What it is

Italy's honey, on the shore of Lake Garda

Every autumn the historic centre of Lazise fills with beekeepers from every Italian region. Stalls line Lungolago Marconi, Lungolago Cavazzocca Mazzanti and Piazza Vittorio Emanuele; the Dogana Veneta and the Centro Civico host the conferences; Parco Prà del Principe is given over to children and to the wellness apiary.

What began as a honey market has become a reference point for the Italian beekeeping sector, without losing the feel of a village festival open to everyone. Admission is free.

Honey, beehive products and local specialities on sale every day
Beekeeping equipment and specialist press
Three days of conferences with researchers, vets and institutions
Show cooking, cocktails with honey and mead tasting
Free workshops for children and families

«An appointment on Lake Garda where you can find honey from all over Italy.»

Programme

Four days, hour by hour

Stalls are open every day from 10:00 to 20:00. Admission to the fair and to all conferences is free.

Lungolago Marconi · Cavazzocca Mazzanti · Piazza Vittorio Emanuele

from 10:00FairExhibition and sale opensHoney, beehive products and local specialities

Dogana Veneta

19:30FairOpening ceremony

Conferences

Three days of talks

Free admission while seats last. The talks are held in Italian; the detailed programmes can be downloaded as PDF.

Friday 2 October · from 8:45

Azienda ULSS 9 Scaligera – Veterinary Service

An ecosystem changing in a changing climate

Dogana Veneta — Piazzetta A. Partenio 13, Lazise

Programme and speakers

8:45–9:00
Welcome addresses
9:00–9:45
Animal health: traceability of bumblebees (listed diseases and Aethina), emerging diseases (Tropilaelaps)Dr Valeria Del Gatto
9:45–10:45
Managing bees and vineyardsDr Claudio Porrini
10:45–11:45
Feeding: between regulation and practical difficultiesDr Valentina Colombo
11:45–12:45
Research on feeding in the apiaryDr Gennaro Di Prisco
12:45–13:45
Lunch break
13:45–14:30
Pollinators in the Vesuvius National ParkDr Gennaro Di Prisco
14:30–15:15
The breakfast directive and labellingDr Roberto Colombo
15:15–15:45
New developments in anti-varroa treatmentDr Antonio Nanetti
15:45–16:30
News from EURBEE 2026Dr Antonio Nanetti
16:30–17:15
Sensitivity and cognitive abilities in bees and bumblebeesDr Aristide Colonna and Dr Beti Piotto

Full programme, PDF (Friday and Saturday)

Saturday 3 October · from 9:00

An ecosystem changing in a changing climate — day two

Centro Civico — Viale Roma 3, Lazise

Programme and speakers

9:00–11:00
Practical session in the apiaryDr Gianluigi Bressan and Dr Stella Garbin
11:30–12:00
Anti-varroa beekeeping techniques and the study of resistant mite populationsDr Michela Bertola
12:00–12:30
Managing wild bees and resistant swarmsDr Arrigo Moro
12:30–13:00
Postgraduate training in beekeepingProf. Paola Maiolino
13:00–14:00
Lunch break
14:00–15:00
Competition between honey bees and other apoidsProf. Antonio Felicioli
14:30–16:30
Case study: varroa plan and pharmacovigilanceDr Gaia Autorino and Dr Anna Teresi
16:30–17:30
Final test and feedback questionnaire

In the original PDF the «case study» block appears twice, with overlapping times (14:30–15:15 and 15:00–16:30): it is shown here as a single session.

Full programme, PDF (Friday and Saturday)

Saturday 3 October · from 9:00

Regional Association of Beekeepers of Veneto

The hexagonal shield: defending income in beekeeping

Dogana Veneta — Piazzetta A. Partenio 13, Lazise

The detailed programme has not been published yet.

