Polenta Festival of Corno Giovine

Polenta, the soul of the Bassa Lodigiana

Corno Giovine, a small municipality in the province of Lodi nestled in the Bassa Lodigiana plain a short distance from the Po River, dedicates a grand festival every October to the dish that more than any other tells the story of the peasant cuisine of these lands: polenta. The Polenta Festival, organized by the Amici del Presepe Association, is now a well-established event on the Lodi autumn calendar, capable of attracting thousands of visitors: in a single edition, about 2,700 portions were served over two days.

Carbonara, a handed-down recipe

The specialty that makes the festival famous is polenta carbonara, prepared according to a recipe guarded and passed down from generation to generation by the polenta masters of Trentino-Alto Adige, who preserve its authentic and ancient flavor. Alongside it, polenta is offered in all its most beloved traditional interpretations: with cotechino (pork sausage), with baccalà (salt cod), with brasato (braised beef), and in more refined versions with pork shank, wild boar, and horse meat. There's also polenta with raspadura, the typical Lodi cheese served in thin shavings.

Two weekends of celebration

The event takes place on the first two weekends of October, with polenta served on Friday and Saturday evenings and also at lunchtime on Sundays. The days begin with a walk along the riverbanks, continue with the artisan market, and come alive in the evening with live music and accordion performances. On Sundays, there is also a religious moment, with a mass and procession linked to local tradition.

A community festival

Behind the steaming pots is the voluntary work of the Amici del Presepe Association and the entire community of Corno Giovine, which makes the Polenta Festival not just a gastronomic celebration but an occasion for meeting and identity for the town and the entire Basso Lodigiano region. A genuine event to discover the flavors and conviviality of the Lombard countryside along the Po.