Bread Festival

The Bread Festival of Maiolo

In the heart of Valmarecchia, in the hinterland of the province of Rimini, the Municipality of Maiolo preserves one of the most authentic gastronomic traditions of Emilia-Romagna: bread-making in ancient wood-fired ovens. Every year, at the end of June, the village celebrates this heritage with the Bread Festival, a festival that attracts visitors from all over Romagna and the neighboring Marche region.

Ancient ovens come back to life

Maiolo preserves a real open-air museum of bread: about fifty wood-fired ovens scattered throughout the territory, some dating back to the early decades of the 19th century, of which about ten are still active and functioning. During the festival, these ovens are reignited: local flours are kneaded according to ancient methods, and bread is baked using techniques passed down from peasant culture. Visitors can witness the kneading and baking phases and taste the freshly baked bread, a symbol of knowledge that the village has managed to preserve over time.

Between tradition, taste, and conviviality

The program combines moments of celebration and traditional rituals. The Peasant Dinner, set up in the square with homemade dishes, grilled meats, and typical desserts, opens the festivities in a convivial atmosphere. Sunday is dedicated to the community: the Mass with the blessing of the bread, visits to the historic ovens and the Bread Museum, the market of typical products and crafts, the food stall with spianate, piadine, and local specialties, entertainment for children, and live music that accompanies the day.

A village to discover

The festival is also an opportunity to discover Maiolo and its landscape: the rock of the Rocca di Maioletto, the views over the Valmarecchia, and the paths that cross a territory of rare beauty. Over the years, the event has enriched its program with guided excursions and walks among the ovens and the surrounding countryside.

A tradition that continues

Now in its 27th edition in 2026, the Maiolo Bread Festival is much more than a food festival: it is a living story of the peasant civilization of Emilia-Romagna, in which bread becomes the thread that binds memory, community, and the identity of an entire village in Valmarecchia.