Everything is ready for the 2026 edition of Caseifici Aperti (Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May), the event promoted by the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium that offers everyone – from foodies to curious visitors, adults and children alike – the opportunity to take part in the production of the beloved PDO cheese, transforming dairies into outstanding tourist destinations. Following the success of the two 2025 editions, which attracted more than 30,000 visitors (+36% compared to 2024), this year’s initiative involves as many as 53 dairies located across all five provinces of the production area: 19 in Parma, 12 in Reggio Emilia, 12 in Modena, six in Mantua on the right bank of the Po River and four in Bologna on the left bank of the Reno River.
In addition to the traditional activities – watching the cheese-making process, visiting farms and ageing warehouses, wheel opening demonstrations, lunches at the dairy and tastings enjoyed on their own (led by experts from APR – Associazione Assaggiatori Parmigiano Reggiano) or paired with wines – a programme has been organised in 21 dairies, in collaboration with Proxima, featuring eight major themed events and 13 special initiatives. Activities range from “breakfast with the harp” to juggling performances, from educational workshops for children to live music, all the way to the debut of “Caseifit” (fitness sessions held at dairies) at Caseificio Il Boiardo in Scandiano (RE). Traditional moments will also feature prominently, such as the hot-iron branding of wheels at Cooperativa Casearia Castelnovese (Castelnuovo Rangone facility, MO) and Caseificio Sociale Castellazzo in Campagnola Emilia (RE), as well as wood-fired cooking at Società Agricola Montorsi in Modena.
The major new feature this year is the launch of the first “OFF Event” at Giardini Margherita in Bologna. For two days, the city’s green space will host cooking shows in collaboration with the Cesarine, engaged in preparing traditional dishes from all five provinces, alongside workshops for children, wheel opening demonstrations and guided tastings. The aim is to intercept tourist flows in the city of Bologna and invite visitors to discover the entire PDO production area: for the occasion, a shuttle service will take visitors directly from the gardens to the Bologna dairies Azienda Agricola Caretti and Bazzanese. The Consortium is also looking to tomorrow’s foodies with the launch of the new children’s book Sul Parmigiano Reggiano: dritte per esploratori del gusto, created by Bread&Jam and illustrated by Lucia Catellani.
Taking part is simple: visitors can consult the list of participating dairies and book activities by visiting the Consortium’s official website: www.parmigianoreggiano.com/it/caseifici-caseifici-aperti. In addition, to make the tourist experience easier, maps of participating dairies are already available at all local tourist information offices throughout the area, complete with food and wine recommendations and suggestions for the best restaurants in the region to ensure a complete travel experience. Naturally, at the end of each visit visitors will be able to purchase Parmigiano Reggiano directly or have it delivered to their homes through each dairy’s e-commerce platform or via the portal shop.parmigianoreggiano.com. The figures support this direct relationship with tourists: according to a survey promoted by the Consortium, as many as 85% of participants in previous editions purchased Parmigiano Reggiano from the dairy shops.
The 2026 edition aims to consolidate international tourism and promote the culture of visiting dairies as an activity available 365 days a year, enhancing the value of the 15 dairies that already guarantee year-round hospitality. The event therefore becomes the focal point of the new “Tourism Project”, marking a strategic evolution for the Consortium: Parmigiano Reggiano as a true destination. This is the first comprehensive system initiative designed to enhance the territory as a brand-building lever, integrating dairies, farms, hospitality and gastronomic experiences. The project aims to increase dedicated tourist flows to 300,000 visitors by 2029, thanks to direct Consortium investments, entirely private and unsupported by public funding, with the objective of structuring hospitality offerings and strengthening the bond between product and territory, transforming Parmigiano Reggiano into an experience as well as a gastronomic excellence.
Finally, the event represents an unmissable opportunity for every visitor, from families to art lovers, to discover the historical treasures and gastronomic excellences of the area of origin: from the flavours of Parma’s Food Valley to the natural trails of the Reggio Emilia Apennines, from the legendary cars of Modena’s Motor Valley to the architectural masterpieces of Bologna, all the way to the magnificence of the Gonzaga palaces in Mantua and historic itineraries such as the Via Francigena and the Via Romea Nonantolana.
“Caseifici Aperti is no longer just an event, but the heart of a hospitality strategy that we pursue all year round through the Tourism Project, with the aim of surpassing the 180,000 visitors recorded at PDO dairies in 2025» said Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium. «Investing in hospitality means giving every visitor the opportunity to enjoy an authentic discovery experience of our PDO cheese and its thousand-year history.
We chose Bologna for the debut of the OFF format precisely because it is a strategic gateway for international tourists: our goal is to show that behind every shard of Parmigiano Reggiano there is an entire ecosystem made up of people and unique territories, whose economic and social sustainability can be strengthened through quality tourism”.
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