In Mezzegra, a hamlet of Tremezzina, the Sagra del Missoltino is held every year — one of the longest-running gastronomic events dedicated to missoltino, Lake Como’s dried agone fish. The festival was inaugurated in 1964 and is organised by the Pro Loco di Mezzegra in the village’s municipal park; in 2024 it reached its fifty-ninth edition.
The missoltino tradition
Missoltino is agone, traditionally caught between June and July, which is cleaned, salted and hung to air-dry threaded on strings for several days; once dried, it is preserved pressed in a tin (originally wooden) container with bay leaves. This preservation method is shared by several fishing villages on the lake, from Bellagio to Tremezzo and as far as Domaso, and once provided food that lasted through the year.
The festival
The event is generally held in late August, over a two-day weekend: kitchens stay open on Saturday evening and for lunch and dinner on Sunday, with missoltini served grilled alongside toasted polenta, oil, vinegar and parsley, following the traditional recipe. Both evenings feature live music and dancing.
Practical information
The festival is generally held in late August, on dates that vary from year to year: for the programme and current calendar, refer to the Pro Loco di Mezzegra.