Ottobrata d'Aspromonte 2026 in Santo Stefano in Aspromonte with Cosimo Papandrea

Piazza Domenico Romeo · Santo Stefano in Aspromonte, Costa Viola, Calabria

17 October 2026

On Saturday 17 October 2026, from 6:30pm, Santo Stefano in Aspromonte hosts the Ottobrata d'Aspromonte, “the fair of autumn flavours”, organised by the municipality with its Youth Council. Piazza Domenico Romeo fills with street food and local produce stands, craft beer, roast chestnuts and pastries, entertainment from the folk group “Gli Agatini” and street performers; at 9:30pm Cosimo Papandrea plays in concert, followed by a cocktail bar and a DJ set by Joshua Giglio. From Reggio Calabria, ATAM buses leave Piazza Garibaldi at 3:50pm and 6:30pm, returning at the end of the evening, and free shuttles run from the Podargoni and Mannoli parking areas.

Date, times and venue of the Ottobrata

The Ottobrata d'Aspromonte, billed as “the fair of autumn flavours”, takes place on Saturday 17 October 2026 in Santo Stefano in Aspromonte. The official poster gives a 6:30pm start; the municipality's “Estate 2026” programme, presented in July, said 7pm, so the more recent poster time applies. The venue given in the programme is Piazza Domenico Romeo.

The event is organised by the municipality of Santo Stefano in Aspromonte, which calls itself the “City of the Flag”, together with its Youth Council (Consulta Giovanile); the poster credits funding from the Calabria Region and the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria and carries the logos of Calabria Straordinaria, ATAM and GAL Batir. The edition number also differs between sources: the poster calls it the tenth edition, the July programme the eleventh.

Food stands and flavours at the fair

The poster lists in detail what you will find in the square. At the centre is craft beer, with eight styles from the Funky Drop brewery served by Sbronzi and Piro Piro. Mareterra offers the “Smashone” made with scottona beef and the “Vertigo” stockfish dish; Trebottoni and Z'Turi bring pastries, gelato and maritozzi (cream buns); Torrefazione 2.0 Romeo serves maccheroni with ragù, meatballs in tomato sauce and burgers; Lady Chef Pastificio Gioia has stroncatura pasta, fried pizza and arrosticini skewers.

There are also sandwiches with sausage, peperonata, porchetta and frittole from Macelleria Fotia, fried snacks and mulled wine from the bar Il Ritrovo Piromalli, mushroom arancini from Bar Vazzana, and crêpes, doughnuts and freshly filled ricotta cannoli from Panificio Crisafulli. Corn on the cob, roast chestnuts, meatballs, crespelle, breaded chicken burgers, cheese, cured meats, honey, wine, sangria, amari and other local products complete the offer.

Music and entertainment: Cosimo Papandrea and the DJ set

The evening mixes food and entertainment. During the fair there is entertainment from the folk group “Gli Agatini”, games, jugglers, street performers and special effects. At 9:30pm Cosimo Papandrea, an ethno-folk musician whom the poster bills as “The King” of the genre, plays the main concert of the night.

After the concert the square stays lively with a cocktail bar and a DJ set by Joshua Giglio, organised by the Associazione MediterRhegion; the July programme had the DJ set run by the Youth Council, and here too the more recent poster applies. There will also be official merchandise from Calabriando and Kamaffari, and a limited number of commemorative T-shirts will be handed out.

Getting there: ATAM buses from Reggio and free shuttles

For this evening an ATAM bus service runs from Piazza Garibaldi in Reggio Calabria, with departures at 3:50pm and 6:30pm and a return trip at the end of the event: the easiest option if you are coming from the city and would rather not drive mountain roads at night.

If you come by car, there are two parking areas linked by free shuttles: three shuttles run up from the Podargoni parking area and one runs down from the Mannoli parking area. Traffic and parking are supervised by the Guardie Ambientali d'Italia. Mid-October evenings in the Aspromonte are cool, so bring a jacket.

Admission and practical information

The sources do not mention any entrance ticket: the Ottobrata is an open-air fair in the square and you pay for food and drink at the individual stands, whose prices have not been published. The commemorative T-shirts announced on the poster are limited in number.

For information the organisers give a WhatsApp contact, +39 346 520 3863; updates are also posted on the channels of the municipality of Santo Stefano in Aspromonte. As this is an outdoor event in the mountains, check that the evening is confirmed before setting off if the weather turns bad: this autumn the Gambarie Mushroom Festival has already been postponed by two weeks.

Nearby: Gambarie and other autumn events

The municipality of Santo Stefano in Aspromonte also includes Gambarie and Mannoli, inside the Aspromonte National Park. The day after the Ottobrata, on Sunday 18 October, the municipal programme lists Il Parco delle Zucche di Aspropark (a pumpkin park) at the adventure park in the Forge area of Gambarie, which returns on Sunday 25 October too. Also on Sunday 25 October, the 35th Sagra dei Funghi mushroom festival takes place in Piazza Mangeruca in Gambarie, postponed from 11 October, and “Saperi e Sapori d'Aspromonte” is scheduled in Mannoli on Sunday 1 November.

More events are listed in the events calendar; if you want to combine the mountains with the sea on the Costa Viola, look for a place to stay among the holiday rentals.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 Ottobrata d'Aspromonte?

On Saturday 17 October 2026, from 6:30pm according to the official poster (the July municipal programme said 7pm).

Where is the Ottobrata d'Aspromonte held?

In Santo Stefano in Aspromonte (province of Reggio Calabria), in Piazza Domenico Romeo.

Is admission free?

The sources do not mention any entrance ticket: it is a fair in the square and you pay for food and drink at the stands.

What time does Cosimo Papandrea perform?

The concert starts at 9:30pm. It is followed by a cocktail bar and a DJ set by Joshua Giglio.

Are there buses from Reggio Calabria?

Yes: ATAM runs buses at 3:50pm and 6:30pm from Piazza Garibaldi, with a return trip at the end of the event.

Where can I park?

In the Podargoni and Mannoli parking areas, linked by free shuttles: three run up from Podargoni and one runs down from Mannoli.

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