Fira di Ai (Garlic Festival)
The historic garlic festival in the center of San Giovanni in Persiceto
About Fira di Ai
The historic festival of Persiceto
The Fira di Ai, or the Garlic Festival, is one of the most cherished events of the summer in San Giovanni in Persiceto, a town in the Bolognese plain in Emilia-Romagna. Its roots go back to 1772, the year the people of Persiceto obtained permission to hold the summer fair on June 24th, the day of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, the community's patron saint. Since then, the event has gradually expanded to include a rich program of events spread over an entire weekend.
Why is it called Fira di Ai
The dialect name refers to garlic (ai in Bolognese), the protagonist of an ancient popular belief: whoever buys a head of garlic on Saint John's Day will have money for the whole year. In addition to its lucky charm value, garlic was appreciated for its properties in the peasant and gastronomic tradition of the lower Bolognese area. Even today, stalls selling the typical product stand alongside market and craft stalls that invade the streets and squares of the center.
Between commerce and entertainment
The Fira di Ai combines its commercial nature with that of a popular festival. Concerts, theatrical and street performances, sports exhibitions, games for children, and food stands follow one another in the squares and streets of the historic center. Local culinary specialties are not to be missed, with piadine, spianate, and the flavors of the Emilian tradition, accompanied by live music and DJ sets in the evenings.
A festival for the whole community
Organized by the Pro Loco San Zvan together with the Municipality of San Giovanni in Persiceto and Confcommercio Ascom Bologna, the festival involves associations, traders, and citizens. The program alternates cultural moments, workshops, photographic exhibitions, and initiatives dedicated to well-being, in a festive atmosphere that attracts visitors from all over the Bolognese plain.
- Where: historic center of San Giovanni in Persiceto (BO)
- When: late June, around the feast of Saint John the Baptist (June 24th)
- Admission: free
- Tradition: the purchase of garlic as a good omen ritual
Fira di Ai — edition 2026
The Fira di Ai 2026 confirms its dates for late June, around the feast of Saint John the Baptist on June 24th. For three days, the historic center of San Giovanni in Persiceto will host the market, stalls selling garlic and local products, crafts, and food stands, along with concerts, shows, and activities for children.
The detailed program for the 2026 edition, including times, locations, and evening events, will be published by the organizers in the weeks preceding the event on the official channels of the Municipality and the Pro Loco San Zvan.
Prices Fira di Ai 2026
Practical information — Fira di Ai
How to get there
San Giovanni in Persiceto is located in the plain northwest of Bologna. By car, it can be reached from the A1 motorway (Bologna-Borgo Panigale exit) or via the Persicetana road. By train, San Giovanni in Persiceto station is served by the Bologna-Verona regional line.
Admission and hours
Admission to the festival is free. Events take place in the historic center, mainly in the afternoon and evening. Some special initiatives (guided tours, tastings) may require booking.
Information
Culture and Tourism Office of the Municipality of San Giovanni in Persiceto, tel./WhatsApp +39 348 7318029, email [email protected].
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Where does it take place — Fira di Ai
Centro storico (Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Garibaldi, Piazza Carducci)