Sale, the festival of good food and the memory of Fabio Picchi arrives in Sant'Ambrogio
May 29 to June 1: 4 days of events not to be missed
After the great success of previous editions, SALE Festival, the cultural and gastronomic event dedicated to the Sant'Ambrogio neighborhood, is back in the heart of Florence. An unmissable event for Florentines and visitors alike, combining entertainment, good food, art and community in an authentically urban atmosphere. The festival is co-sponsored by the City of Florence and realized thanks to contributions from Cibrèo, Sammontana, Mercato Centrale, Human Company, Coop and Generali.
Teatro del SaleSALE was created with the intention of enhancing the trades, people and stories of the Sant'Ambrogio neighborhood, one of the city's most vibrant and identifiable, transforming it into an open-air stage where Florentine “savoir faire” is celebrated. An initiative that has won everyone over since its debut and is renewed this year with a deeply symbolic theme: nourishment, not only of the body, but also of the soul.
“SALE is much more than a neighborhood festival,” explains Giulio Picchi, CEO of the Cibrèo Group and Artistic Director of the Teatro del Sale, ”it is the city becoming its own master again and celebrating its own virtues, that all-Florentine sense of imagining life as something beautiful and collective". The festival was created to pay tribute to the memory of Fabio Picchi, a central figure in Florentine gastronomic and theatrical culture who died prematurely in 2022.
From Teatro del Sale to Piazza dei Ciompi, SALE brings to the stage a rich program of theater performances, concerts, moments of social reflection, workshops and tastings. Food-as always central to Picchi's vision-is the protagonist not only as pleasure, but as care, sharing and vehicle of emotions. A true social glue capable of uniting different generations, languages and histories.
The day-by-day schedule
Thursday, May 29 – FOOD AS UNION
A day dedicated to food as a universal language of sharing between cultures, emotions, and communities.
9:30 AM – 4:00 PM – GIVING VALUE TO FOOD: Workshops, readings, and labs by Cipes Toscana focused on reducing food waste.
8:00 PM – SO FAR, SO CLOSE: A TdS-style dinner event featuring Georgian and Senegalese dishes. Performances by Senegalese musician Badara Seck and Georgian folk group Nanila. Also featuring an exhibition by students from Scuola-Città Pestalozzi on female toponymy and a commemorative plaque presentation to Fabio Picchi by the Senegalese community.
Friday, May 30 – FOOD AS EMOTION
An emotional evening dedicated to the gastronomic and cultural legacy of Fabio Picchi, 45 years after the founding of Cibrèo.
8:00 PM – FABIO’S TREE: Dinner event with chefs such as Benedetta Vitali, Oscar Severini, and other great names inspired by Picchi’s cuisine.
10:30 PM – PANTRY READINGS: A poetic-theatrical performance by Teresa Tanini. Special contributions by L’Integrale magazine with Diletta Sereni, Jacopo Melilli, and Giulio Picchi.
Saturday, May 31 – FOOD AS CARE
A day entirely dedicated to sustainability and mindful cooking, featuring local producers and innovative agricultural initiatives.
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM – THE FLYING GARDEN: Stands and workshops with organizations like UNIFI School of Agriculture, Quinto Sapore, Bucolica, Accademia del Caffè Espresso, and many more.
8:00 PM – CIBRÈO ON THE FARM: Dinner event inspired by sustainable products and participating companies.
Following the dinner – FANTASY: A theatrical performance with Associazione Sipario Onlus and Arthur Murray Dance School: dancing fairy tales featuring characters like Pippi Longstocking and Beauty and the Beast.
Sunday, June 1 – FOOD AS SHARING
Grand finale with the great charity dinner “Sant’Ambrogio at the Table” in Piazza dei Ciompi.
From 7:00 PM – Over 500 people dining for free thanks to contributions from Florentine restaurants and associations. Among the chefs: Enoteca Pinchiorri, Cibrèo, Saporium, Arnolfo Le Jardin, L’Imbuto (Lucca), and many more.
