Muletto and Countryside Festival

The festival that tells the story of rural Barga

The Muletto and Countryside Festival is one of the most cherished summer events in Barga, a stunning medieval village in the Media Valle del Serchio, in the province of Lucca, Tuscany. It is a popular folk event rooted in rural and village life, back when the mule was the indispensable working companion of the valley's farming families. After years of absence, the festival was brought back to life in 2025 thanks to the efforts of a group of local volunteers, achieving a success that immediately turned the event into a new classic of the Barga calendar.

The four competing neighborhoods

The heart of the festival is the challenge between the four neighborhoods (rioni) of Barga, each with its own colors and flags: the yellow of Real Piangrande, the purple of Porta Reale, the light blue of Porta Macchiaia, and the orange of Piana. In the weeks leading up to the event, the neighborhoods prepare floats, costumes, and teams, enlivening the streets of the historic center with contagious anticipation.

Competitions and traditions

The program weaves together entertainment, games, and rural memory. Highlights include:

• The parade of allegorical floats and neighborhoods, with no mandatory theme, left to the groups' imagination
• The blessing of mules, horses, and neighborhoods, which symbolically opens the festival
• The mule gymkhana, a test of skill through obstacles
• The soapbox cart race, along the village streets
• Traditional neighborhood games, from tug-of-war to the egg toss
• The muletto race, the grand finale and highlight of the event

A community celebration

More than just a competition, the Muletto Festival is a gathering for the entire village. A communal lunch is held at the AS Barga sports field at affordable prices, while the proceeds from the refreshment stand are often donated to local volunteer organizations, such as the local Misericordia. It is this spirit of solidarity and participation, combined with the charm of Barga's historic center and the views of the Apuan Alps and the Apennines, that makes the festival an unmissable appointment for those who want to experience the most authentic and less touristy side of Tuscany.