Fidenza Village lights up summer with Italian Summer Nights, transforming Thursday evenings into a journey through shopping, music, food and discovery

Throughout the summer, extended opening hours until 11 pm, “A Cena Con” talks, tastings, DJ sets, Food Valley itineraries and a special project with Fondazione Barilla turn the Village into a lifestyle destination to enjoy even after sunset.

Fidenza, 23 June 2026 – Summer at Fidenza Village celebrates the best of Italian lifestyle: from 18 June until the end of August, every Thursday the Village will remain open until 11 pm for Italian Summer Nights, a calendar of events designed to transform the shopping experience into an evening of music, Italian flavours, special guests and new opportunities for discovery.

The theme of the season, The thrill of discovery, reflects this new perspective: Fidenza Village is not only a shopping destination but also a starting point for exploring the surrounding area, from the Food Valley and its castles to villages and wineries. At the same time, it offers a new way to experience the Village in the evening, with a programme combining entertainment, conviviality, culture and food.

The programme has two distinct sides: editorial itineraries for experiencing Parma and its surroundings like a local, and Thursday evenings featuring live music, DJ sets, Parmigiano Reggiano tastings, the Aperol Lounge, special talks and activities for families. Together, they reinforce Fidenza Village as a distinctive lifestyle and travel destination combining shopping, hospitality and the discovery of the local area.

Italian Summer Nights: every Thursday until 11 pm

Until the end of August, Thursday evenings become a regular summer appointment at Fidenza Village. Italian Summer Nights accompany visitors until 11 pm with a programme of music, entertainment and opportunities to come together. Regular highlights include tastings of Parmigiano Reggiano aged for 24, 36 and 60 months and the Aperol Lounge, where the Italian aperitivo becomes an integral part of the experience.

DJ sets and music stations positioned throughout the Village add to the atmosphere. During July, coinciding with the sales, the programme also includes activities for families, including face painting for younger guests.

“A Cena Con”: conversation comes to the table

Among the special events of Italian Summer Nights, the A Cena Con format brings conversation into a more intimate and convivial setting. A special guest shares their story with the audience over dinner, transforming an evening at a restaurant into an experience combining conversation, encounters and entertainment.

The programme includes the Shazami on 25 June at Signorvino, the musical duo formed by Francesco Mandelli and Federico Russo. On 2 July, Jo Squillo will take centre stage at Lievità.

Food Valley itineraries: experiencing the local area

Summer 2026 also invites visitors to look beyond the Village. Fidenza Village serves as a gateway to a region rich in culture, food and landscapes: Parma and its surroundings, the Food Valley, the Castelli del Ducato, wineries, museums and the countryside of the Bassa.

To accompany visitors in discovering the area, the Village offers a selection of themed itineraries and editorial travel guides: journeys through wineries, cuvées and medieval castles; family experiences featuring mazes, artisan gelato and nature; and an insider’s cultural guide to Parma, its museums, the Baptistery and the area’s iconic villages.

The common thread is experiencing the region in an authentic and immersive way, transforming a visit to Fidenza Village into the first stop on a wider journey.

Open-air art and new perspectives

Providing the backdrop to the season is the Village’s open-air museum: more than 30 artworks, including murals, installations and pop pieces, accompany visitors on their walk and invite them to be surprised. Among the latest additions is Richard Orlinski’s monumental Wild Kong sculpture, adding an iconic and contemporary new feature to the Village’s art trail.

Fondazione Barilla: Libro del Risparmio

Until 12 July, Fidenza Village is also hosting a special project created by Fondazione Barilla, with an art installation housed inside a Glass House in the heart of the Village.

After travelling through 10 Italian cities, Fondazione Barilla’s touring art project arrives in the heart of the Food Valley, bringing with it content from the“Libro del Risparmio – 120 azioni contro lo spreco alimentare per risparmiare dentro e fuori casa”. The free publication has already been distributed in more than 1.6 million print and digital copies and provides practical tools for adopting more sustainable eating habits while saving money. A more conscious approach can help make better use of food and lead to savings of more than €500 per household each year.

At the heart of the project is an immersive art installation by director and visual artist Virgilio Villoresi, conceived as a giant animated book coming to life. Through three-dimensional sets, mechanical movements and immediate visual storytelling, the work invites visitors to pause, observe and consider how small changes in everyday habits can create tangible impact.

The installation is completed by paper art from artist Mauro Seresini, who created elements and settings entirely from paper, contributing to the project’s visual world.

The aim is to raise awareness in an engaging way, combining content and entertainment in an experience designed for everyone, alongside initiatives connected to the Village membership programme.

ABOUT FONDAZIONE BARILLA

Fondazione Barilla is a scientific research organisation founded in 2009 to study and analyse key issues relating to food from an agri-food and scientific perspective.

Since then, Fondazione Barilla has promoted responsible behaviour and conscious food choices with the aim of generating meaningful change in society. Since 2022, Fondazione Barilla has focused its efforts on sharing the knowledge developed over time, helping people understand how small everyday actions can contribute to health and environmental protection.