St Martin’s Day Chestnut Festival

Sant'Agata del Bianco · Sant'Agata del Bianco, Costa Viola, Calabria

7 November 2026

On Saturday 7 November 2026, from 6pm, Piazza del Popolo in Sant'Agata del Bianco hosts the Castagnata di San Martino (St Martin's Day Chestnut Festival), organised by the Pro Loco Sant'Agata APS with the Gruppo Sant'Agata. Held a few days ahead of St Martin's Day on 11 November, the evening offers tastings of new wine (vino novello), chestnuts and zeppole, to the folk sound of the organetto and tambourine. It is an open-air village festival in the hometown of writer Saverio Strati, in the hills of the Locride area: the sources mention no entrance ticket and no price for the tastings.

The evening of 7 November in Piazza del Popolo

The Castagnata di San Martino takes place on Saturday 7 November 2026 in Sant'Agata del Bianco, starting at 6pm in Piazza del Popolo. The programme published by Calabria Straordinaria, the Calabria Region's tourism portal, is simple: tastings of new wine (vino novello), chestnuts and zeppole, accompanied by the organetto, a small diatonic accordion, and the tambourine, the instruments of Calabrian folk music and the tarantella.

The sources give no finishing time and no other items on the programme, such as shows or prize-givings. It is a village festival designed for people to get together in the square during the season of chestnuts and new wine, and it takes place outdoors: if you would like a more detailed programme, ask the Pro Loco directly.

The organisers and the St Martin's Day tradition

The evening is organised by the Pro Loco Sant'Agata APS, the local tourism association, together with the Gruppo Sant'Agata. The poster published with the regional listing is credited to the Pro Loco's Facebook page, the place to check for any last-minute changes.

The festival follows a custom found all over Italy: around 11 November, the feast of St Martin of Tours, the new wine is opened and tasted with chestnuts. The Italian saying “A San Martino ogni mosto diventa vino” (by St Martin's Day all must becomes wine) sums up the spirit of the occasion. In 2026, 11 November falls on a Wednesday, and Sant'Agata del Bianco has set its chestnut evening for the Saturday before.

Admission, costs and practical tips

The sources do not mention any entrance ticket: the castagnata takes place outdoors in the village square. However, they do not say whether the tastings of new wine, chestnuts and zeppole are free or paid, or whether you need to book: contact the Pro Loco before you set off if you want to know.

Sant'Agata del Bianco sits on a hill at around 400 metres above sea level, and November evenings can be chilly, so bring a warm layer. The sources do not mention a wet-weather plan or a possible postponement. New wine is alcoholic: if you have to drive back down the roads to the coast afterwards, keep that in mind.

How to get to Sant'Agata del Bianco

Sant'Agata del Bianco lies inland in the Locride area, on the Ionian side of the province of Reggio Calabria. By car, follow the SS106 Ionian coast road to Bianco and then the SP69 provincial road up to the village. From Reggio Calabria the SS106 runs along the Ionian coast through Melito di Porto Salvo and Brancaleone; if you are coming from the A2 motorway, take the Jonio-Tirreno expressway at Rosarno across to the Ionian coast and then head south on the SS106.

By train, the nearest station is Bianco, on the Ionian railway line, served by regional trains between Reggio Calabria, Roccella Jonica and Catanzaro Lido. The village is up in the hills above the coast: the sources mention no evening public transport, shuttle buses or dedicated parking for the festival, so a car is the practical option.

Saverio Strati's village: murals and museums

Sant'Agata del Bianco is the birthplace of Saverio Strati (1924-2014): a bricklayer in his youth and later a writer published by Mondadori from the 1950s, he won the Premio Campiello literary prize in 1977 with the novel “Il selvaggio di Santa Venere”. The village remembers him in many ways. The walls of the old centre carry murals with quotations and scenes inspired by his novels, painted by Andrea Sposari and other street artists.

Next to the writer's birthplace, local artist Antonio Scarfone has created the Museo delle Cose Perdute (Museum of Lost Things), with objects forgotten in cellars and given new life, while the Museo degli Artisti Santagatesi shows the work of painters from the village, including Domenico Bonfà, known as Fabon. The municipality also dedicates the literature and music festival “Stratificazioni” to Strati, with events in September and October 2026.

Between the Aspromonte and the Ionian Sea: palmenti and landscape

The village stands on a hill at around 400 metres, on the edge of the Aspromonte National Park, with views opening out towards the Ionian Sea. Among the places highlighted by the municipality is Campolico mountain, where the Stratificazioni festival ended in September. In 1847 the English traveller and painter Edward Lear passed through and sketched the village and its landscape.

The link with wine goes back a long way: the countryside is dotted with palmenti, basins carved into the rock where grapes were once pressed. The municipality has worked to open them to visitors; in 2019 the local press counted 24 rediscovered, 13 of which could already be visited. The local economy is still based on farming, with citrus fruit, olives and grapes. For other autumn events in the province, see the events calendar.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 St Martin's Day Chestnut Festival in Sant'Agata del Bianco?

On Saturday 7 November 2026, from 6pm. No finishing time has been announced.

Where does the festival take place?

In Piazza del Popolo, in the centre of Sant'Agata del Bianco, in the province of Reggio Calabria.

Is admission free?

The sources mention no entrance ticket: it is a festival in the village square. They do not say whether the tastings are free or paid.

What is there to eat and drink?

The programme lists tastings of new wine (vino novello), chestnuts and zeppole.

Who organises the St Martin's Day Chestnut Festival?

The Pro Loco Sant'Agata APS together with the Gruppo Sant'Agata.

How do I get to Sant'Agata del Bianco?

By car on the SS106 Ionian coast road to Bianco, then the SP69 up to the village. The nearest railway station is Bianco, on the Ionian line.

Is there music during the evening?

Yes: the festival is accompanied by the organetto and tambourine, the instruments of Calabrian folk music.

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