Monte Sporno Landscape Festival – The Night of the Crayfish

A Night by the Streams of Monte Sporno

La Notte del Gambero (The Night of the Crayfish) is the most sought-after event of the Monte Sporno Landscape Festival, a widespread event that transforms the foothills of the Parma Apennines into an open-air laboratory every summer. The event takes place in Calestano, in the Province of Parma, in an area of extraordinary natural and cultural interest surrounding Monte Sporno, protected since 1985. Here, as darkness falls, a hiking nature guide leads participants along the streams to encounter one of the most discreet and precious inhabitants of these waterways: the river crayfish.

The Native River Crayfish

The star of the evening is the Austropotamobius pallipes, the native Italian river crayfish, a species now endangered and therefore a symbol of the health of the Apennine ecosystems. The excursion is organized in collaboration with the Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park and is part of the European Life Claw project, which works on the conservation and repopulation of this crustacean in the northwestern Apennines, between Emilia-Romagna and Liguria. Before setting off, a brief introduction will cover the species' biology and the reasons for its protection.

How it Works

• Guided night excursion, suitable for nature enthusiasts and families with children (recommended for ages 8 and up).
• Nature guide: Martino Piazza.
• Meeting point in Calestano: the exact location will be provided upon registration.
• Recommended equipment: hiking shoes or boots, flashlight, and a sweatshirt for the evening hours.

Inside the Monte Sporno Landscape Festival

La Notte del Gambero is not an isolated event: it is part of the diverse calendar of the Monte Sporno Landscape Festival, which in its 2026 edition offers nine events from June 6 to July 11 in Riano, Castrignano, Cozzano, Fragno, Valle di Castrignano, and Calestano. Guided tours, nature workshops for children, geological excursions, and a grand finale celebration all contribute to a collective narrative of the millennia-old dialogue between humans and nature in these hills of Emilia-Romagna. The organization involves the Monte Sporno Natural Park and local entities, including the Pro Loco of Calestano.