{"id":12129,"date":"2026-10-25T05:59:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-25T05:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/italytravelo.com\/?post_type=listing&p=12129"},"modified":"2026-10-25T05:59:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-25T05:59:20","slug":"mortadella-bologna-italy","status":"publish","type":"listing","link":"https:\/\/italytravelo.com\/nl\/event\/mortadella-bologna-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"Mortadella Bologna 2027 \u2013 Italy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Overzicht<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mortadella Bologna 2027 is the international festival dedicated to Mortadella Bologna PGI, the iconic pink sausage known as the Queen of Sausages and La Grassa’s most famous ambassador. Celebrated under the names MortadellaB\u00f2 and Mortadella Please, the festival transforms Bologna and its world capital of mortadella, Zola Predosa, into a four-day haven of tastings, cooking labs, cultural talks and family entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mortadella di Bologna PGI has a protected geographical status, meaning that it can only be called mortadella if it has been produced in Emilia-Romagna or other neighboring Italian provinces under strict regulations. The festival is a unique opportunity to fully experience mortadella in its region of origin, from historic recipes to modern interpretations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The history of mortadella traces back to the ancient Etruscan city of Felsina, surrounded by oak forests that provided acorns for swine. The first real recipe was written by agronomist Vincenzo Tanara in the early 1600s, giving precise instructions for ingredients. The real turning point came on October 24, 1661, when Cardinal Farnese officially set out the rules for preparing this delicacy, a date now celebrated as International Mortadella Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once reserved for nobles and the wealthy, Mortadella Bologna became a democratic and popular product after the development of the processed meats industry in the 19th century. Today it is Italy’s most loved cooked sausage, made of crushed pork mixed with spices, cubes of fat called lardelli from the pig’s throat, and sometimes pistachios or black pepper, cooked for several hours at low temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Makes This Food Event Special<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Pink Queen Festival<\/strong>: Officially called MortadellaB\u00f2, the festival is a one-of-a-kind event that turns the center of Bologna pink, with decorations, a mortadella queen wearing a pink dress with white dots, and activities celebrating the sausage’s round pink appearance and white specks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

World Capital Of Mortadella<\/strong>: While events take place in Bologna’s Palazzo Re Enzo, the heart of production is Zola Predosa, just a few kilometers from Bologna, which proudly calls itself the World Capital of Mortadella. Here, producers like Felsineo Group, who moved here in 1963, open their doors and host the most pink and delicious festival in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

International Festival Since 2007<\/strong>: Since 2007, the city has been hosting the highly anticipated Mortadella Please Festival, or Festival Internazionale della Mortadella. Running for over 15 editions, it has become a benchmark for charcuterie culture, combining tradition with innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Tradition To Fab Lab<\/strong>: The program goes beyond tasting. It includes a Fab Lab where producers and foodies study new recipes and techniques for homemade mortadella, cooking labs, tastings and cultural conferences about the evolution of this specialty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family And Food Education<\/strong>: The festival includes a range of events for kids, shows on stage to entertain all the family with a huge mortadella sandwich in hand, and educational activities about how to pick the best mortadella, what cheeses accompany it best and which wines pair perfectly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food, Cuisine & Specialties<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mortadella Bologna PGI<\/strong>: The star is Mortadella Bologna PGI, made from pork that is first ground and then mashed into a paste using a large mortar, hence the name. It is traditionally studded with lardelli and spiced with grain and ground pepper. To bring out its rich flavor, it is best served at room temperature, either thinly sliced like prosciutto or cut into cubes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Classic And Innovative Preparations<\/strong>: You will find mortadella served as thin slices with tigelle and crescentine, cubed in appetizers and salads, whipped into mousse, folded into tortellini filling, baked into rosette bread, grilled, and paired with Parmigiano Reggiano. Variants include mortadella with pistachio, with black pepper, and with black truffle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pairings<\/strong>: Local guides teach what cheeses accompany mortadella best, such as Squacquerone, Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino, and which wines match, including Pignoletto, Lambrusco and Sangiovese di Romagna. Bread pairings include ros\u00e9 bread, ciabatta and traditional coppia ferrarese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Street Food<\/strong>: The festival’s street food includes the giant mortadella sandwich, mortadella burgers, fried mortadella balls, mortadella and cheese piadina, and mortadella tacos reinterpreted by chefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Local Emilian Specialties<\/strong>: Alongside mortadella, producers showcase other Emilian cured meats, Parmigiano Reggiano, traditional balsamic vinegar, fresh pasta like tortellini and tagliatelle, and desserts such as torta di riso and zuppa inglese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chefs, Restaurants & Food Vendors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Top Mortadella Producers<\/strong>: The festival gathers all the best mortadella producers in the region, including Felsineo, Alcisa, Felsineo Group partners and artisan salumifici from Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Marche, Lazio and Tuscany. Each offers tastings of their PGI products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Famous Chefs<\/strong>: Cooking classes are held by famous chefs from all over Italy, interpreting mortadella across several days of tastings and demonstrations in the city centre. Previous editions have featured Michelin-starred chefs and hosts from Grand Tour Italia theme park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Palazzo Re Enzo Hub<\/strong>: The core of the event is Palazzo Re Enzo in Bologna, hosting cooking labs, tastings, conferences and the Fab Lab where new recipes are tested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Restaurants And Osterias<\/strong>: Bologna’s osterias and restaurants create special menus for the festival, featuring mortadella in traditional and creative dishes. Pop-up kitchens in Piazza Maggiore and Piazza Re Enzo serve lunch and dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mortadella Please Village<\/strong>: In Zola Predosa’s historic center and main square, the village includes food trucks, market stalls selling mortadella by the kilo, cheese and wine pairings, and family entertainment stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food Experience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tastings Of All Producers<\/strong>: You can choose to participate in a range of events, from tastings of all the best mortadella producers in the region to guided sensory evaluations where you learn to recognize texture, aroma of spices and quality of lardelli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooking Labs And Fab Lab<\/strong>: Hands-on labs teach how to make rosetta with mortadella, how to whip mortadella mousse, how to prepare tortellini with mortadella filling, and even how to make homemade mortadella with new techniques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Educational Talks<\/strong>: Conferences trace mortadella from elite product to popular icon, explain PGI regulations, animal welfare and sustainable pork farming in oak forests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family Entertainment<\/strong>: A huge mortadella sandwich, stage shows, music, and a mortadella queen create a festive atmosphere. Kids can participate in small workshops making their own panini.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Market And Take-Home<\/strong>: Vendors sell whole and sliced mortadella vacuum-packed for travel, along with cookbooks, aprons and pink gadgets. If stored well, mortadella can be kept for up to eight months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Datum en Schema<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Event Dates<\/strong>: October 2027 (Dates TBD)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typical Schedule Based On Previous Editions<\/strong>: The MortadellaB\u00f2 Festival is a four-day festival, while Mortadella Please in Zola Predosa runs over a weekend. Previous editions were held from October 11 to October 13, 2024 for the 16th edition in Zola Predosa, and from September 29 to October 1 for the 15th edition. The Bologna edition MortadellaB\u00f2 has been held in early October at Palazzo Re Enzo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expected Daily Flow<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n