San Polo Village Festival

A village festival with over forty years of history

The San Polo Village Festival is one of the most deeply rooted traditions in the Arezzo area. Established in 1983, it takes place every year between late June and early July in the hamlet of San Polo, just outside the municipality of Arezzo, within the lush Parco del Petriolo. Over more than forty years, the festival has become a landmark for locals and visitors from Arezzo and beyond who are looking for a genuine experience of summer conviviality.

Aretine home-style cooking takes center stage

The heart of the event is the food stall, where committee volunteers prepare dishes from the Aretine and Tuscan peasant tradition. Some of the most popular specialties include:

• maccheroni al sugo d'ocio, pasta served with a rich duck ragù, a signature dish of the Aretine countryside;
• grilled meats, from T-bone steaks to sausages, cooked over hot coals;
• seasonal side dishes, platters of local cold cuts and cheeses, and homemade desserts.

Everything is accompanied by local wines in a family-friendly, accessible atmosphere.

Music and dancing after dinner

Once dinner is finished, the festivities continue with musical entertainment: every evening, the stage hosts dance and ballroom orchestras, a cherished tradition that keeps the dance floor full until late. The formula, unchanged over time, brings different generations together and keeps the event's popular spirit alive.

The setting: San Polo and the Aretine countryside

San Polo is a hamlet in the municipality of Arezzo, Tuscany, nestled in the countryside surrounding the city of Vasari. Parco del Petriolo offers a green, shaded space, perfect for hosting the stalls and the open-air stage. The festival is a wonderful opportunity to rediscover the hospitality of village fairs, far from the main tourist flows and close to the authenticity of the Arezzo province.

Two weekends of celebration

The event is traditionally spread over two consecutive weekends, from Thursday to Sunday, straddling late June and early July, with dinner service and, on holidays, lunch service as well. This long calendar allows everyone to find the perfect evening to attend.