Mushroom Festival in Giffone

Giffone · Giffone, Costa Viola, Calabria

9 October 2026 – 11 October 2026

From 9 to 11 October 2026 the hill village of Giffone, in the province of Reggio Calabria, hosts the 32nd edition of its Mushroom Festival. Three days devoted to autumn flavours and to mycological culture, with an exhibition of the species gathered in the surrounding chestnut and beech woods, local produce stalls and traditional cooking. Sunday 11 October is the main day, when the kitchens open and the village fills up. Admission is free and the festival is organised by the Associazione Culturale e Micologica Giffonese together with the municipality of Giffone.

The 32nd Mushroom Festival, 9-11 October 2026

From 9 to 11 October 2026 Giffone hosts the 32nd edition of its Mushroom Festival, one of the longest-running autumn events in the province of Reggio Calabria. The festival is devoted to seasonal flavours, mycological culture and local produce, and is organised by the Associazione Culturale e Micologica Giffonese together with the municipality of Giffone. Thirty-two editions are not a footnote: they describe a village that has made the woods, and what grows in them, part of its identity, and that puts them back at the centre every October.

Where Giffone is: a village between the Serre and the plain

Giffone is a small town in the province of Reggio Calabria, roughly 594 metres above sea level, on the Tyrrhenian side of the Serre plateau, where the mountains begin to slope down towards the Gioia Tauro plain. The location explains the festival better than any introduction: the chestnut and beech woods surrounding the village are the natural habitat where the mushrooms grow, and foraging here is an inherited practice rather than a recent culinary fashion.

The mycological exhibition and the expert-led courses

The educational core of the festival is the mycological exhibition, where species gathered in the local woods are displayed, classified and explained to visitors. In recent editions the exhibition has been paired with free information courses led by experts and with a study conference including an award ceremony for participating schools: a structure that sets Giffone apart from purely gastronomic festivals and reflects the nature of the organising association, mycological before it is cultural. Telling an edible mushroom from a toxic one is something you learn here by seeing them side by side.

Sunday 11 October: the main day

On Sunday 11 October the programme comes into its own with cooking, the mycological exhibition and stalls devoted to local produce. This is the day the village fills up and the mushrooms reach the table, prepared according to local recipes. In previous editions the tasting was accompanied by live music along the streets of the centre: a format that combines lunch with a village celebration, and that makes Sunday the best choice for anyone travelling in for a single day.

Who organises the festival

The festival is run by the Associazione Culturale e Micologica Giffonese in collaboration with the municipality of Giffone. In recent editions the entertainment programme has also been supported by the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria. It is an event built by local volunteers, and that shows in its character: little showcase, a great deal of practice, with association members personally handling the gathering, classification and display of the specimens.

Getting there and what to know before you go

Giffone is reached by car, climbing inland from the Gioia Tauro plain along the provincial roads that connect the foothill towns of the Serre. Visitors coming from further afield can base themselves on the Costa Viola, on the coast, and drive up for the day. At the time of writing the full timetable for the 32nd edition has not yet been released through official channels: for precise times, menus and prices it is worth checking the pages of the municipality of Giffone and of the organising association in the days before the festival. If you are planning a weekend in the area, you can browse other events in Calabria in the same period.

Frequently asked questions

When does the 2026 Giffone Mushroom Festival take place?

From 9 to 11 October 2026. It is the 32nd edition. Sunday 11 October is the main day, with cooking, the mycological exhibition and local produce stalls.

Where is Giffone?

Giffone is a town in the province of Reggio Calabria, about 594 metres above sea level, on the Tyrrhenian side of the Serre plateau, behind the Gioia Tauro plain.

What is there to see besides the food?

The mycological exhibition, where species gathered in the local woods are displayed and classified. Recent editions have also offered free information courses with experts and a study conference with an award ceremony for participating schools.

How much does it cost to take part?

Admission to the festival is free. You pay for what you consume: prices for the menus and stalls of the 32nd edition have not yet been announced by the organisers, so it is best to check the official channels of the municipality of Giffone and of the Associazione Culturale e Micologica Giffonese beforehand.

Who organises the Mushroom Festival?

The Associazione Culturale e Micologica Giffonese, in collaboration with the municipality of Giffone. In recent editions the entertainment programme has been supported by the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria.

Is it suitable for families?

Yes. The mycological exhibition and the educational moments are designed for younger visitors too: in recent editions the study conference included an award ceremony for participating schools.

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