Genovese Festival of Vallenzona
Edition 2026 Sacred music Comedy Gastronomy

Genovese Festival of Vallenzona

Mass in the Genoese language and traditional flavors in Val Vobbia

Vobbia — Genova (210)
Dates 23 Aug — 23 Aug 2026
Location Vobbia (210)
Prices Free
Status —

About Genovese Festival

In Vallenzona, a tiny hamlet of Vobbia nestled in the woods of Val Vobbia, Genoese identity is celebrated every summer with a unique day of festivities. The Genovese Festival revolves around a mass celebrated in the Genoese language, accompanied by the valley's choir and bell ringers, and continues with a show dedicated to Genoa and a traditional lunch: baked lasagna and Genoese 'cima'. An event that draws visitors from Genoa and the surrounding valleys, a guardian of a culture and language that endure over time.

The Genoese spirit of Vallenzona

The Genovese Festival of Vallenzona is a traditional event held in Vallenzona, a small hamlet in the municipality of Vobbia, in the mountainous hinterland of the Metropolitan City of Genoa, at about 600 meters above sea level in the picturesque Val Vobbia. It is a festival that celebrates Genoese identity and language, in a rural and intimate setting.

Mass in the Genoese language

The central moment of the day is the mass celebrated in the Genoese dialect, officiated by Don Carbone. The celebration is accompanied by the Loderò choir of Albenga and the bell ringers of Val Vobbia, creating a fusion of religious tradition and local cultural identity. A rare and evocative rite, which gives voice to an ancient language often confined to the private sphere.

Genoese show and cuisine

The festival continues with the show "Superbamente" by Marco Rinaldi, a performance of stories, rhymes, and laughter about Genoa and the Genoese spirit. At the table, the menu offers traditional specialties: baked lasagna and Genoese 'cima', with typical side dishes. A day that combines faith, culture, humor, and good food.

Val Vobbia, between nature and history

Vobbia is best known for the striking Castello della Pietra (Stone Castle), perched between two rock spires, and for the landscapes of the Antola Park. The Genovese Festival of Vallenzona is an invitation to discover this little-known mountainous hinterland, where Genoese traditions and language are still a living part of the community.

Genovese Festival — edition 2026

The Genovese Festival of Vallenzona returns in summer 2026 to the hamlet of Vobbia, with a mass in the Genoese language accompanied by a choir and bell ringers, a show dedicated to Genoa, and the traditional lunch. The exact date will be announced by the Pro Loco of Vobbia.

For 2026, the Genovese Festival of Vallenzona is expected on a Sunday in August, following the usual summer schedule. The day will include a mass celebrated in the Genoese dialect, accompanied by the choir and bell ringers of Val Vobbia, the show on Genoese spirit, and the traditional lunch with baked lasagna and Genoese 'cima'. The precise date will be announced by the Pro Loco of Vobbia closer to the event.

Programme Genovese Festival 2026

The program and date for the 2026 edition will be announced by the Pro Loco of Vobbia. The usual structure of the day includes:

  • Morning — Mass in the Genoese language (officiated by Don Carbone), with the Loderò choir of Albenga and the bell ringers of Val Vobbia
  • Show "Superbamente" by Marco Rinaldi on Genoa and the Genoese spirit
  • Traditional lunch: baked lasagna, Genoese 'cima', and side dishes

Highlights Genovese Festival 2026

The mass in the Genoese language with choir and bell ringers, the show on Genoese spirit, the traditional Genoese menu.

Prices Genovese Festival 2026

Free admission to the festival; lunch by reservation.

Practical information — Genovese Festival

When

August, one Sunday (the 2026 date will be announced by the Pro Loco closer to the event).

Where

Vallenzona, hamlet of Vobbia (GE), Val Vobbia.

How to get there

About an hour's drive from Genoa, take the A7 motorway (exit Isola del Cantone) and then provincial road 8. Car is recommended.

Admission

Free admission to the festival; lunch by reservation.

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Where does it take place — Genovese Festival

Vallenzona, frazione di Vobbia

Genovese Festival in brief

Sacred music Comedy Gastronomy Folk traditions Folklore Outdoor Genova

History of Genovese Festival