Cardeto Chestnut Festival 2026: the 26th edition on 31 October

Centro di Cardeto · Cardeto, Costa Viola, Calabria

31 October 2026

On Saturday 31 October 2026 Cardeto, a hill village inland from Reggio Calabria at the foot of the Aspromonte mountains, holds its 26th Sagra della Castagna (Chestnut Festival), organised by the municipality. The date comes from the council notice of 20 October, which also announces the purchase of 1,500 kg of raw chestnuts from local growers. The 2026 programme, with times, exact location, music and any shuttle service, has not been published yet. In past years the festival ran from the afternoon into the evening in the streets of the village centre, with roast chestnuts, local food, folk music and activities for children. The 2026 sources do not mention tickets; for information contact the Comune di Cardeto on +39 0965 343012.

The 26th edition: date and organisers

The 26th Sagra della Castagna (Chestnut Festival) in Cardeto takes place on Saturday 31 October 2026. The date is set in a notice signed on 20 October by the general affairs office of the Comune di Cardeto, the municipality that organises the festival.

The notice is about the festival's key ingredient: the council is buying 1,500 kg of raw chestnuts of the local inserte, curce or napoletane varieties, paid at 2 euros per kilo. Farmers and resellers living in Cardeto can apply, one application per household and 50 kg each, by Tuesday 27 October. The chestnuts must be top quality, delivered in mesh sacks, and are weighed and checked on delivery. In short, the chestnuts served at the festival come from the village itself.

The 2026 programme: what we know so far

As of 20 October the council has not yet published the 2026 programme: times, the exact square or area, bands, any exhibitions and the shuttle service are still unknown. In 2025 the programme came out just before the date, on 30-31 October, and this page will be updated as soon as official details are available.

For reference, in 2021, 2023 and 2024 the stands opened at 4pm and the festival carried on into the evening in the streets of the village centre. If you want to plan ahead, you can contact the Comune di Cardeto, Via Milite Ignoto 67, on +39 0965 343012.

What previous editions looked like

In 2025, at the 25th edition, the evening featured local food specialities and a concert by Stefano Priolo and Nino De Francesco. Civil Service volunteers ran children's workshops on the theme of autumn and chestnuts, held over the three previous days, and set up a «Social Corner» for photos; there was also a mushroom exhibition on local fungi.

In 2024 the festival was held on Sunday 27 October as a food walk through the village lanes: sausage rolls, frittole (slow-cooked pork), cheeses, fresh ricotta, goat meat, arrosticini skewers and traditional sweets, with bagpipers and local folk groups playing in the streets. In 2022 and 2023 roast chestnuts were handed out to visitors and the Reggio pastry chefs' association made cakes and sweets with chestnut flour. These details describe past editions, not the 2026 programme.

A festival born in the village

According to a 2025 StrettoWeb report, the Chestnut Festival started in Cardeto about twenty-five years ago at the initiative of the Pro Loco, the local tourist association; the first edition was held in a small gym. Today it draws thousands of people, including many people from Cardeto who live elsewhere for work and come back specially.

Music is a big part of the day. Reports from past editions mention Cardeto's «sonu a ballo» dance music, with organetto (button accordion), zampogna bagpipes, tambourine and lira players spread through the streets. Cardeto is also one of three villages, with Mammola and Cinquefrondi, featured in the book «Cardeto, Mammola, Cinquefrondi 1954», devoted to the field recordings of Calabrian folk songs and music made that year by Alan Lomax and Diego Carpitella.

How to get to Cardeto

Cardeto lies inland from Reggio Calabria, at about 750 metres above sea level, on the right bank of the Sant'Agata stream. From Reggio, which you reach on the A2 motorway or the SS106 coast road, head inland up the Sant'Agata valley through Reggio's hill villages such as Cataforio and Mosorrofa.

In recent years the council set up parking at the junction between San Salvatore and Mosorrofa, with free shuttle buses to the village centre; in 2024 shuttles also left from a car park in Cataforio and ran from 4pm to midnight. The 2026 arrangements have not been announced yet. The roads are mountain roads and the festival goes on after dark: at this altitude, late October evenings are noticeably colder than on the coast.

What to see in Cardeto

Cardeto is a village of medieval origin, built in terraces up the hillside. It was a hamlet of Motta Sant'Agata until 1783, which explains the local division into «Sopra Casale» and «Sotto Casale» (upper and lower hamlet), and became an independent municipality in 1806. Its churches include that of the patron saint, San Sebastiano, reopened in 2000 after earthquake and flood damage, and the sanctuary of Mallamaci dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption, with a marble statue from 1720. At Serra stand the remains of a watchtower, the «Saracen tower», with views over the Strait of Messina.

During the 2024 festival the Museum of Ancient Music in Palazzo Margiotta, the MiMus musical instrument museum and the Museum of Religious and Rural Traditions were open; check this year's openings in advance. The municipality lies within the Aspromonte National Park.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 Cardeto Chestnut Festival?

On Saturday 31 October 2026. Times have not been announced yet; in 2021, 2023 and 2024 the stands opened at 4pm.

Which edition is it?

It is the 26th edition, according to the Comune di Cardeto notice of 20 October 2026. The 25th was held in 2025.

Where does the festival take place?

In Cardeto, in the village centre. The 2026 sources do not yet name a specific square or area; in recent years the festival filled the streets of the centre.

Is there an entrance fee?

The 2026 sources do not mention entrance tickets, and none were mentioned in past editions. Food and drink prices have not been published.

Is there a shuttle bus to Cardeto?

Not announced yet for 2026. In recent years free shuttles ran from a car park at the San Salvatore-Mosorrofa junction to the village centre.

Has the 2026 programme been published?

Not yet: as of 20 October times, music and activities are still unknown. In 2025 the programme was published on 30-31 October.

Who can I contact for information?

The Comune di Cardeto, Via Milite Ignoto 67, tel. +39 0965 343012, certified email protocollo.cardeto@asmepec.it.

Related events and news

All Costa Viola events