Pegnana Festival

A mountain festival in the heart of the Media Valle del Serchio

The Pegnana Festival is one of the most cherished summer events in the Barga municipality, in the province of Lucca, located in the Media Valle del Serchio area bordering the Garfagnana region of Tuscany. It takes place in the small mountain hamlet of Pegnana, in the Al Piano area, where the village transforms for two weekends under the shade of centuries-old chestnut trees into a vibrant hub of celebration and conviviality. It is one of those authentic village festivals that preserves the roots of a community: nothing artificial or touristy, just the genuine pleasure of gathering around good food and traditions.

Flavors of the Garfagnana tradition

The heart of the festival is its cuisine, deeply rooted in the products of the Apennine territory. At the food stalls, you can enjoy:

• Necci with ricotta, the traditional chestnut flour crepes served with fresh ricotta, a symbol of the valley's cuisine;
• Grilled meats prepared on the spot;
• Fried pasta and other traditional village dishes;
• Homemade desserts and other local specialties.

The catering service is active on Saturday and Sunday evenings, with Sunday lunch also available, all in a family atmosphere brought to life by the volunteers of the Village Committee.

Music, games, and community moments

Alongside the gastronomy, the Pegnana Festival offers a rich entertainment program. Evenings are accompanied by music and DJ sets, including an event dedicated to younger visitors, Pegnana a Tutta Birra, where beer, food, and dance music take center stage. There is also one of the most anticipated and fun moments: the traditional games of the Baracca senza frontiere, featuring tug-of-war, wood-cutting competitions, and sack races that pit teams and generations against each other.

A decades-long tradition

Now in its thirty-eighth year, the festival is organized by the Pegnana Village Committee and is part of the summer event calendar of the Barga municipality, which gathers the numerous hamlet festivals of the territory every year. For those visiting the area, it is also an opportunity to discover the village of Barga, one of the most beautiful in Italy, and the landscapes of the Media Valle del Serchio, amidst chestnut groves, mountains, and ancient Apennine villages.