“La Fiuma” and the “Nedar” Festival

Two autumn events that warm up the village of San Benedetto Po, near Mantova

2 minutes

Early autumn in San Benedetto Po, what a sight!

San Benedetto sul Po is one of the “Borghi più belli d'Italia” (Italy's most beautiful villages) and hosts two autumn events not to be missed: the Fiuma, a figure theatre festival, and the Sagra del Nedar, a food and wine event celebrating local recipes. In the past the two events were held in different periods of the year, but since 2021 they have been held at the same time, in early October, and there is no happier union than this!

The location of the events is Piazza Matilde di Canossa, the beating heart of the town and local community. The central stage hosts the Fiuma shows: puppets, stand-up comedy, monologues and many other theatrical forms for all tastes and ages.

At the same time, the village kitchens host the dress rehearsal of the taste show, whose protagonist is the “nedar”, the duck in the local parlance. Restaurants and inns in the village offer visitors typical duck-based menus in full respect of local traditions. Among the most popular dishes are orange risotto with duck ragout, maccheroni al pettine with naked duck sauce, and duck tortello with hazelnut butter and sage. What can we say? Cheers to the chefs!

There are also many side events revolving around these two events: visits to the bell tower of San Floriano, the Polironiano Civic Museum and to the monastery complex, markets selling local products and handicrafts, and educational activities for children. These include a competition called "Il mio Paese in viaggio" (My village on a journey), where children create shopping bags depicting views, cultural heritage, gastronomic assets and landscapes of San Benedetto sul Po: their works are then displayed in the village shops.

During the festival, there will be plenty of space for nature trails along the Po, starting from the old town and accessible to anyone, on foot and by bike. Or, if you prefer, you can simply relax in front of the slow flow of the river, while sipping an aperitif.

Finally, there are two highlights of the days: the “maccheronata in piazza”, a moment of conviviality where the local community and visitors dine together, and the "Nedar Cup" a bizarre and goliardic race on bicycles transformed into farmyard animals!