Old Bridge Festival
The late-summer village festival in Ponte alla Chiassa, featuring Arezzo cuisine and ballroom dancing
Edition 2026 not confirmed to date
This edition has not been confirmed by the organiser to date. We recommend checking before going.
About Old Bridge Festival
A village festival that smells of tradition
The Old Bridge Festival is one of the longest-running village fairs in the Arezzo area. It takes place in Ponte alla Chiassa, a village in the municipality of Arezzo, Tuscany, along the Chiassa stream from which it takes its name: the event is linked to the remains of an ancient Romanesque stone bridge still visible near the water. Born in the late 1970s, the festival has grown edition after edition to become a fixed appointment in the local summer calendar.
Who organizes it
Keeping the tradition alive is the Polisportiva Dilettantistica Stella Azzurra, the local sports association deeply rooted in the village's social fabric. It is the volunteers of the sports club, both in the kitchen and in the dining area, who make this multi-day event possible every year, representing an important moment for promoting the area and supporting local sports activities.
Traditional Arezzo cuisine
The heart of the festival is the food stand, where Tuscan and Arezzo cuisine take center stage. Every evening, starting at 7:00 PM, you can start with an aperitif and then dine on typical dishes: Tuscan appetizers, macaroni with meat sauce, tripe, the famous grifi all'aretina (a traditional preparation made with veal cheek and snout), grilled meats, and pizza. On Sundays, the menu is enriched with lunch, including lasagna and roasts.
Music and dance evenings
After dinner, the festival comes alive with dance evenings and ballroom dancing accompanied by live orchestras, the true soul of country festivals in the Arezzo area. Over the years, the stage has hosted numerous traditional orchestras and bands, as well as evenings designed for a younger audience. Music generally starts around 9:30 PM and continues late into the night.
An event for the whole community
With free admission and its distinctive convivial atmosphere, the Old Bridge Festival is much more than just a fair: it is a moment when the small community of Ponte alla Chiassa and its surroundings come together, and where visitors passing through the Province of Arezzo can discover true Tuscan hospitality, made of good food, music, and social connection.
Old Bridge Festival — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of the Old Bridge Festival confirms the tried-and-tested formula of the Ponte alla Chiassa village fair, with the food stand open every evening from 7:00 PM and evenings enlivened by ballroom dancing with live orchestras. On the menu are the great classics of Arezzo cuisine: appetizers, macaroni with meat sauce, tripe, grifi all'aretina, grilled meats, and pizza.
Note on dates: the dates indicated for 2026 follow the usual late August and early September calendar of the event and are to be considered pending official confirmation. It is recommended to check the days and program on the official Facebook page of the festival or by contacting the Polisportiva Stella Azzurra.
Programme Old Bridge Festival 2026
The detailed program for the 2026 edition, with the schedule of orchestras and dance evenings, will be announced by the organizers closer to the event.
The usual structure of the evenings includes:
- From 7:00 PM — opening of the food stand with aperitif and dinner (Tuscan appetizers, macaroni with meat sauce, tripe, grifi all'aretina, grilled meats, pizza).
- From approximately 9:30 PM — dance evenings with live ballroom orchestras, as well as evenings dedicated to a younger audience.
- On Sundays — lunch with lasagna and roasts.
Updates and the orchestra line-up are published on the festival's official Facebook page.
Highlights Old Bridge Festival 2026
Prices Old Bridge Festival 2026
Practical information — Old Bridge Festival
Where it takes place
The festival is held in the town center of Ponte alla Chiassa, a village in the municipality of Arezzo (ZIP code 52100), along the Chiassa stream valley.
How to get there
Ponte alla Chiassa can be reached by car from Arezzo by following the signs for the Chiassa along the valley, just a few kilometers from the city center. The reference railway station is Arezzo, on the Rome-Florence line.
Hours and admission
Free admission. The food stand opens every evening from 7:00 PM for aperitifs and dinner; music and dancing follow. Lunch is also available on Sundays.
Contacts
Polisportiva Stella Azzurra — tel. +39 0575 362034, email [email protected]. Updates on dates and programs are available on the festival's official Facebook page.
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Where does it take place — Old Bridge Festival
Ponte alla Chiassa