On Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, La Barona Park in Giussago, in the province of Pavia, hosts the Festa della Zucca, the Pumpkin Festival. This year the event doubles in length and becomes a true autumn weekend: two days to enjoy together, with workshops, games, entertainment and a food area offering pumpkin-based specialities.

At the heart of the festival is the Pumpkin Village (Villaggio delle Zucche), an open-air space where the colours and flavours of the season provide the setting for a programme designed above all for children and families, with plenty of treats for adults too.

The Activities at the Pumpkin Village

The programme combines scheduled activities with others that are open throughout the festival, leaving everyone free to build their own day.

Scheduled Activities

The cooking workshop dedicated to autumn biscuits takes place at 10:30 am and 3:30 pm. To make the activity run smoothly, 15 places are available per session and registration is required via the QR code shown on the festival's activity schedule.

Entertainment and face painting, run by La Compagnia dell’Allegria, are scheduled for 11:00 am and 2:30 pm. At 11:30 am and 3:00 pm it is time for the reading of illustrated picture books, run by Sbook.

All-Day Activities

From 10:00 am to 6:00 pm visitors can join the pumpkin painting workshop, decorate a bookmark with Sbook, take part in the saddle baptism (battesimo della sella), a first introduction to the world of horses, and decorate horseshoes with Giubbe Verdi. There are also autumn-themed games, a photo booth for a souvenir picture and a mini-tractor course.

Free Activities and Activities with a Contribution

The festival schedule distinguishes between free activities and those requiring a contribution. Entertainment with face painting, the reading of illustrated picture books, bookmark decorating, autumn-themed games and the photo booth are free. A contribution is required for the cooking workshop, the pumpkin painting workshop, the saddle baptism with horseshoe decorating, and the mini-tractor course. For the amount of the contributions, you can contact the organisers at the number given in the information section.

Food Area: Flavours of Pumpkin

The food area is open throughout the festival and does not require a booking: you can stop by whenever you like, between one workshop and the next.

Saturday and Sunday: The Food Stand

All day, on both Saturday and Sunday, the food stand offers pumpkin-based delicacies, and more, for tasting autumn at the table.

Saturday Only: Roast Chestnuts, Mulled Wine and Sunset Aperitivo

On Saturday the food programme expands. From 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm the Pavia-Certosa Alpini Group (Gruppo Alpini Pavia-Certosa) serves roast chestnuts and mulled wine (vin brûlé), while from 5:30 pm the sunset aperitivo begins, a pleasant way to end the day in La Barona Park.

Practical Information

The Festa della Zucca 2026 takes place on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October, with continuous opening hours from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, at La Barona Park in Giussago (PV). The cooking workshop has limited places, with 15 seats per session and registration via QR code; no booking is needed for the food area. For information, you can send a message on WhatsApp to +39 379 2867985.

How to Get to Giussago

Giussago lies on the plain between Milan and Pavia, along the Strada Statale dei Giovi (SP35), which links the two cities. 

An Autumn Weekend in the Province of Pavia

The Festa della Zucca is an opportunity to discover the part of the province of Pavia closest to Milan at one of the most atmospheric times of the year. Those who stay in the area can combine the day with a visit to the nearby Certosa di Pavia, one of the best-known monuments in the area.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Festa della Zucca 2026 take place?

On Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Where does the Festa della Zucca take place?

At La Barona Park in Giussago, in the province of Pavia, in the area set up as the Pumpkin Village.

Do I need to book?

No booking is needed for the food area. For the “autumn biscuits” cooking workshop, 15 places are available per session and registration is via the QR code shown on the activity schedule.

Which activities are suitable for children?

Pumpkin painting and cooking workshops, readings of illustrated picture books, bookmark and horseshoe decorating, entertainment and face painting, a photo booth, autumn-themed games, a mini-tractor course and the saddle baptism.

What can I eat and drink?

The food stand offers pumpkin-based delicacies and more, on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday there are also roast chestnuts and mulled wine from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm and the sunset aperitivo from 5:30 pm.

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