Milanese.

A celebration for the whole city

The fair is held concurrently with the Feast of Sant'Ambrogio and other events of the patron saint's week, from the mass in the basilica to the premiere at La Scala. Admission is free, and the atmosphere is unmistakably that of the start of Milanese winter: an event that draws citizens and visitors from all over Lombardy and has marked the beginning of Christmas in Milan for centuries.