A UNESCO villa festival with wine, music and a night carnival

Villa nights in Vicenza ↓ / Night carnival and 1990s parties ↓ / Dinner, wine and the story of the Spiga ↓ / Palladio’s five circles ↓ / PLAN YOUR VISIT↓

VILLA NIGHTS IN VICENZA

About 35 kilometres south of Vicenza, Villa Pojana hosts the Festa della Spiga in its park at Pojana Maggiore, Veneto. The setting is an original villa by Andrea Palladio, part of the UNESCO World Heritage property encompassing Vicenza and the Palladian villas. During the festival, its grounds welcome evening meals, music and performances: a reason to include the southern Vicenza countryside in an Italy itinerary that continues after museum closing time. [1, 2, 3]

NIGHT CARNIVAL AND 1990S PARTIES

The night carnival is the date to watch. The 2026 programme announced twenty carnival floats, followed by a late evening music show. On another night, Voglio Tornare Negli Anni 90, meaning “I want to go back to the nineties”, brought its touring party to the festival, advertising confetti, streamers and a theatrical snow show alongside the music. These are examples from the previous edition: check the next programme for the carnival night and the acts returning to the villa. [3, 4]

DINNER, WINE AND THE STORY OF THE SPIGA

Leave time for dinner before the music. Past programmes have paired the festival food stand with Profumi di Vino in Villa, an evening wine programme. Food service and performances follow their own schedules, so choose your night after checking both. [3] Spiga means an ear of wheat. The festival’s own explanation gives each grain a human counterpart: the associations and groups that together make up Pojana Maggiore. That is the idea behind the celebration, documented by Meraviglia Italiana. [5]

PALLADIO’S FIVE CIRCLES

Before darkness, look for the five circular openings above the entrance. The Palladio Museum traces the façade’s architectural language to ancient Roman baths, including the Baths of Diocletian. It is a small detail with a much larger geographical story: UNESCO records how Palladio’s architecture influenced England, other European countries and North America. Here, you can see an original before spending the evening in its grounds. [6, 7]

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Check for the next edition. The 2026 Festa della Spiga ran from 29 May to 7 June and has concluded. Contact the organisers for the next dates, evening programme, food service and any ticketed performances. [3]

Festival information
Associazione Comitato della Spiga
Email: comitatospiga@yahoo.it
Telephone: +39 366 2027661 / +39 347 3628139

Villa visits
For access to the interiors, check the villa’s separate opening arrangements.
Telephone: +39 351 3226843, during opening hours
Email: info@villapoiana.it