Statuto Fair

An ancient fair in the heart of the Modenese Apennines

The Statuto Fair is the most deeply rooted and iconic event in Polinago, a mountain municipality in the Province of Modena located at about 810 meters above sea level in Val Rossenna, the third largest valley in the Modenese Apennines, in the historical territory of Frignano (Emilia-Romagna). Every year, on the second Sunday of July, the town center comes alive with a day of celebration that combines the traditional market, mountain gastronomy, and community life.

Origins and Name

The fair owes its name to the enactment of Polinago's first municipal statute: a historical event that the community has remembered for generations and which gave rise to a now centuries-old event. Although the municipal historical archive was destroyed in a fire at the town hall in 1944, the memory of this fair has remained firmly linked to the town's identity, passed down from year to year as one of Polinago's two major annual events, along with the San Rocco Fair in mid-August.

Market, Local Products, and Gastronomy

On the day of the fair, the streets and squares of Polinago host a large public market, officially registered in the regional calendar of fairs in Emilia-Romagna. Among the stalls, you'll find the flavors of the Modenese mountains:

• Parmigiano Reggiano and the famous ricotta from Cinghianello
• Traditional specialties such as crescentine, borlenghi, and dishes based on chestnuts
• Local crafts and food and wine products

Entertainment and Atmosphere

The Statuto Fair is also an occasion for entertainment for the whole family: in past editions, the day has hosted rallies of vintage motorcycles and vehicles, children's entertainment, activities dedicated to nature and the environment, as well as convivial moments organized by the active Pro Loco Polinago, which concentrates most of its initiatives in the summer months.

Discover Polinago and Frignano

Visiting the fair is also an opportunity to discover an authentic corner of the Apennines: the medieval castles of Gombola and Brandola, the Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta, the suggestive archaeological site of Ponte Ercole (known as the Devil's Bridge), and the extensive chestnut, oak, and beech woods surrounding the town. A heritage of nature, history, and traditions that makes the Statuto Fair much more than just a market.