The wild bilberry grows on the slopes of the upper Modena Apennines, and Fanano, which calls itself the «city of the bilberry», holds a festival in its honour every year at the height of summer, on an August weekend organised by the town council.
The old town fills with markets and themed stalls, with local produce and games for children. The programme changes every year: the 2026 edition included a workshop for little ones with the Frignano Park, a talk with naturalists about the animals living among the bilberry bushes, concerts in Piazza Corsini and a cooking show devoted to bilberry desserts. Entry is free.
It is also a chance to discover the Mirtillo nero dell’Appennino modenese, a bilberry protected by a Modena Chamber of Commerce brand: it is picked by hand with a comb and turned into jams, juices and liqueurs. If you want to pick your own, you must follow the Park’s rules: picking hours, daily limits and permitted tools are set every year.