Sunday 4 October · 9:30 to 12:30

APAT – Beekeepers of Veneto

Pollen and honey for health and well-being

Dogana Veneta — Piazzetta A. Partenio 13, Lazise

Programme and speakers

9:30
Welcome and introductionStefano Dal Colle — President of APAT Beekeepers of Veneto; Damiano Bergamini — Mayor of Lazise
—
Science and tradition in a natural cosmeticValeria Stradiotto — owner of «L'Arte del Benessere», Cordignano (TV)
—
Pollen, a new ally for our health: preventive and curative properties against ageing, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and in sportEvelina Serri — School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, UNICAM, Matelica (MC)
11:30
Award ceremony of the «L'Ape d'Oro» National Honey Competition
12:30
Closing remarks

Chaired by Valentina Calzavara, journalist and writer. Everyone attending receives a folder with note-taking material, reference texts and a small welcome pack.

Full programme, PDF (Sunday)

Course

Educational Apiary

The first edition of the «Educational Apiary» course is about designing paths between beekeeping and apitherapy: how to build an experience that really works with schools, families and visitors.

Run by the Italian Apitherapy Association together with Ambasciatori dei Mieli. The course is held in Italian.

When: Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October 2026
Where: Centro Civico di Colà, Lazise
Speakers: Dr Aristide Colonna, physician · Francesco Collura, vice-president · Damiano Angeletti, trainer · Beatrice Monacelli, trainer
Registration and information: segreteria@apiterapiaitalia.com
Mario — +39 340 911 0258

Poster of the first Educational Apiary course, 3-4 October 2026 — Tap the poster to enlarge it.

Guided tastings

Discovering mead

One of the oldest drinks there is, born from the meeting of water and honey, still little known but full of character and nuance.

Tasting meads from several Italian producers, you explore the scents, aromas and characteristics of the drink, learning to recognise its different interpretations and its link with bees, honey and beekeeping. History, tradition and taste: six tastings, one journey through flavour.

When

11:00 · 17:00TastingFriday 2 October
10:30 · 11:30 · 17:00TastingSaturday 3 October
10:30TastingSunday 4 October

Where: Porto Nuovo, a few steps from Lungolago Marconi.
Places are limited: booking is required.

In partnership with ApiVeneto, IAT Lazise, Destination Verona Garda and Lago di Garda Veneto.

Poster of the guided mead tastings, 2-3-4 October 2026 — Tap the poster to enlarge it.

Competitions

L'Ape d'Oro and Best Beehive Dessert

L'Ape d'Oro — Città di Lazise Award

The national competition for the best Italian honey, judged by the National Register of Honey Sensory Analysis Experts.

Award ceremony: Sunday 4 October at 11:30, Dogana Veneta, during the conference «Pollen and honey for health and well-being».

How to enter

3 unlabelled 250 g jars for each sample
One entry form per sample
Entry fee: € 35.00

Entries for the 2026 edition closed on 24 August 2026. The details above are kept here as a reference for the next edition.

Honey produced in the Veneto region automatically also competes for the «L'Ape della Serenissima» award.

Samples and paperwork to:
Comune di Lazise — Ufficio Manifestazioni Cultura
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II 20, 37017 Lazise (VR), Italy

Best Beehive Dessert — 2nd edition

Sunday 4 October at 15:00, Dogana Veneta. Bring along a dessert you have made with a beehive product — honey or pollen — and let the jury taste it. The winner is announced straight afterwards. Open to everyone.

Poster of the L'Ape d'Oro competition, 2026 edition — Tap the poster to enlarge it.

Exhibitors

Who you will find

The 57 companies and associations taking part in the 47th edition, along Lungolago Marconi, Lungolago Cavazzocca Mazzanti and Piazza Vittorio Emanuele.