Special guest: content creator WikiPedro, along with Accademia del Caffè Espresso and Pasticceria Nencioni with their famous cream puffs.
From 10:00 PM – THE SALT BALL: DJ set with DJ Hugolini, Ghiaccioli & Branzini, live music by Baluba Shake, cotton candy, gadgets, and the Sammontana playground with its legendary ice cream cart and popcorn offered by Generali Firenze Rifredi.
Daily Events – Thursday, May 29 to Sunday, June 1
Legatoria Artigiana Florentia, Via dell’Agnolo 28r
Notebook workshop in paper and canvas (€15, 30 min)
Leather-bound notebook workshop (€25, 30–40 min)
Ditta Artigianale, Piazza Carducci 2/4r
Free concerts, live music, and DJ sets
Massimo D’Amato Photographer, Via dei Macci 27r/29r
Exhibit “May Flea Market” + artworks “Pulcis in Fundo” (3:30 PM – 7:30 PM)
Malaparte Bookstore
Traveling bookshop with a food-themed selection
Accademia del Caffè Espresso, Teatro del Sale
Evening coffee station with different roasters
Tripperia Pollini, Via dei Macci
Special sandwich dedicated to Fabio Picchi
Thursday, May 29
Cecilia Falciai Decorazioni, Via De' Macci 25r
STAMP IT SALE: Print your own festival postcard (free)
Il Cuore delle Cose, Piazza Ghiberti 9r
C.oP.èrta atmosphere aperitivo: sustainability, organic wine, talks, and freebies
Essère Atelier, Via dei Pandolfini 7r
A Veglia: crochet club with wine (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM)
Vineria Sonora & Blue Tony Toy, Via della Pergola 43r
Pop-up with natural wine, tattoos, DJ set, and fine jewelry (3:00 PM – 9:00 PM)
Rasoi Hair Jazz, Via Ghibellina 55r
Theatre show “La cantata del napoletano…” (9:00 PM and 10:00 PM)
Malaparte Bookstore, Via dell’Agnolo 30r
Cooking Words: Readings from food-themed memoirs and novels (6:30 PM)
Cinema Astra, Piazza Beccaria
Film “L’ora legale” + Sicilian street food dinner (€20, 7:00 PM)
Flea Market, Largo Annigoni
Special late-night opening until midnight with vintage clothing exhibition
Friday, May 30
Cecilia Falciai Decorazioni
STAMP IT SALE continues (free)
DIDA – University of Architecture
Visit to the Sant’Ambrogio Market (10:00 AM – 11:30 AM)
Visit to the Santa Teresa Complex (4:00 PM – 5:30 PM)
Laura Biagini, Weaver, Via de Macci 46r
Handwoven tapestry workshop in three sessions (max 3 people, €30)
Cuore Verde, at Laura Biagini's workshop
Olive branch decoration workshop (€20, 1 hour)
Marangio Illustrations, Via dei Macci 41r
Portrait “from the heart,” by reservation (€20, 30 min)
Invasate – Botanical Gallery, Via Mino 1
Flowers and Tarot: floral tarot readings (€20, by reservation)
Linfa Studio Gallery, Borgo Allegri 60r
Fire, Thread & Roots: gold filigree demo (6:30 PM – 7:30 PM)
Vineria Sonora, Via degli Alfani 39r
Live Jazz & Natural Bubbles with BETA JAZZ DUO (7:00 PM – 10:00 PM)
Flea Market
Special late-night opening with sound performances
Saturday, May 31
Teatro del Sale, Via dei Macci 111r
Outdoor music marathon (10:00 AM – 7:00 PM)
Bands: Quarto Podere, I Ragazzi Scimmia, Alice Howe & Freebo, Sexy Penta, David Grissom
Cecilia Falciai Decorazioni
Final day of STAMP IT SALE (free)
MudMoiselle, Via de Macci 75r
Ceramics workshop “Bread, Oil & Clay” in three sessions (2 hrs, €)
