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From mid-October to late November, Lombardy fills up with chestnut festivals and pumpkin, polenta and truffle fairs. We’ve gathered the 2026 ones with verified dates that are reachable in a day from Milan, plus the places to find roasted chestnuts in the city.
When: weekends from mid-October to late November 2026
Where: Milan hinterland, Brianza, the Como area, the Varese area, Bergamo area, Pavia area, Valtellina, Cremona
Tip: these fairs are run by local Pro Loco associations and volunteers: the program can change at the last minute, so always check the organizers’ social pages before you leave.
These are the autumn festivals we found confirmed for 2026, from mid-October onward. Dates come from the organizers, local event listings and the Lombardy Region fair calendar.
| 2026 dates | Festival | Where | What you’ll eat |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 16–18 | Roasted Chestnut Festival (50th edition) | Trezzano Rosa (MI) | Roasted chestnuts, Lombard cuisine, music |
| October 15–18 and 22–25 | Sagra nella Zucca (Pumpkin Festival) | Mezzago (MB) | Pumpkin |
| October 16–18 | Honey Mushroom Festival | Cilavegna (PV) | Honey mushrooms (chiodini) |
| October 17–18 | Chestnut Festival | Agrate Brianza (MB) | Chestnuts |
| October 17–18 | Bitto Exhibition | Morbegno (SO) | Bitto cheese and Valtellina products |
| October 18 | Pumpkin Festival and Chestnut Roast | Agra (VA) | Pumpkin and chestnuts |
| October 18 | Pumpkin Festival | Gavirate (VA) | Pumpkin and roasted chestnuts |
| October 18 and 25 | The Chestnut Roast | Asso (CO) | Chestnuts |
| through October 25 | Castanea | Pradalunga (BG) | Chestnut culture, tastings |
| weekends through October 25 | National White Truffle Fair | Borgofranco sul Po (MN) | White truffle |
| October 25 | Chestnut Festival | Novate Milanese (MI) | Chestnuts |
| from October 23, on weekends | Polenta Taragna Festival | Spirano (BG) | Polenta taragna |
| October 30–November 1 | Polenta Fest | Settimo Milanese (MI) | Polenta |
| October 30–November 1 | Alpine Chestnut Roast | Leno (BS) | Chestnuts |
| November 7–22 | Torrone Festival | Cremona | Torrone (nougat) |
| November 8 | Truffle and Honey Fair | Casteggio (PV) | Truffle and honey |
| November 13–16 | Historic St. Martin’s Fair | Inveruno (MI) | Autumn fair |
| November 27–29 | Abbiategusto | Abbiategrasso (MI) | Food and wine |
For the Polenta Taragna Festival in Spirano, sources report different dates (late October or through November 8): check the exact weekends. The “Castagne, Streghe e… Dintorni” (Chestnuts, Witches and… Surroundings) festival in Rovenna (Cernobbio) has no confirmed 2026 dates yet.
The most convenient from Milan:
If chestnuts aren’t enough for you:
Many festivals are in small towns with poor weekend train service. The easiest without a car are Novate Milanese, Asso, Morbegno and Cremona. For the others it’s worth renting a car for the day: from the suite you can quickly reach the ring roads via viale Monza or via Palmanova. Arrive for lunch: in the evening the lines at the kitchen counters get longer. Bring cash, as not all stands accept cards. More ideas in our guide to day trips from Milan.
No time to leave the city? From October to December the chestnut vendors return to the center: you’ll find them in Piazza Duomo, Cordusio and San Babila, as well as at markets and neighborhood festivals. In December they’re a fixture at the Oh Bej! Oh Bej! fair. Watch the prices in Piazza Duomo: in December 2024, Il Fatto Alimentare calculated about 1 euro per chestnut. Always ask the price first.
After the chestnuts, try the dishes of the Milanese autumn like cassoeula and risotto: you’ll find them in our guide to Milanese cuisine.
Coming back in the evening tired and full? The suite is a 10-minute walk from Milano Centrale. Book the suite: on our website you pay 20% less.
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