Native Hop Festival of Marano

A festival born around Italian hops

The Native Hop Festival of Marano, also known as Marano Wild Hopfest, is the Italian event dedicated to native hops and craft beer. It takes place in Marano sul Panaro, a small municipality in the Modenese Apennines in Emilia-Romagna, and every year transforms the central Piazza Matteotti into the Italian capital of home-grown hops for two days.

Marano and hops: a century and a half of history

The first record of hop cultivation in Italy dates back to 1876, precisely in the territory of the Municipality of Marano sul Panaro, at the Montecuccoli marquises' estate. This historical legacy was relaunched in 2012 with a university research project that led, in 2017, to the registration of three varieties of Italian hops: M/P Futura, M/P Aemilia, and M/P MODNA. The festival was created to showcase and promote this heritage, fostering dialogue between farmers, researchers, brewers, and enthusiasts.

What to find at the festival

The event attracts some of the best Italian craft breweries and offers a program centered around the culture of quality beer. Among the activities that characterize the event:

• tastings of craft beers, including those produced with native and experimental hops;
• guided workshops and masterclasses dedicated to tasting and learning about local varieties;
• food stalls and street food offerings;
• an arts and crafts market;
• live music accompanying the evenings in the square.

Over the years, the festival has complemented tastings with in-depth sessions, such as visits to hop fields and conferences dedicated to Italian hops, in collaboration with local entities involved in the brewing supply chain.

An event for the entire province of Modena

Promoted by the Municipality of Marano sul Panaro together with the local Pro Loco, the festival is now a highly anticipated event in the summer calendar of the Terre di Castelli area, at the foot of the Modenese Apennines. Free admission and a convivial atmosphere make it an ideal occasion to discover Italian craft beer and a corner of Emilia-Romagna linked to a unique agricultural tradition.