San Venanzio Fair (Ancient August Fair)

A Centuries-Old Tradition in the Heart of the Po Delta

The San Venanzio Fair, known to everyone as the Ancient August Fair, is the main summer event in Lagosanto, a small municipality in the province of Ferrara, in Emilia-Romagna, near the Po Delta. It is one of the oldest fairs in the area: in 2024, the 450th edition was celebrated, a sign of continuity rooted in centuries of history, which will bring the event to its 452nd edition in 2026. Listed in the regional register of fairs and festivals of Emilia-Romagna, it still retains its dual nature: that of a trade fair and that of a village festival.

The Market and Exhibitors

The commercial heart of the event is the market that winds through the streets of the town center, with dozens of stalls divided into food, non-food, and a section reserved for local agricultural producers. The stalls are spread across the streets and squares of the town, while in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the funfair is set up every evening, an unmissable attraction for families and children.

Gastronomy, Shows, and Tombola

The evenings revolve around the food stands run by the Pro Loco and local associations, where you can savor traditional dishes from Ferrara and the Delta region. On stage, local bands perform concerts every evening, alongside performances by music and dance schools, with events like DanzaInFiera, singing contests, and shows for all ages. A distinctive feature of the fair is the famous tombola (bingo) games, with prize pools that in recent editions have reached several thousand euros, a real focal point for the entire community.

Exhibitions and Grand Finale

In the school spaces on Via Roma, cultural exhibitions are set up dedicated to photography, art, and old 20th-century farming equipment, testifying to the link with the village's rural heritage. The fair traditionally concludes with the tombola game with the richest prize pool and a grand fireworks display that lights up the Lagosanto sky, bidding farewell to the Ferrara summer.

A Free and Popular Event

Organized by the Pro Loco of Lagosanto with the patronage of the Municipality and the collaboration of local associations, the Ancient August Fair is free to enter and has been the gathering point for the inhabitants of Lagosanto and the surrounding municipalities of the Lower Ferrara region for generations.