Pumpkin Festival

The capital of pumpkin tortelli

In Quistello, a municipality in the province of Mantua in the Oltrepò Mantovano region, the Pumpkin Festival is the gastronomic event that best tells the story of the plain's autumn. Organized by the Pro Loco Quistello, it takes place every October in Piazza Carlo Alberto Dalla Chiesa and highlights an iconic ingredient of Mantuan cuisine: pumpkin, here featured in the prized native variety Capel dal Pret.

Capel dal Pret and vin cotto

The festival focuses on local excellences, including the Capel dal Pret pumpkin – a variety cultivated in the area and protected by the De.Co. designation – and 'vin cotto' (cooked wine). These are the protagonists of a peasant tradition that has become gastronomic culture in Quistello, with recipes passed down through generations.

Traditional dishes

The heated gastronomic stand, open every evening and on Sunday lunch, offers the great pumpkin-based classics: the famous 'tortelli di zucca alla quistellese', risotto, fried pumpkin with 'mostarda' and Parmigiano Reggiano, and other seasonal specialties. Simple and generous dishes that tell the delicious soul of the Oltrepò Mantovano.

Two weekends of celebration

The Pumpkin Festival traditionally takes place over the first two weekends of October, animating the center of Quistello with gastronomy, markets, and events. It is an event that attracts food lovers from all over the Mantua province and beyond, confirming Quistello, in Lombardy, as one of the capitals of pumpkin and its 'tortelli'.