Ox Festival (Grills - Florentine Steaks)
The great meat festival of Corporeno, featuring spit-roasted ox, Florentine steaks, and herdsman's macaroni
About Ox Festival
The meat festival in the heart of the Ferrarese region
In the hamlet of Corporeno, a few kilometers from the center of Cento (Province of Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna), one of the most renowned gastronomic festivals in the area takes place every year: the Ox Festival. Organized by the G.V.S.B. Association (Gruppo Volontari Sagra del Bue), the event spans several weekends, between the second half of May and the first half of June, and attracts visitors from all over the plain between Ferrara, Bologna, and Modena.
The ox, the absolute star
As the name itself suggests, ox meat is the queen of the table here. The gastronomic stand offers spit-roasted ox, accompanied by various sauces, Florentine steaks and aged rib steaks cooked over charcoal, boiled ox served with mostarda and horseradish, as well as classic mixed meat grills. Traditional Emilian first courses are also available: the famous Herdsman's Macaroni, prepared according to a closely guarded recipe, macaroni pie, gramigna with sausage, and passatelli. To finish, traditional desserts like the 'Once Upon a Time' Cake.
A park transformed into a place of celebration
The heart of the festival is the Villa Borgatti Park, along the Via Statale SS255, where a large covered stand welcomes diners even in case of rain. The green and well-kept environment makes the festival a convivial occasion for families and friends, far from the hustle and bustle of major events.
A Corporeno tradition
The Ox Festival is a genuine expression of Emilian popular tradition, where local volunteer work and a passion for good food merge into a village festival that has been renewed for many years. For the community of Corporeno and Cento, it represents an identity event, capable of uniting generations around the authentic flavors of the Ferrarese territory.
Ox Festival — edition 2026
Dates and 2026 calendar
The festival opens on: May 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, and 31; June 2, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, and 14, 2026.
Opening hours
- Evening opening from 7:30 PM on weekdays and evenings
- Sundays and Monday, June 2nd: also open for lunch from 12:00 PM
Admission is free and the gastronomic stand is located at Villa Borgatti Park, Via Statale SS255 n. 40, in Corporeno di Cento (FE).
Programme Ox Festival 2026
The gastronomic stand
The heart of the festival is the covered stand at Villa Borgatti Park, where ox meat is served in all its variations.
- Main courses: spit-roasted ox with various sauces, Florentine steaks and aged rib steaks grilled over charcoal, boiled ox with mostarda and horseradish, mixed meat grills
- First courses: Herdsman's Macaroni (house recipe), macaroni pie, gramigna with sausage, passatelli
- Side dishes and desserts: traditional side dishes and desserts like the 'Once Upon a Time' Cake
Evening opening from 7:30 PM; lunch from 12:00 PM on Sundays and June 2nd.
The program for any musical entertainment evenings has not yet been published: it is advisable to consult the official channels of the G.V.S.B. Association for updates.
Highlights Ox Festival 2026
- Spit-roasted ox, the festival's specialty
- Florentine steaks and aged rib steaks grilled over charcoal
- Herdsman's Macaroni, a historic first course of the event
- Almost a month of openings between May and June
Prices Ox Festival 2026
Practical information — Ox Festival
Where it takes place
Villa Borgatti Park, Via Statale SS255 n. 40, Corporeno, hamlet of Cento (FE). The stand is covered.
How to get there
By car: Corporeno is reached via the Strada Statale 255; reference highway exits on the A13 Bologna-Padua. By train: Cento station on the line, then a short journey to the hamlet of Corporeno.
Opening hours
Evening opening from 7:30 PM. On Sundays and June 2nd, also open for lunch from 12:00 PM.
Admission and reservations
Free admission. For information and reservations: tel. 334 7507145, e-mail [email protected].
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Where does it take place — Ox Festival
Parco Villa Borgatti, Corporeno
Via Statale SS255, 40, 44042 Cento