Santena Asparagus Festival
Ten days dedicated to the Santena asparagus, blending gastronomy, concerts, and tradition.
About Asparagus Festival
The most famous asparagus festival in Piedmont
In the heart of the plains southeast of Turin, the Municipality of Santena (Province of Turin, Piedmont) celebrates its most precious product every spring: the Santena asparagus. The Asparagus Festival is a historic event, reaching its 93rd edition in 2026, which attracts thousands of visitors from all over Piedmont and beyond every year. Organized by Pro Loco Santena APS in collaboration with the Municipality, the festival has been awarded the "Quality Festival" mark by UNPLI, a recognition reserved for events that best promote local traditions, sustainability, and organization.
The Santena asparagus, a local excellence
The Santena asparagus is a Traditional Agri-Food Product (PAT) grown in nine municipalities in the district, covering approximately twenty-six hectares of land. Tender, fragrant, and with an unmistakable flavor, it is the absolute star of the table: from classic asparagus with eggs to risotto, from agnolotti to the most creative preparations seen in show cooking sessions. The festival is the perfect opportunity to discover this vegetable in all its forms, accompanied by great Piedmontese wines.
A festival spread throughout the center
The event brings various squares in Santena to life with a rich program. The gastronomic heart is the PalAsparago, a 750-square-meter marquee where you can enjoy typical dishes for lunch and dinner. Free concerts are held on the main Asparago Live stage in Piazza Martiri della Libertà and on the Asparagina Live stage in Piazza Forchino, while the Asparago Lab hosts conferences, book presentations, and show cooking sessions with chefs and producers.
What to expect
- Food stand with a menu entirely dedicated to the Santena asparagus
- Free evening concerts, tribute acts, and dance orchestras
- Asparagus producer markets and White Nights
- Show cooking, tastings, and meetings at the Asparago Lab
- Visits to the Cavour Memorial and Cavour Castle
- Children's entertainment, folk parades, and gatherings
Among the most curious elements is the "Bela Sparsera", the official blonde asparagus beer produced specifically for the festival, and the traditional masks Bela Sparsera and Ciatarin, who are invested during the opening ceremony. An unmissable appointment for those who want to discover the gastronomic and popular soul of Santena and Piedmont.
Asparagus Festival — edition 2026
The 93rd edition
The 2026 Santena Asparagus Festival confirmed its role as a major popular celebration in the Turin area, spread over ten days and multiple squares in the center. Alongside the PalAsparago, a 750 sqm marquee dedicated to dining, the city was brought to life by the Asparago Live (Piazza Martiri della Libertà), Asparagina Live (Piazza Forchino) stages, and the covered Asparago Lab space for conferences, presentations, and show cooking. The UNPLI "Quality Festival" award crowned the efforts of the Pro Loco Santena APS and the Municipality.
Programme Asparagus Festival 2026
Friday, May 15 — Inauguration
- 18:00 — Asparago Lab: tasting and show cooking (Turin Chefs Association)
- 18:30 — Inauguration ceremony with Sonia De Castelli
- 20:30 — Folk parade of Piedmontese characters
- 21:00 — Investiture of the Bela Sparsera and Ciatarin masks
- 22:00 — Asparago Live: Max Mania (883 tribute)
Saturday, May 16
- 16:00 — White Night: producer markets (Piazza Visconti Venosta)
- 16:00 — Asparago Lab: "Aperitif with the brewer" (Birrificio Sagrin, asparagus beer)
- 17:00 — Asparago Lab: Marino Bartoletti
- 20:30 — Asparagina Live: Ejot, Duo Magnificat&Friends, DJ Tony Mix
- 22:00 — Asparago Live: DJ Mauro Vay, Paolo Noise (Zoo di 105)
Sunday, May 17
- 09:00 — Asparagus producer market and visits to Castello Sansalvà
- 10:00 — Fiat Panda gathering (Piazza Forchino) and playroom (Piazza Plombières)
- 16:00 — Asparago Live: drag queen show
- 17:00 — Asparago Lab: "Beer Revolution" with Teo Musso (Birra Baladin)
- 21:00 — Asparagina Live: I Limeoni, Dreamers
- 21:30 — Asparago Live: Napo sings Fabrizio De André
Monday, May 18
- 20:30 — Asparago Lab: fashion show (Unitre Santena-Cambiano)
- 21:30 — Asparago Live: Navira (emerging band)
Tuesday, May 19
- 18:00 — Teatro Elios: Claudio Milani, "We are the stories we are told"
- 21:30 — Asparago Live: Banda Canonico Don A. Serra
Wednesday, May 20
- 21:30 — Asparago Live: Matteo Bensì orchestra (dance music)
Thursday, May 21
- 22:00 — Asparago Live: Shary Band (dance, pop, rock)
Friday, May 22 — White Night
- 21:00 — Asparagina Live: Completamente Nucleari (Pinguini Tattici Nucleari tribute), DJ Gomex
- 22:00 — Asparago Live: Lou Dalfin (Occitan music)
Saturday, May 23
- 18:00 — Award ceremony for the "Santena in verse" literary contest
- 20:30 — Asparagina Live: Artistika, Enrico and Marco Pezzica
- 22:00 — Asparago Live: DJ Greta Tedeschi & Margot, guests Gli Autogol
Sunday, May 24 — Closing
- 10:00 — Solemn Mass (Santi Apostoli Pietro e Paolo Church)
- 15:00 — Grand historical parade with bands and folk groups
- 18:00 — Weighing of the asparagus bunches (Piazza Martiri)
- 21:00 — Golden Asparagus 2026 award, Kindness Award, and Lottery draw
- 21:30 — Asparago Live: Federica Cocco orchestra; Asparagina Live: The Works (Queen tribute)
Highlights Asparagus Festival 2026
Prices Asparagus Festival 2026
Practical information — Asparagus Festival
How to get there
By train: Cambiano-Santena station, just a few minutes from the center. By car: Santena exit from the A21 Turin-Piacenza motorway. By bus: GTT lines 45 and 45/.
Parking and shuttle
Ten parking areas are available, including zones for disabled visitors. On the Sundays of May 17 and 24, a free sustainable shuttle service runs from the Villastellone station (every 30 minutes, from 10:00 to 18:00).
Admission and reservations
Admission to concerts and events is free. Reservations are not required for the PalAsparago; for groups of 10 or more, it is recommended to contact the WhatsApp number +39 392 453 1719 (Monday to Friday).
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Where does it take place — Asparagus Festival
Piazza Martiri della Libertà
Piazza Martiri della Libertà, 10026 Santena