Mid-Lent Fairs

A centuries-old tradition in the heart of the Valtiberina

The Mid-Lent Fairs are the signature event of Sansepolcro, a town in the Tuscan Valtiberina and the birthplace of Piero della Francesca. It is one of the oldest and most deep-rooted events in the region: its origins date back to the 15th century, when the fair was primarily a large market and livestock exhibition. However, the right to trade in this village dates back as far as 1057, when a papal bull from Pope Stephen IX granted Abbot Felice the right to establish a trading post at the abbey. As a historic border town, Sansepolcro has made trade a vital chapter of its history and identity.

When the Fairs take place

The event maintains its traditional calendar, linked to the liturgical period: it is held on the Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the week preceding Easter by fifteen days, usually around the fifth Sunday of Lent. Hence the name Mid-Lent Fairs. For four days, the Municipality of Sansepolcro opens its historic center to a major event of commerce, exhibition, and social gathering.

The street market and themed areas

The historic heart of the event remains the street market, with numerous vendors distributed along the main streets of the center: via XX Settembre, via Matteotti, via degli Aggiunti, viale Diaz, piazza della Repubblica, and largo Porta del Ponte. Alongside the market, several themed areas are developed:

• Taste Square (Piazza Torre di Berta and via Matteotti): the space dedicated to street food, featuring regional and international specialties;
• Porta Fiorentina: the quality crafts area, in collaboration with the Terre della Valtiberina Consortium;
• Foro Boario: the historic livestock fair, a living memory of the event's rural origins;
• viale Armando Diaz: zero-kilometer local food products;
• viale Veneto: creative works and amateur exhibitions, as well as spaces for vehicles, equipment, and materials for construction and agriculture.

Entertainment for the whole family

The Fairs are not just about commerce. The Fair Stage hosts performances by local cultural, sports, and artistic associations, while the traditional Funfair provides moments of fun for families and children. A mix that makes the event a popular celebration, capable of attracting visitors from all over Tuscany and the nearby regions of Umbria, Marche, and Emilia-Romagna.

An event rooted in the community

For Sansepolcro and the entire Valtiberina, the Mid-Lent Fairs represent an appointment awaited all year round, an expression of a millennial mercantile tradition that continues to renew itself. Amidst stalls, flavors, crafts, and shows, the event celebrates the identity of a border town that has always made exchange and hospitality its hallmark.