Manifestos printed on fluorescent-colored paper with large black letters: you don’t need to read them to know it’s an announcement for a sagra. In Italy, there are about 20,000 of these small-town fairs—some massive and tourist attractions, others so modest they gather only the locals, but always centered around food. Truffles, wine, fish, mussels, beans, sausages, or long-forgotten recipes are celebrated on disposable plates with paper tablecloths, seated on beer hall benches, often accompanied by local bands.

From the Polenta Festival in the mountains of Val d’Aosta to the Prickly Pear Festival in Sicily, they all follow a similar format: for a few days each year, a group of volunteers sets up tables and stoves, organizes entertainment, buys groceries, and cooks, serving guests who, in exchange, make a financial contribution to support the local kindergarten or soccer field. Outside of major urban centers, the sagre calendar is packed, especially in summer when there’s a holiday atmosphere.