Mortara Goose Salami Festival and Goose Palio

Lomellina's Most Delicious Festival

As the last Sunday of September approaches, Mortara — a town in the province of Pavia that has always been the gastronomic capital of Lomellina — prepares for its most anticipated event: the Goose Salami Festival. The 2026 edition will be the 59th, a testament to a tradition rooted in the 1960s that draws thousands of visitors each year from all over Lombardy and beyond.

Mortara IGP Goose Salami

The undisputed star is Mortara IGP Goose Salami, a unique cured meat made from goose and pork, encased in the goose's skin and slowly cooked. It's an iconic product of Lomellina, a land of rice paddies and farming, recognized with the Protected Geographical Indication. During the festival, you can taste it at stalls in the historic center, where a full menu is served — appetizer, first course, second course, and dessert — paired with wines from Oltrepò Pavese.

The Renaissance Historical Pageant

The most spectacular moment is the historical parade on Sunday afternoon: over four to five hundred participants in late 15th-century Renaissance costumes parade through the city streets, accompanied by flag throwers and the roll of drums. The procession evokes the era when Mortara was the hunting reserve of the Duke of Milan, Ludovico il Moro Sforza, and his wife Beatrice d'Este, whose figures grandly conclude the parade.

The Goose Palio and Waterfowl Exhibition

The heart of the competition is the Goose Palio, an archery challenge between the city's districts inspired by the Game of the Goose: a tournament that awards a painted banner to the winning district. Also not to be missed is the Provincial Waterfowl Exhibition, an exhibition featuring over two hundred geese and ducks, a true symbol of the region's poultry farming heritage. The program also includes the National Poetry Prize «Città di Mortara», vintage car and motorcycle rallies, and window display contests.

Organized by the Festival Organizing Committee with the support of the Municipality of Mortara, the event has free admission and is one of the most authentic gatherings on the Lombardy festival calendar.