Pietracuta Cherry Festival

A tradition born in 1976

The Pietracuta Cherry Festival is one of the most anticipated events in the spring calendar of the Rimini hills. It takes place in Pietracuta, a hamlet of the Municipality of San Leo, in the province of Rimini, in Emilia-Romagna. The event was founded in 1976 from the idea of a group of friends, who later formed the Cherry Festival Committee, with the aim of promoting a fruit cultivated here since the early twentieth century in a fertile plain called Antaneta, stretching between the village and the Marecchia river.

The 'Festa dal Zarisi'

Affectionately known in the Romagna dialect as the "Festa dal Zarisi", the festival is first and foremost a community celebration: for four days, Pietracuta dresses in red and welcomes thousands of visitors. Recent editions have recorded around 15,000 attendees, confirming the event's strong roots in the Valmarecchia area.

Gastronomy and zero-kilometer cherries

The heart of the event are the food stalls, where visitors can taste typical Romagna cuisine along with the absolute stars of the festival: local cherries, sold fresh and featured in desserts and specialties. Alongside the food, a lively craft market and local products animate the streets of the hamlet.

Music, shows, and entertainment

Every evening, the festival offers live concerts and shows, from musical tributes to traditional Romagna dance orchestras, and even late-night clubbing. There are also areas dedicated to children, with bouncy castles and entertainment, vintage motorcycle and Vespa gatherings, and photographic exhibitions retracing the history of the festival since the seventies.

A free event for everyone

Admission to the Cherry Festival is completely free, including the musical evenings and shows. An ideal event to discover Valmarecchia, combining it with a visit to the nearby fortress of San Leo and the villages of the Rimini hills.