Pontelangorino Pumpkin Festival

A village festival that has become an institution in the Ferrara area

Born in the nineties, the Pontelangorino Pumpkin Festival has grown to become one of the most followed food and wine events in the entire province of Ferrara. It takes place in the small hamlet of Pontelangorino, in the Municipality of Codigoro, in the low plains of the Po Delta, a land of canals, valleys, and reclamation where pumpkin has always been the queen of gardens and peasant cuisine.

The event is organized by the Gruppo Cultura Eventi together with the Polisportiva Capitello, which manages the food stand with about a hundred volunteers, and with the support of the Municipality of Codigoro and numerous local associations. It is a festival that thrives on the work of the community, where entire families from the village get to the stoves to welcome hundreds of visitors every evening.

Pumpkin cappellacci, the absolute stars

The signature dish is the pumpkin cappellaccio, a typical stuffed pasta from the Ferrara tradition: a handmade pasta sheet enclosing a filling of pumpkin, Parmigiano cheese, and nutmeg. Tens of thousands are produced during the festival, all strictly handmade by the 'azdore' (the village housewives). In recent editions, nearly fifty thousand have been made, using several quintals of pumpkin.

Alongside the cappellacci, the menu offers numerous other pumpkin-based specialties: pumpkin lasagna, gnocchi, risotto, fried pumpkin, and grilled pumpkin, as well as local dishes. A journey into the authentic flavors of Po Delta cuisine, where pumpkin meets the traditions of the Emilian table.

Not just food: music, dancing, and luna park

The festival is also a great moment of popular celebration. Every evening, after dinner, the program comes alive with live concerts, ballroom dancing, disco music, dance school performances, fashion shows, and comedy shows in the Ferrara dialect. For children and families, there is always the luna park, while the evenings often culminate with tombola draws with significant prizes.

Among the traditional events that frame the festival is the "Zir dil tre frazion" foot race, which runs through the surrounding hamlets. It is this blend of gastronomy, sport, music, and traditions that makes the Pumpkin Festival a benchmark for all of eastern Emilia-Romagna at the end of summer.

Where and when

The festival is held in the center of Pontelangorino, with the food stand set up at the sports field. It traditionally takes place in the last week of August, extending into the first days of September. It is easily accessible from Codigoro, from the Abbey of Pomposa, and from the beaches of the Lidi di Comacchio, and it represents a delicious stop for those visiting the Po Delta Park.