Settembre Pontebbano

A fair from the Middle Ages

In the heart of the Canal del Ferro, a stone's throw from the Austrian border, Pontebba preserves one of the oldest fair traditions in the region. The Settembre Pontebbano, according to tradition, dates back as far as 1342, and is held every year around September 8th, the feast of the Nativity of Mary and patron saint of the community. In 2025, it reached its 56th edition.

Three days of fair, flavors, and tradition

For three days, the streets of the town fill with stalls, with the fair-market invading the center from the morning, alongside craft markets. The gastronomic heart of the festival is the large ice rink, which hosts a taste village with border specialties: frico pontebbano, deer goulash, polenta, Zwetschenknödel, palacinke, and apple fritters, in a menu that tells of the encounter between Friulian and Central European cuisine.

Alpini, music, and community

The program alternates different moments: the day dedicated to the Alpini, the grand charity lottery with thousands of prizes, exhibitions, old-fashioned games, sports, entertainment for children, and the characteristic "Madonna's aperitifs". Every evening, live music and shows with orchestras and folk groups liven up the squares until late at night.

Identity of a border town

Organized by the Municipality of Pontebba with the Pro Loco Pontebbana and local associations, the Settembre Pontebbano is much more than a fair: it is the identity festival of a mountain community, capable of bringing together devotion, historical memory, and conviviality in one of Friuli's most characteristic territories.