Saint Nicholas Fair

A tradition marking the end of summer

The Saint Nicholas Fair is the most anticipated popular event in Pesaro, in the Marche region, province of Pesaro and Urbino. Every year, in September, the city's seafront transforms into an immense open-air exhibition stretching for about 3,000 linear metres of exhibition space, covering over 18,000 square metres. With more than 500 exhibitors from all over Italy and an attendance exceeding 150,000 visitors, the fair has always set the city's rhythm and ideally marks the closing of the bathing season.

From the "onion fair" to today

The event's history is long and fascinating. Pesaro hosted several fairs throughout the year linked to patron saint festivals: Saint Mustiola in July, Saint Gaetan and the Madonna in August, Saint Terenzio and Saint Nicholas in September. Of all these, only the Saint Nicholas Fair has survived the passage of centuries. The name refers to Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, the Augustinian friar who arrived at the hermitage monastery on the hill of Valmanente, near Pesaro, in 1258. Originally, the fair was dedicated to goods, livestock, and agricultural products: among these, onions and garlic stood out for their quantity and variety, having a privileged spot in Piazza Maggiore. Precisely for this reason, until the first half of the 20th century, the people of Pesaro called it the "onion fair", an vegetable that remains the event's graphic symbol to this day.

What to find at the fair

The fair is organized into thematic routes that cross the streets and squares of the seafront:

• Street vendors and miscellaneous goods: hundreds of stalls with clothing, household items, footwear, curiosities, and bargains along the main avenues.
• The Flavours Route: zero-kilometre food and wine excellences from the Pesaro and Urbino area, with DOC and DOP products.
• Capital of Taste: the large area dedicated to regional gastronomy, from Urbino's crescia to Acqualagna's black truffle pasta, from fried fish to polenta.
• Crafts and artistic creations: handmade works and artisan trades.
• Children's market: a space where children can exchange and sell toys and objects, with free participation.
• Volunteer streets: stands of local associations.

Shows, entertainment, and family

In addition to shopping and good food, the Saint Nicholas Fair offers free shows every evening in Piazzale d'Annunzio, with live music, comedy, and entertainment, as well as numerous activities for children and families: workshops, games, educational farms with ponies and alpacas. An event designed to be enjoyed by the entire city and the many tourists who choose the Pesaro coast even at the end of summer.