On August 15 and 16, another Italian festival will take place in São Paulo, and we’ll tell you all about it! The Santos Italian Festival arrives this coming weekend and brings with it a lineup packed with traditional foods, musical performances, and cultural activities. And best of all: admission is free.
In its third edition, the festival attracted approximately 80,000 people last year. And following fundraising campaigns, it also collected 658 food baskets for the Social Solidarity Fund.
Organized by the Società Italiana di Santos in partnership with the city government, just as in 2025, this year’s festival will also take place at Valongo Park, in the historic center.
To attract a larger audience, the city government is offering special free bus routes to the event. The buses depart from the Northwest Zone and Gonzaga, dropping passengers off in the Praça Mauá area.
The first edition of the festival commemorated the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the first Italian immigrants in Brazil, highlighting the Port of Santos as one of the main points of arrival. Above all, the festival celebrates the bond of mutual affection between the regions.
The Cuisine of the Italian Festival of Santos
One of the central highlights of the celebration, this year’s culinary offerings feature a special curation organized by regions of Italy: Naples, Sicily, Tuscany, Veneto, and other locations.
Among the dishes are traditional Neapolitan pizzas, polenta, artisanal pasta, and even risottos. When it comes to desserts, visitors can look forward to indulging in traditional Sicilian sweets, cannoli, tiramisu, and much more. As for drinks, wines, beers, and sparkling wines are a must!
In total, the 2026 edition will feature around 13 food and beverage exhibitors showcasing the best of Italian cuisine.
What to expect from the festival
While enjoying the food, attendees have a wide range of cultural activities at their disposal.
On Saturday, Livia Giraud will kick off the musical performances with Italian classics, followed by tenor Joel Gil, Via Mari, and Nino Fornaro. To close out the night, Degasperi will present the show “Il Cuore che Canta.”
The following day, Sunday, kicks off once again with Livia Giraud, followed by Renato Gabianni and the Ana Renó Dance Company. The traveling band Oscar Guzella and the Trio Via will close out the festival’s marathon of shows.
In addition, attendees will have access to a local crafts fair, literary and Instagram-worthy spots, as well as a specialwalking tour. The tour aims to explore the landmarks that mark the history of Italian immigration in Santos.
By the way, for those attending with children, the festival also features a kids’ area with inflatable toys, face painting, and other attractions.
