Ottone Livestock Fair

A festival that speaks of roots

The Ottone Livestock Fair is one of the most cherished events in the upper Trebbia Valley, the rugged Apennine valley connecting the Piacenza region to the Genoa area. In the Municipality of Ottone, a village of just over five hundred inhabitants perched at almost five hundred meters above sea level in the Province of Piacenza, in Emilia-Romagna, spring opens with a day celebrating the peasant and pastoral world that has shaped this mountain territory for centuries.

The breeders and their animals

The heart of the event is the livestock exhibition: about thirty breeders from the upper Trebbia Valley bring cows, horses, mules, and goats to the square, animals raised in pastures along the ridges. It's an opportunity to admire quality livestock up close and rediscover ancient trades like bovine farriery, alongside demonstrations of old farming practices.

Market, gastronomy, and tradition

All around, the market of typical products unfolds with craft stalls, while gastronomic stands and food trucks fill the village with the aromas of mountain cuisine: polenta and carne assada (roasted meat) prepared by Pro Loco volunteers are the symbolic dishes of the festival, focusing on local sourcing.

Music, choirs, and entertainment

The fair is not just about commerce and tradition: during the day, spontaneous mountain choirs can be heard, while the afternoon comes alive with live music and dancing. There are also areas designed for families, with games and inflatables for children, a charity raffle, and saddle baptism for those who want to get closer to the world of horses.

An attraction beyond regional borders

Organized by the Pro Loco of Ottone together with the Municipality, the fair has grown year after year, attracting thousands of visitors not only from Emilia but also from neighbouring Liguria, thanks to Ottone's location halfway between Piacenza and Genoa. It is much more than a local festival; it is a collective ritual that tells the identity of a mountain community proud of its roots and capable of looking to the future.