Pork Festival of Montiano
The winter festival of cicciolata in the village of Montiano, in the Cesena area of Rubicone
About Montiano Pork Festival
A peasant festival in the heart of Rubicone
The Pork Festival of Montiano, a small municipality in the Province of Forlì-Cesena nestled on the first hills between Rubicone and Savio, is one of the most beloved winter festivals in the Cesena area of Romagna. Born to revive a ritual that for generations marked the winter of farming families, the festival evokes the processing of pork, once a moment of community work and sharing among neighbors.
The ritual of cicciolata
The beating heart of the event is the cicciolata: in the village streets, ciccioli (pork cracklings) are artisanally prepared live, in large cauldrons, before the visitors' eyes. It is an activity that combines taste and memory, where the skill of the butchers is passed down from one edition to the next. Alongside the cicciolata, a practical demonstration of pork processing shows the public every step of the tradition.
Flavors of Romagna winter
The Pro Loco's covered and heated food stand offers the most authentic dishes of the region's winter cuisine:
- Puntarine with beans and pork rind, a hearty traditional poor dish;
- Polenta with pork sauce, a symbol of peasant conviviality;
- Grilled salami and sausage, freshly prepared;
- Cotechino with herbs and liver skewers;
- Hot and crispy ciccioli, the true specialty of the day.
Market, pasquaroli, and lottery
Throughout Sunday, along Via Cesare Battisti and Via Vittorio Veneto, a market unfolds with about fifty stalls of local products, crafts, and sweets. In the afternoon, Piazza Maggiore comes alive with pasquaroli groups, singers of Romagna's folk tradition who go from house to house, and the classic lottery in the piazza that closes the festival with joy.
An event for the entire territory
The Pork Festival is organized by the Pro Loco of Montiano with the patronage of the Municipality of Montiano and has now established itself as one of the most attractive winter events in the entire Rubicone valley, in Emilia-Romagna. The event takes place regularly even in bad weather, thanks to the coverings set up in the gastronomic areas.
Montiano Pork Festival — edition 2026
The 19th edition of the Pork Festival of Montiano was held on the weekend of January 24 and 25, 2026, confirming the traditional format that has drawn visitors from all over the Cesena Rubicone for almost twenty years. The festival opened on Saturday evening with dinner by reservation and then focused on Sunday, with cicciolata, the market, and gastronomic specialties of the Romagna winter. The organization was curated, as tradition dictates, by the Pro Loco of Montiano.
Programme Montiano Pork Festival 2026
Saturday, January 24, 2026
- 7:00 PM — Dinner at the Pro Loco's food stand (by reservation by January 20: tel. 348 7391863 or 347 9351599).
Sunday, January 25, 2026
- 9:00 AM — Opening of the market along Via Cesare Battisti and Via Vittorio Veneto and start of ciccioli sales.
- 10:00 AM — Cicciolata: preparation and sale of ciccioli live along Via Vittorio Veneto.
- 12:00 PM — Opening of the covered food stand with a practical demonstration of pork processing.
- 3:00 PM — Performance by pasquaroli groups in Piazza Maggiore.
- 4:15 PM — Lottery in the piazza.
Along the town's streets, a market with about 50 stalls. The event took place even in case of bad weather, thanks to the coverings set up.
Highlights Montiano Pork Festival 2026
- Cicciolata prepared live along the village streets.
- The food stand with puntarine and beans, polenta with pork sauce, grilled salami and sausage, cotechino, and liver skewers.
- Pasquaroli performances and the lottery in Piazza Maggiore.
Prices Montiano Pork Festival 2026
Practical information — Montiano Pork Festival
How to get there
Montiano can be reached by car from the Via Emilia (SS9) by exiting at Cesena and continuing towards the Rubicone hills, or from the A14 motorway (Cesena Nord or Cesena exit, about 15-20 minutes). The nearest train station is Cesena, connected to the town via provincial roads.
Where it takes place
The center of the festival is Piazza Maggiore; the market occupies Via Cesare Battisti and Via Vittorio Veneto.
Admission and prices
Admission to the festival and market is free. You only pay for what you consume at the food stand. Saturday evening dinner is by reservation (tel. 348 7391863 or 347 9351599).
Contacts
Pro Loco Montiano — [email protected] — www.prolocomontiano.it
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Where does it take place — Montiano Pork Festival
Piazza Maggiore
Piazza Maggiore, 47020 Montiano