Cardoncello Mushroom Festival in Gravina in Puglia
Gravina's stop on Cardoncello on the road: the king trumpet mushroom of the Alta Murgia and new wine in the squares of the old town
By Salvatore Giuliano Published Updated
The story
The cardoncello (Pleurotus eryngii), known in English as the king trumpet mushroom, is the emblem of the Alta Murgia, the limestone plateau inland from Bari. It grows on the dead roots of wild umbellifers and thistles in the pastures, and its scientific name recalls eryngo, the thistle of the Murgia. Every autumn Unpli Puglia, the network of Apulia's Pro Loco tourist associations, celebrates it with Cardoncello on the road, a travelling food festival, or sagra, across six towns of the Alta Murgia National Park. In 2026 the circuit runs from 17 October to 29 November, visiting Poggiorsini, Minervino Murge, Spinazzola, Ruvo di Puglia, Gravina in Puglia and Cassano delle Murge: Gravina is the fifth stop, on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November in the old town.
In Gravina the festival pairs the mushroom with vino novello, the year's new wine, and has long been known as the festival of the cardoncello mushroom and new wine, or simply "Il Cardoncello Novello". In past editions the stalls were spread across Piazza della Repubblica, Piazza Plebiscito and Piazza Notardomenico, with a cardoncello-and-new-wine dinner hosted by the Pro Loco, exhibitions, street performers and folk music. For 2026 the announcements mention food stalls, displays recreating peasant life, local produce, music and, on Sunday evening, pizzica and tarantella dancing.
The setting is one of the most striking towns on the Murgia: the old town looks out over the gravina, the ravine that gives the town its name, between the cathedral, the rock-cut churches and the aqueduct bridge. A week later the circuit ends with the festival in Cassano delle Murge. The detailed programme for the Gravina stop, with times and venues, has not been published yet.
Schedule
- First day of the festival in the old town: stalls serving cardoncello mushrooms and new wine, local produce and music
- Second day: food stalls and an evening of folk music, with pizzica and tarantella
The official schedule for 2026 has not been published yet, so the dates shown are provisional. We will update this page as soon as the calendar is announced.
What to eat
The star is the cardoncello itself: meaty, with a sweet flavour and an aroma reminiscent of bread dough, it is regarded as an excellent edible mushroom and is the signature product of the national park. At the festival it is paired with vino novello, the young wine from the latest harvest.
Gravina has its own food traditions rooted in the Murgia: Pallone di Gravina cheese, Gravina wine made from the Verdeca grape and lampascioni, the bitter wild hyacinth bulbs. The 2026 menu has not been published yet.
Local tips
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Parking
Parking arrangements for 2026 haven't been announced yet. The old town has narrow streets sloping down towards the ravine, so it's best to leave the car outside the historic center and walk in.
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Payments
You pay for food and produce at the stalls: bring some cash, as not every stall may take cards.
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Crowds and timing
The festival falls on a weekend and the evenings draw big crowds, so arrive early if you want to browse the stalls at a relaxed pace. Times and the 2026 programme haven't been announced: check the Pro Loco's and the town council's channels before you go.
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What to wear
In late November, at 370 metres up on the Murgia plateau, evenings are cold: bring a warm jacket and comfortable shoes for the stone paving of the old town.
Weather forecast
Data: Open-Meteo
Getting there
The festival takes place in the old town of Gravina in Puglia, on the Alta Murgia plateau. Bari Airport is about 56 km away, just under an hour by car along the SS96; by train, Ferrovie Appulo Lucane runs from Bari Centrale.
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Frequently asked questions
When is the cardoncello festival in Gravina in Puglia in 2026?
On Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November 2026, in the old town. It is the fifth of the six stops of Cardoncello on the road. Times haven't been announced yet.
What food is served at the festival?
Dishes made with cardoncello mushrooms, served with new wine, alongside local produce from the Murgia. The 2026 menu hasn't been published yet.
What is Cardoncello on the road?
It's a circuit of cardoncello mushroom festivals organised by Unpli Puglia in six towns of the Alta Murgia National Park. In 2026 it visits Poggiorsini, Minervino Murge, Spinazzola, Ruvo di Puglia, Gravina in Puglia and Cassano delle Murge, from 17 October to 29 November.
How do I get to Gravina in Puglia?
By car, Bari Airport is about 56 km away, just under an hour's drive along the SS96. By train, Ferrovie Appulo Lucane runs services from Bari Centrale to Gravina on the Bari-Matera line.
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