Grape Festival of Bondeno di Gonzaga

A harvest festival in the heart of Bassa Mantovana

The Grape Festival is the quintessential autumn event in the hamlet of Bondeno di Gonzaga, in the Municipality of Gonzaga, in the province of Mantua. Founded in the early eighties, the event celebrates the grape harvest season with a program that combines gastronomy, music, and popular traditions of the Po Valley. It takes place at the picturesque Corte Matilde, a rural courtyard that serves as a natural backdrop for the event.

Sügol, the absolute star

The signature dish of the festival is Sügol, a traditional dessert made from cooked grape must and flour, recognized as De.Co. (Municipal Denomination of Origin) of Gonzaga. It is the specialty that best tells the story of the bond between Bondeno and its land, and which attracts curious visitors and food lovers every year. Alongside Sügol, you'll find fried gnocco, to be enjoyed with cured meats and cheeses, and all the typical Mantuan cuisine served at the food stalls in the courtyard.

Two weekends of taste, music, and fun

The festival spans two weekends between September and October. The restaurants and food stalls open every evening, while the evenings are enlivened by orchestras playing liscio and dance music, with a focus on melodies from the seventies and eighties. There are also moments dedicated to the youngest visitors, such as the traditional grape stomping for children, carousels, games, and themed exhibitions, including displays dedicated to stationary engines and peasant civilization.

A tradition that unites the village

Behind the Grape Festival is the voluntary work of the Bunden in Piasa association, which has kept this celebration alive for decades, making it a meeting point for the entire community of Bondeno and for visitors from the province of Mantua. It is one of those village festivals where conviviality, good food, and a sense of belonging to the territory remain at the heart of everything.