Sale, the Sant'Ambrogio festival dedicated to good food and the memory of Fabio Picchi

June 4–7: 4 days of events you won’t want to miss

From June 4 to 7, SALE – Sant’Ambrogio in Festival returns to Florence, a citywide event celebrating the neighborhood, its culinary culture, and the visionary legacy of Fabio Picchi. Now in its fourth edition, the festival—conceived by Teatro del Sale—remains one of the city’s most original cultural events, bringing together cuisine, art, community, and social commentary into a single, grand collective narrative.

The theme chosen for 2026 is Relationships, the central thread of an intense program spanning theatrical performances, concerts, workshops, meetings, farmers’ markets, activities for children, and large communal meals. A festival that engages Sant’Ambrogio in its entirety—from historic shops to schools, from cultural associations to small producers—transforming the neighborhood into an urban laboratory of sharing and participation.

Launched four years ago to showcase the values of the Cibrèo world and Fabio Picchi’s cultural and human philosophy, SALE Sant’Ambrogio in Festival is now a true city-wide celebration that brings Florence to life with hundreds of widespread events.

The 2026 edition centers on the concept of “relationships”: relationships between people, cultures, generations, territories, and food. A theme reflected in the in-depth evenings at the Teatro del Sale and in the numerous activities that will engage the neighborhood.

The day-by-day program

Thursday, June 4: the Albanian community takes center stage at the pre-opening

As is tradition, the opening night will be dedicated to the international communities in Florence. For 2026, the focus will be on the Albanian community, the star of a special event inspired by the grand traditional Balkan feasts. Amid colors, aromas, music, and conviviality, the Teatro del Sale will host an immersive dinner curated by chef Anna Cieno, with a menu designed to explore the culinary affinities between Albania and Italy.

“Food is the universal language par excellence, because it triggers emotions”, explains Giulio Picchi, highlighting the symbolic value of an evening dedicated to the meeting of cultures.

Friday, June 5: Remembering Fabio Picchi with La dispensa dell’amore

Friday evening will, as always, be dedicated to the memory of Fabio Picchi and his ethical vision of food.

The heart of the event will be the new theatrical production La dispensa dell’amore, conceived by Giulio Picchi and directed by Tobia Pescia. A project that draws on Fabio Picchi’s writings to transform the concept of a pantry into a metaphor for the human being: an inner space where one keeps what truly matters. Performed by Caterina Vannoni, the play addresses universal themes such as love, family, our relationship with food, and contemporary society. For the first time, the evening’s format will be reversed: first the play, then the convivial dinner, conceived as a natural continuation of the narrative.

Also on Friday, at 8 p.m., a marching band will wind through the streets of Sant’Ambrogio in collaboration with LUMEN, promoting cultural mobility between the city center and creative neighborhoods.

Saturday, June 6: farmers’ market, concerts, and workshops throughout the area

Saturday at the SALE Festival will be the day with the highest neighborhood participation, featuring a rich program spread across the Teatro del Sale and the activities in Sant’Ambrogio.

L’Orto Volante: the market dedicated to ethical food

Starting in the morning, the Teatro del Sale will host L’Orto Volante, a farmers’ market and educational space dedicated to small-scale producers, sustainable agriculture, and new food practices.

Among the highlights of the 2026 edition:

Andrea Battiata with the Orto Bioattivo
DAGRI – Faculty of Agriculture
Accademia del Caffè Espresso and La Marzocco
The Testaroli of Garfagnana
Poggio ai Santi
Le Saline di Volterra
Leonardo Donnini with demonstrations of traditional knife sharpening
Cibrèo Firenze since 1979 with new food preserves

There will be plenty of tastings, workshops, and events dedicated to the culture of mindful eating.

Live music and activities throughout the neighborhood

Throughout the day, the festival will enliven the streets of Sant’Ambrogio with concerts and performances open to the public.

Among the artists performing:

I Ragazzi Scimmia
Bube’s Band
Accademia Europea di Firenze
Pasquale Rimolo

At the same time, independent bookstores, artisan shops, creative studios, restaurants, and local businesses will host workshops, courses, readings, performances, and seminars, transforming the neighborhood into a grand collective event.

The educational project with the Pestalozzi School-City

Significant attention will also be dedicated to the education of the younger generation thanks to the collaboration with the Pestalozzi School-City. Students will present an educational project developed in collaboration with Publiacqua and the Teatro del Sale, culminating in 2027 with the publication of a recipe book created by the children. This initiative will involve chefs, agronomists, and food industry professionals to educate young people on the themes of sustainability, creativity, and food awareness.

All You Can Eat: a theatrical reading on our contemporary relationship with food

On Saturday evening, the festival will close with All You Can Eat, a theatrical reading inspired by Michael Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. The performance, produced by Teatro dell’Elce and directed by Marco Di Costanzo, will guide the audience in a reflection on contemporary food supply chains and the loss of awareness regarding the origin of food.

Sunday, June 7: Sant’Ambrogio a Tavola closes the festival

The final day will take place in Piazza dei Ciompi with Sant’Ambrogio a Tavola, a large charity dinner dedicated to over 500 people invited by local associations.

For the 2026 edition, several historic Tuscan trattorias will take center stage:

Da Burde
Fratelli Briganti
Tripperia Pollini
Molino Trattoria Moderna
Collebrunacchi
Il Cibreino

The square will be transformed into a giant communal table with games for children, DJ sets, performances, and the closing concert by MILLE, an artist honored at Musicultura 2021.

Special events also include Sale in Zucca by Libreria Malaparte and spectacular aerial dance performances by Acrofolìe.