Vignola is Cherry Time
The great festival of Vignola PDO Cherry with markets, tastings, show cooking and performances
About Cherry Time
The cherry festival in the heart of Vignola
When spring arrives, the Municipality of Vignola, in the Province of Modena, dresses up for a party to celebrate its most famous fruit: the Vignola PDO Cherry. Vignola is Cherry Time is the event that, for many editions, transforms the historic center and Viale Mazzini into a large open-air market dedicated to the food and wine excellences of the area. The event, completely free admission, is organized by the Pro Loco Vignola Terra di Ciliegie together with the Municipality and the Consortium of Vignola PDO Cherry.
The Cherry Route and the Food Courtyards
The beating heart of the festival is the Cherry Route, set up along Viale Mazzini, where local farms offer direct sales of every variety of cherry, from the Mora di Vignola to the Durona. Next to the farmers' market, you'll find the information point of the PDO Consortium and, in the Food Courtyards, open-air taverns with traditional Emilian dishes: tortelloni, tigelle, crescentine, and much more, in a journey that combines taste and conviviality.
Show cooking, awards, and culture
The program alternates show cooking with chefs and well-known faces from the culinary world, awards for the best cherry of the year and the best artisanal cake, book presentations, exhibitions, and moments of music and entertainment. There are also opportunities to discover the city's heritage: guided tours of the Rocca di Vignola, Palazzo Barozzi, the Communal Vinegar Factory, and other jewels of the center enrich the festival with a cultural dimension.
An event for the whole family
From creative workshops for children, performances by folk groups, gastronomic itineraries like Sapori in Cammino (Flavors on the Road), and special days dedicated to Slow Food supply chains, Vignola is Cherry Time is a festival designed for everyone. It's the perfect opportunity to enjoy a slow and delicious weekend in Emilia-Romagna, strolling along the Panaro river and savoring the sweet taste of Vignola's spring.
Cherry Time — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of Vignola is Cherry Time offered three weekends of celebration in the historic center and along Viale Mazzini. The Cherry Route hosted the farmers' market with 14 agricultural companies and the PDO Cherry Consortium's information point, while the Food Courtyards enlivened the Historic Center and Municipio Park with nine gastronomic stands and open-air taverns.
Among the events were show cooking sessions with Franco Aliberti and Luca Pappagallo, awards for the best cherry of 2026 and the cake competition, an evening performance by Marco Ligabue and Andrea Barbi, the Slow Food day on June 2nd featuring a challenge between Balanzoni and Tortelloni, and the opening of a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano. The program was completed by guided tours of the Rocca di Vignola and Palazzo Barozzi, workshops for children, and the gastronomic itinerary Sapori in Cammino.
Programme Cherry Time 2026
Weekend 1 — May 30 & 31
- May 30 — 4:15 PM Cherry sorbet and ice cream (Casa Toschi); 5:30 PM Pizza and cherry show cooking; 6:00 PM "Ancient Vignola"; 6:30 PM Lambrusco tasting (Cantina Settecani); 9:00 PM performance by Marco Ligabue and Andrea Barbi; inauguration of the exhibition "Vortex of cherries to tango".
- May 31 — 11:00 AM Award ceremony for the best cherry 2026 and cake competition; 3:30 PM show cooking with Franco Aliberti (circular cuisine); 5:00 PM show cooking with Luca Pappagallo "The magic of flavors"; workshops for children.
Weekend 2 — June 1 & 2
- June 1-2 — Food Courtyards at Municipio Park.
- June 2 (Slow Food Day) — 11:30 AM aperitif with Trebbiani, Lambruschi, and crescentine; 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM Osteria Moretta Slow Food; 3:30 PM "Filled pasta along Via Emilia — Balanzoni vs Tortelloni Challenge"; 5:30 PM opening of a wheel of Parmigiano Reggiano; 9:00 PM concert by Slow Food artists.
Weekend 3 — June 6 & 7
- June 6 — Food Courtyards; "Sapori in Cammino" 2nd edition (gastronomic tasting itinerary); 10:00 AM AVIS in Festa; 6:00 PM "Cherries Aperipaint".
- June 7 — Food Courtyards; "Sapori in Cammino"; Vignola Folk Group performance; children's workshop "Alberolandia"; 7:00 PM book presentation "My Moment".
Guided tours of the Rocca di Vignola (Saturday, May 30 & June 6, 3:00 PM & 5:00 PM), Palazzo Barozzi, the Communal Vinegar Factory, Villa Tosi Bellucci, and the Studiolo del Muratori.
Highlights Cherry Time 2026
Prices Cherry Time 2026
Practical information — Cherry Time
How to get there
Vignola (MO) can be reached by car from the A1 (Modena Nord or Modena Sud exit) and the A22 Brennero, continuing along the SP623 towards the Panaro Valley. By train, it is connected to Modena by the Modena-Vignola suburban railway line.
Admission
Admission to the event is free. You only pay for what you consume at the stands, tastings, and for the tokens for the Sapori in Cammino route. Some guided tours (e.g., Giardino Galvani) require a separate ticket.
Contacts
Pro Loco Vignola Terra di Ciliegie, Via Bellucci 1, 41058 Vignola (MO) — tel. +39 351 7008797 — [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Cherry Time
Centro storico e Viale Mazzini (Via delle Ciliegie)
Viale Mazzini, 41058 Vignola