Polenta and Birds Festival of Filecchio
The longest-running gastronomic festival in the Serchio Valley, in the heart of Filecchio, Barga
About Polenta and Birds
A tradition spanning over half a century
The Polenta and Birds Festival takes place in Filecchio, a small village in the municipality of Barga, in the province of Lucca, in the heart of the Serchio Valley. Founded in 1966, it is considered the longest-running festival in the municipal area and one of the first in the entire valley. In 2025, it celebrated its 56th edition, confirming its status as a landmark event in the autumn calendar of the Garfagnana and Media Valle regions.
Organized by the Parish of Santa Maria Assunta together with the Associazione Polentari, the festival is the result of the volunteer work of an entire community that, year after year, passes down the flavors and customs of northern Tuscan peasant cuisine.
Formenton polenta, the star of the show
The signature dish is formenton polenta, prepared with the traditional eight-row corn typical of the area and served with grilled or stewed meats. Alongside the polenta, there are other traditional dishes and, on a special dedicated evening, the famous baked pork shank dinner, available by reservation. The food stalls are open every evening for dinner and also for lunch on Sundays, in a genuine, family-friendly atmosphere.
Music, dance, and rural culture
The Polenta and Birds Festival is more than just food: every evening the festival grounds come alive with live music and ballroom dancing, featuring some of the best dance orchestras in Tuscany, while the bar and charity raffle complete the experience. Over the two weekends, the program also offers moments with a strong local identity: the mountain bike race for the Polenta Trophy, the traditional cheese-rolling competition, guided walks to the castle of Seggio, and demonstrations of ancient agricultural tasks, such as grain threshing and beating.
Filecchio and the Serchio Valley
Included in the Barga municipal events calendar, the festival is an authentic showcase for Filecchio and the entire Serchio Valley, a corner of Tuscany nestled between the Apuan Alps and the Apennines. For visitors, it is an opportunity to discover a lesser-known village, far from the mass tourism circuits, and to experience the straightforward conviviality of village festivals, where different generations meet at the table and on the dance floor.
Polenta and Birds — edition 2026
The Polenta and Birds Festival returns to Filecchio, a hamlet of Barga (LU), from September 4 to 13, 2026, as indicated in the official events calendar of the Municipality of Barga and the Pro Loco.
The detailed program for the 2026 edition has not yet been published; it will be announced in the weeks leading up to the event on the festival's official Facebook and Instagram pages. Following the trend of recent editions, evening openings of the food stalls with 'formenton' polenta and meats are expected, along with the pork shank dinner by reservation, live music and ballroom dancing with Tuscan orchestras, and events dedicated to rural traditions, such as cheese-rolling, demonstrations of ancient agricultural work, and local walks.
Programme Polenta and Birds 2026
The detailed program for the 2026 edition will be announced in the weeks leading up to the festival on the event's official Facebook and Instagram pages. The confirmed dates are September 4–13, 2026.
Based on the festival's usual structure, the following are planned: food stalls open every evening for dinner (and also for lunch on Sundays) featuring 'formenton' polenta and meats, the pork shank dinner by reservation, live music and ballroom dancing evenings with Tuscan orchestras, as well as events linked to rural traditions (cheese-rolling, agricultural work demonstrations, guided walks). The names of the orchestras and detailed schedules will be released with the official program.
Highlights Polenta and Birds 2026
- 'Formenton' polenta served with meat, the festival's signature dish
- Baked pork shank dinner (by reservation)
- Ballroom dancing evenings with Tuscan dance orchestras
- Rural traditions: cheese-rolling and demonstrations of ancient agricultural work
Prices Polenta and Birds 2026
Practical information — Polenta and Birds
Location
The festival is held in the parish area of Filecchio, a hamlet of Barga (LU), in the Serchio Valley.
How to get there
Filecchio can be reached from Lucca via the SS12 and SR445 roads in the direction of Garfagnana, exiting towards Barga. The reference train station is Barga-Gallicano on the Lucca-Aulla line. Parking is available near the festival area.
Hours and reservations
The food stalls are open every evening for dinner (from approximately 7:30 PM) and also for lunch on Sundays. The pork shank dinner requires a reservation at +39 342 7599862.
Information
Updates on dates and the program are available on the festival's official Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as on the channels of the Municipality of Barga and the Pro Loco.
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Where does it take place — Polenta and Birds
Area parrocchiale di Filecchio
Filecchio, area parrocchiale di Santa Maria Assunta, 55051 Barga