Superzampone
The record-breaking zampone festival in the heart of the Bassa Modenese
About Superzampone
The world's largest zampone
Superzampone is the festival that every year, at the beginning of December, transforms Castelnuovo Rangone—a town in the southern belt of Modena, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna—into the undisputed capital of zampone. At the center of the event is a record-breaking cured meat: a giant zampone, about three meters long and one meter in diameter, cooked in a huge four-meter-long stainless steel zamponiera (cooking vessel). In recent years, its weight has exceeded seven quintals (741 kg in the 2025 edition), while the 1,038 kg specimen created in 2014 earned Castelnuovo the coveted Guinness World Record for the world's largest zampone.
A tradition born as a joke
The festival began in 1989 as a prank: some locals jokingly displayed a two-meter papier-mâché zampone. From that playful idea, one of the most famous gastronomic events in the province of Modena has grown, today organized and promoted by the Municipality of Castelnuovo Rangone in collaboration with the Order of Modena Master Cured Meat Makers. After all, Castelnuovo Rangone is a territory deeply connected to pork butchery: the town also features the famous monument to the pig, a symbol of a centuries-old cured meat tradition.
Three days of flavors and entertainment
The event unfolds over a long weekend. The Palazampone, set up in Piazza Ettore Bertoni, hosts the Barbeque Contest Tour with grilled meat tastings, borlenghi (local flatbreads), mulled wine, DJ sets, and live music. Sunday, the main day, the historic center fills with markets, stalls from the Master Cured Meat Makers, street food, and guided tours of the municipal vinegar factory (Acetaia). In the morning, primary school children cut the symbolic Minizampone, while at noon comes the most anticipated moment: the cutting of the giant zampone and its free distribution to the public, naturally accompanied by a glass of lambrusco.
A popular event
With thousands of visitors at each edition (over five thousand people in 2024), Superzampone is a truly popular and free festival, where Modenese gastronomic culture meets music, folklore, and conviviality. The streets and squares of the town—from Piazza Cavazzuti to Piazza Edmondo Berselli—become the stage for shows, exhibitions, and activities for all ages, in a festive atmosphere celebrating the region's agri-food excellence.
Superzampone — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of Superzampone is confirmed by the official calendar for December 6, 2026, in line with the tradition of holding the festival on the first Sunday of December. This year again, the Order of Modena Master Cured Meat Makers will prepare the giant zampone weighing over seven quintals, cooked in the large stainless steel vessel and then cut and distributed free to the public with lambrusco. As tradition dictates, the preview days with the Barbeque Contest Tour at Palazampone, the markets and street food in the historic center, the cutting of the Minizampone with schoolchildren, and visits to the municipal vinegar factory are expected.
Programme Superzampone 2026
The detailed program for the 2026 edition has not yet been published: it will be announced by the Municipality of Castelnuovo Rangone in the weeks leading up to the event, likely from November 2026.
Based on the established structure of recent editions, the festival unfolds over three days:
- Friday and Saturday — Palazampone in Piazza Ettore Bertoni: Barbeque Contest Tour with grilled meat tastings, borlenghi, mulled wine, DJ sets, and live music.
- Sunday (main day) — Markets, stalls of the Master Cured Meat Makers, street food, and guided tours of the municipal vinegar factory; in the morning, the cutting of the Minizampone with primary school children; at noon, the cutting and free distribution of the giant zampone with lambrusco on the main stage.
Highlights Superzampone 2026
- Cutting and free distribution of the record-breaking giant zampone with lambrusco
- Barbeque Contest Tour at Palazampone
- Cutting of the Minizampone with primary school children
- Markets, street food, and itinerant music in the historic center
Prices Superzampone 2026
Practical information — Superzampone
How to get there
Castelnuovo Rangone is located about 15 km south of Modena. By car, it can be reached from the Modena Sud exit of the A1 motorway, continuing towards Spilamberto/Vignola. By train, the reference station is Modena, connected by bus to the towns in the Bassa Modenese region.
When
The festival is traditionally held on the first Sunday of December, with two preview days on Friday and Saturday. The 2026 edition is scheduled for December 6.
Admission and costs
Admission to the event is free, and the giant zampone is distributed free of charge to the public. Any tastings and meals served at the stands and in the town's inns are subject to a charge.
Contacts
URP Municipality of Castelnuovo Rangone, tel. +39 059 534810, [email protected].
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Superzampone
Centro storico di Castelnuovo Rangone
Piazza Ettore Bertoni, 41051 Castelnuovo Rangone