Search exhibitors

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie – IZSVe
Apicoltura Morlini
Choco Sweet di Destro Michela
Az. Agricola Ceschi Andrea
Apicoltura e Agricoltura Angela di Angela Daniele Claudio
Apicoltura Colle Masua
Rangoni Bee Green
Edizioni L'Informatore Agrario srl
Soc. Agr. Apicoltura Gallato Sergio e Andrea
Mainini Leopoldo Az. Agr. Mieleo
Apicoltura Francesco Mezzo
Apicoltura Ciampelli Soc. Agricola Semplice
Az. Agricola Colle Rina di Pagliuca Gloria
Apidolomiti scaarl
Associazione Api Veneto
Apicoltura Ciareto di Andrea Pastorello
Apicoltura Chini Gianfranco
Apicoltura Biologica Campagnari Luca
Az. Agricola Lonardi Maurizio
Apicoltura Tripodi Matteo
Apicoltura Colle Salera di Pace Cecilia
Apicoltura Molon
Officina 23 Pesci di Florio Federica Debora
I Dolci Sardi delle Sorelle Serra
Soc. Agricola Valle del Rabbi s.s.
Progetto Natura Verona Lago ODV
Birra Mastino srl
Apicoltura Privitera Sebastiano Alfio
Apicoltura Falasco
Agripiemonte Miele scrl
Associazione Agripiemonte Miele
Coccinella di Patti Maria
Concari Gr. Uff. di Dott. Concari Silvano Elia
Santateresa Natural Life srl
Associazione Regionale Apicoltori del Veneto
Associazione Apicoltori Nekar Poreč-Parenzo (Radossi)
Borvei di Lorenzo Fabbri
Apicoltura Vallesanta
Apicoltura Ape Serena
Stringhetto srl
Apiflora di Favrin Angelo Gabriele
Apicoltura La Cana di Carcereri Giuliana
Storie di Mieli Società Agricola s.s.
Apicoltura Menago
Forno San Biagio snc
Franco Tutino
L'Ape e l'Arnia di Iacovanelli Giulio
Minchilli Tartufi di Minchilli Domenico
Dolce & Amaro di Paire Luca & C. snc
Rizzi Tartufi di Rizzi Fernanda
Azienda Agricola Apicoltura Morati
Apicoltura Giannini
Acetaia Oddolini Marianna
Bertoni Marco
Battagliola Davide
Delizie della Valdichiana srl
Agriapicoltura Signorini

Are you a producer who would like a stall next year? Write to us using the form below.

For families

Parco Prà del Principe

Throughout the fair the park is given over to children and to anyone who wants to get close to bees. Activities are free.

Educational apiary

Hives you can watch safely, to follow the life of the colony: the queen, the workers, the building of the comb. Beekeepers are on hand to explain and answer questions.

Wellness apiary

You sit down, close your eyes and breathe in the air of the hive: wax, propolis and honey, with the hum of the colony in the background. A favourite of the fair, and no experience with bees is needed.

Photography exhibition

The historic exhibition by Luca Mazzocchi: a close look at what the naked eye misses inside and around the hive.

A beekeeper explaining hive life to a group of children

Children's workshops

Making beeswax candles is the classic, alongside other hands-on activities that run through the whole event.

Visitor info

Where it is and how to get here

Around the town

Lungolago MarconiBeekeepers' stalls, plus the entertainment area opposite Via Arco
Lungolago Cavazzocca MazzantiBeekeepers' stalls
Piazza Vittorio EmanueleBeekeepers' stalls
Via BeccherieWorkshops and food trucks
Porto NuovoMead tasting
Dogana VenetaConference hall — Piazzetta A. Partenio 13
Centro CivicoConference hall — Viale Roma 3
Parco Prà del PrincipeChildren's area, wellness apiary, photography exhibition

Getting here

By car: A4 motorway, exit Peschiera del Garda; or A22 Brennero motorway, exit Affi. During the fair the historic centre is pedestrianised: use the car parks outside the walls and walk in.
By train: Peschiera del Garda station on the Milan–Venice line, then bus or taxi to Lazise.
By boat: Lazise is served by the Lake Garda ferries; the landing stage is a few steps from Lungolago Marconi.
Nearest airports: Verona Villafranca (about 30 km), Brescia Montichiari (about 60 km), Venice Marco Polo (about 150 km).