Throughout November, Cremona—about an hour from Milan—will be enveloped in the scent of almonds and honey. From November 7 to 22, the 29th edition of the Nougat Festival returns and, for the first time, will span three weekends: a perfect opportunity to plan a fall outing through the city’s downtown squares and savor its culinary specialties.
Sixteen days of festivities in the historic center
The booths will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. throughout the streets and squares of the city center. The program includes tastings, cooking demonstrations, performances, and family activities; some of the event’s traditions are also making a comeback, such as the giant nougat structures and the historical reenactment of the wedding between Bianca Maria Visconti and Francesco Sforza. According to legend, nougat was invented on the very occasion of their wedding, celebrated in Cremona in 1441.
From sushi to nougat in broth: the 2026 theme goes beyond tradition
The theme of this year’s festival is “Il Confine” (The Border), an invitation to bring different flavors together. Among the announced events, one highlight is a cooking demonstration that pairs nougat with Japanese-Brazilian cuisine: the “roll” served with Temakinho combines salmon, avocado, teriyaki sauce, and soft almond nougat. The Cremona-style sweet also appears in a sandwich and, in the grand finale on November 22, in a dish of mezze maniche pasta in broth stuffed with cotechino and topped with chopped nougat.
Dates and useful information
The Nougat Festival will be held in Cremona from November 7 to 22, 2026, in the historic center. Admission is free, and the booths are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The program is currently being updated and is subject to change; the day-by-day schedule can be found on the event’s official website.
