Mammola Mushroom Festival 2026: the 26th autumn edition

Largo Magenta · Mammola, Costa Viola, Calabria

24 October 2026 – 25 October 2026

On Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026 Mammola hosts the 26th Festa del Fungo (Mushroom Festival), organised by the Associazione Mammolese Amici del Fungo with the municipality, the Pro Loco, the Calabria Region and ARSAC. Two days of local produce stands from 10am, porcini-based menus at lunch (from midday) and dinner (from 7pm), street food, folk music, the dance of the giganti and, from 8pm, roaming music through the village streets. On Sunday at 11am the mushroom exhibition by the Gruppo Micologico Calabro “N. Capitò” opens. No entrance ticket, menus are paid; information and bookings on +39 329 614 1786 and +39 327 974 3523.

Dates, venue and organisers of the 26th edition

The 26th Festa del Fungo (Mushroom Festival) in Mammola takes place on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026. It is run by the Associazione Mammolese Amici del Fungo (the Mammola Friends of the Mushroom association), together with the municipality of Mammola, the Pro Loco Mammola, the Calabria Region and ARSAC, the regional agency for agricultural development; the poster also carries the Calabria Straordinaria brand.

This year's sources do not name the square. In recent editions the festival was held in Largo Magenta (both the October 2024 edition and the summer evening in August 2026), while the evening's roaming music moves through the streets of the village. To confirm the exact location, call the association on +39 329 614 1786 or +39 327 974 3523, the numbers given for information and bookings.

Programme for Saturday 24 October

On Saturday the festival starts at 10am, when the stands selling local produce and crafts open. At midday the association's traditional menu and the street food stands get going; during the day there is folk music, street performers and entertainment for children.

At 7pm it is back to the tables for the evening menu, and from 8pm roaming musicians lead the crowd through the streets of the village. The poster also announces the dance of the giganti, the large papier-mâché figures of Calabrian folk tradition that parade to the beat of drums, and a fair of typical Calabrian products.

Sunday 25 October: mushroom exhibition and schools

On Sunday the stands reopen at 10am. At 11am the mushroom exhibition opens, curated by the Gruppo Micologico Calabro ASP “N. Capitò” and devoted to learning about and showcasing different fungi species. From midday the association's menu and the street food return, with folk music, street performers and children's entertainment; dinner service starts at 7pm and the roaming music returns from 8pm.

The festival also involves pupils from Mammola's middle school through a project on “The importance of fungi in the forest ecosystem”: essays are handed in on 20 October, a jury picks the winner on 21 October, and on Friday 23 October there is a mountain hike with the schools followed by the award ceremony in the afternoon.

The mushroom menu, street food and children's menu

Porcini and other woodland mushrooms are at the heart of the festival. Saturday's menu, served at lunch and dinner, includes mixed woodland mushroom starters, homemade pasta with sausage and porcini, mixed beans (fagioli fantasia) with porcini, pancetta and peppers, porcini fritters and new potatoes with porcini, plus homemade bread and wine, roast chestnuts, water, a dessert and an amaro. Sunday's menu is much the same: woodland mushroom starters, homemade pasta with porcini, peppers and pancetta, porcini fritters, new potatoes, homemade bread and wine, roast chestnuts, dessert and amaro.

New this year is a street food area with five stands: a sandwich with sausage, mushrooms and peppers; a sandwich with stockfish (stocco) and porcini; porcini fritters; breaded porcini; and beer, wine, water and soft drinks. Children have their own menu with a frankfurter roll, chips, ketchup or mayonnaise and a soft drink or water.

Admission, prices and bookings

The sources do not mention any entrance ticket: the festival and the fair take place outdoors in the village, and you pay for the menus and street food. The 2026 menu price has not been published; for reference, at the October 2024 edition the full menu cost 18 euros and the children's menu 8 euros.

To find out this year's prices and to book lunch or dinner, call +39 329 614 1786 or +39 327 974 3523. In past editions the organisers also provided indoor seating in case of rain: it is worth asking about this when you book, especially if you are coming as a group.

How to get to Mammola

Mammola lies inland in the Locride area, on the Jonio-Tirreno expressway that links the Ionian coast with the Gioia Tauro plain. From the A2 motorway, exit at Rosarno and follow the Jonio-Tirreno to the Mammola exit; from the SS106 coastal road along the Ionian side, take the same Jonio-Tirreno inland. Another option is the provincial road (formerly SS281) between Marina di Gioiosa Ionica and Rosarno.

The sources do not mention dedicated parking or shuttle buses. With the evening menu and roaming music, the festival carries on after dinner: if you are driving back on hill roads, allow for darkness and, in late October, cooler temperatures than on the coast.

What to see in Mammola

Mammola is a village of medieval origin with a historic centre full of churches and noble palazzi. Among the best-known places in the area are the Parco Museo di Santa Barbara (MuSaBa) and the Sanctuary of San Nicodemo: if you come for lunch you can spend the rest of the day visiting, but check opening days and times first.

The village is also known for stocco, stockfish cooked in many different ways, which turns up at the festival in one of the street food sandwiches. For other events in Calabria the same weekend, see the events calendar.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 Mammola Mushroom Festival?

On Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026, with stands open from 10am, lunch from midday and dinner from 7pm.

Is admission free?

The sources do not mention any entrance ticket: you pay for the menus and street food. The 2026 menu price has not been published (in 2024 the full menu cost 18 euros).

Do I need to book lunch or dinner?

The sources give two numbers for information and bookings: +39 329 614 1786 and +39 327 974 3523. It is worth calling, especially for groups.

Where in Mammola does the festival take place?

The 2026 sources do not name the square: recent editions were held in Largo Magenta, while the evening music moves through the village streets. Call the organisers to confirm.

When does the mushroom exhibition open?

On Sunday 25 October at 11am, curated by the Gruppo Micologico Calabro ASP “N. Capitò”.

Is there anything for children?

Yes: a children's menu with a frankfurter roll, chips and a soft drink or water, plus entertainment for younger visitors during the day.

What is on offer at the street food stands?

Five stands: a sausage, mushroom and pepper sandwich; a stockfish and porcini sandwich; porcini fritters; breaded porcini; and beer, wine, water and soft drinks.

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