Italian Red Cross Festival of Carpineti

A Community Festival in the Heart of the Reggio Apennines

The Italian Red Cross Festival of Carpineti is one of the most cherished summer events in the Municipality of Carpineti, a village in the Reggio Apennines in Emilia-Romagna, within the Province of Reggio Emilia. The event takes place at Parco Matilde, the multi-purpose green space in the center of the town that hosts shows, concerts, and cultural initiatives throughout the year. For two days, the park transforms into a large meeting point where solidarity combines with the typical conviviality of Emilia's village festivals.

Thirty-Five Years of Volunteering

Behind the festival is the Italian Red Cross Committee of Carpineti, Baiso, and Cerreto Laghi, which has been active in the area since 1989. CRI volunteers provide emergency services, health transport, and numerous social assistance activities for the communities of the upper Reggio Apennines. The summer festival is the main fundraising event: the proceeds from the two days are reinvested in the many initiatives carried out throughout the year, from the purchase of vehicles and equipment to support for vulnerable individuals.

The Cuisine of Apennine Tradition

The gastronomic heart of the event is the restaurant stand, where volunteers offer traditional dishes from the Reggio Apennines. Among the specialties you can taste:

• Homemade Tortelli, a symbol of Emilian cuisine;
• Scarpazzone (or erbazzone), the famous savory pie with herbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano from the Carpineti area;
• Casagai, pieces of seasoned and fried polenta, a humble mountain dish;
• Grilled Meats and other hot dishes served at lunch and dinner.

Music, Dancing, and Training Sessions

The evenings are enlivened by ballroom dancing with traditional Emilian dance orchestras, while the program also includes training and activities for children. There are indeed theoretical and practical lessons on pediatric life-saving maneuvers, entertainment organized by young Red Cross volunteers, and performances by local dance schools. On Sunday evening, the grand finale features the drawing of the charity lottery, the highly anticipated concluding moment of the festival.

Why Participate

The Carpineti Red Cross Festival is much more than a local fair: it's an opportunity to concretely support volunteering in the Reggio Apennines, discover the authentic flavors of mountain cuisine, and experience the genuine atmosphere of a community festival. An event that combines good food, music, and solidarity just a stone's throw from the suggestive Carpineti Castle and the Pieve di San Vitale.