Flower Carpet Festival of the Corpus Domini of Pievepelago
The flower carpets of the Modenese Apennines for the Corpus Domini feast
About Flower Carpet of Pievepelago
An ephemeral art nearly a century old
The Flower Carpet Festival of the Corpus Domini of Pievepelago is one of the most beloved traditions of the Modenese Apennines. In the heart of this village in the Province of Modena, in Emilia-Romagna, every year for the Corpus Domini feast, the ancient Via Tamburù and the nearby Piazza Domenico Ricci are covered with splendid floral carpets: outlines drawn with colored chalks and then filled, petal by petal, with fresh flowers collected in the preceding days. The result is true works of art that, up close, look like paintings.
A tradition born in 1927
The first written records date back to June 1927, when a chronicler of the time described the Corpus Domini procession along the village streets "strewn with fresh and fragrant flowers". Since then, the practice has progressively refined: from the simple scattering of petals, especially in the last twenty years, it has moved to increasingly complex and artistic compositions. Today, Pievepelago is part of the National Association of Flower Carpet Cities and can boast almost a century of history and over 1,400 carpets created over time by the hands of hundreds of flower artists.
How a flower carpet is made
The creation is a collective effort involving the entire community. Work begins on Saturday afternoon, continues through the night under floodlights, and concludes at dawn on Sunday when the groups complete their designs. The flowers used are partly collected locally — laburnum, acacia, broom — and partly purchased: for the latest editions, thousands of carnations from central-southern Italy have also arrived to enrich the color palette. Each group chooses its own theme, ranging from religious subjects to current events and solidarity, embracing anniversaries and topical issues of the moment.
The procession and the highlight
The heart of the day is in the morning: between 10 AM and 12 PM, the most intense work and the influx of tourists, who capture the final stages of the carpet creation, are concentrated. At noon, the solemn Corpus Domini procession passes by: according to tradition, only the priest with the Ostensory treads on the floral carpet, while the carpets remain intact until the evening, destined for an ephemeral beauty that lasts only a few hours.
Not just Pievepelago
The Flower Carpet Festival is an event shared with the nearby village of Fiumalbo, also famous for its floral carpets created in the square of the Duomo. Visiting both villages on the same Corpus Domini weekend allows you to discover two different interpretations of the same evocative ephemeral art, immersed in the landscapes of the upper Modenese Apennines.
Flower Carpet of Pievepelago — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of the Pievepelago Flower Carpet Festival took place on Sunday, June 7, in the center of the village. At least 20 floral carpets covered the ancient Via Tamburù and the nearby Piazza Domenico Ricci, created by the flower artist groups using local flowers and about 25,000 carnations from central-southern Italy.
The themes of the designs ranged from religious subjects to current events: among the year's subjects were the eight centuries since the birth of St. Francis and a strong call for world peace. The day culminated at noon with the solemn Corpus Domini procession.
Programme Flower Carpet of Pievepelago 2026
Saturday, June 6
- Afternoon — Beginning of the creation of the floral carpets along Via Tamburù and in Piazza Ricci
- Evening — Free concert in the church with local choirs
- Night — Continuation of work under artificial lighting
Sunday, June 7
- From dawn — Completion of the floral carpets
- 10:00 AM–12:00 PM — Period of most intense work and greatest tourist influx, with the final stages of carpet completion
- 12:00 PM — Solemn Corpus Domini procession: only the priest with the Ostensory treads on the carpet of flowers
- All day — Photographic exhibition and refreshment point in the square
- 4:00 PM — Drawing of the prize draw that contributed to the purchase of flowers
Simultaneously, floral carpets were also displayed in the nearby village of Fiumalbo, in the square of the Duomo, on the theme of the "Canticle of the Creatures".
Highlights Flower Carpet of Pievepelago 2026
Prices Flower Carpet of Pievepelago 2026
Practical information — Flower Carpet of Pievepelago
How to get there
Pievepelago is located in the upper Modenese Apennines, along the SS12 dell'Abetone and del Brennero. By car from Modena, take the state road towards Abetone (about 1 hour and 30 minutes). The nearest train station is Modena, from which you can continue by bus services towards the Apennines.
When and where
The floral carpets can be admired along Via Tamburù and in Piazza Domenico Ricci, in the center of the village, on the Sunday of Corpus Domini. The best time to visit is in the morning, between 10 AM and 12 PM, before the 12 PM procession.
Admission
The event is free and takes place outdoors. A refreshment point and a photographic exhibition are set up in the square. The event is supported by donations: a prize draw contributes to the purchase of flowers.
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Where does it take place — Flower Carpet of Pievepelago
Via Tamburù e Piazza Domenico Ricci
Via Tamburù, 41027 Pievepelago