Oliva Dolce Festival

The historic festival of the Capannori hills

The Oliva Dolce Festival takes place in Costa a Matraia, a hillside hamlet in the municipality of Capannori, in the province of Lucca, in the heart of Tuscany. Founded in 1976, it is considered the oldest festival in the municipality and has been one of the most beloved summer events in the Lucca Plain for nearly half a century, drawing visitors from all over the region to Matraia.

The event spans three consecutive weekends, from Friday to Sunday, between late June and mid-July. Every evening, the food stalls open to the public with table service starting at 7:15 PM, offering the convivial and family-friendly atmosphere typical of Tuscan village festivals, where traditional cuisine meets music and summer cheer.

Traditional Lucca dishes

The heart of the festival is authentic local cuisine, prepared according to the traditional rural recipes of the Lucca area. Specialties you can enjoy include:

• Zuppa alla frantoiana, the famous vegetable and legume soup drizzled with new olive oil, a symbol of Lucca's culinary heritage
• Farro, the historic cereal of the Garfagnana and the Lucca Plain, served in soups
• Grilled meat, cooked over an open flame according to tradition
• Wild boar stew, a staple of local hillside cooking
• Torte co' becchi, the typical Lucca pastries with a scalloped edge, filled with vegetables or rice

The menu is rounded out by other local dishes and regional wines, offering a gastronomic journey through the authentic flavors of the hills between Capannori and Lucca.

A community celebration

The Oliva Dolce Festival is organized by the Oliva Dolce Festival Association in collaboration with the Fratres Matraia Blood Donors Group, highlighting its strong bond with the town's social and charitable life. As with many Tuscan village festivals, the event is entirely supported by local volunteers and helps fund community activities.

Attending the Oliva Dolce Festival means discovering an authentic corner of Tuscany far from mass tourism circuits: the hills of Matraia, the genuine dishes, and the warmth of the people of Capannori make this event an experience to enjoy at least once during a Lucca summer.