Sagra del Totano 2026

There is a moment when in Capraia the sea, the table, and the desire to be together meet and give life to one of the most beloved traditions of the island. It is the Squid Festival, an event that since 2000 attracts enthusiasts and visitors to celebrate what the people of Capraia simply call “totano,” which is the squid. Two distinct weekends: from October 2nd to 4th and from October 30th to November 1st. Two appointments with different atmospheres, but a single common thread: the sea. The program combines gastronomy, music, fishing, conviviality, and initiatives dedicated also to children and fishing enthusiasts with artificial lures. The first weekend, “Capraia bids farewell to summer,” will accompany the island towards autumn with the sea still in the spotlight. The second, “Capraia meets autumn,” will be the one of the traditional squid fishing competition, with boats at sea, weighing at Salata, and final awards.

From October 2nd to 4th, we bid farewell to summer

It starts on Friday, October 2nd, when from 8 pm in the village the Festival kicks off with street food and music.

Saturday, October 3rd will be a day dedicated to taste and fishing. From 12 pm at the port there will be a squid-based lunch, with the island’s restaurants’ stands ready to offer traditional specialties. At 3 pm, at the Pro Loco booth, registrations will open for the Fishing Master Class, in which Stefano Corsi, Brand Ambassador HERAKLES, will participate with local fishermen to deepen and share the technique and peculiarities of Eging, a discipline dedicated to squid fishing.

At 4 pm the Master Class will get into the heart of the matter at La Salata, while from 6 pm to 7 pm the practical fishing test from the pier is scheduled. An opportunity not only to observe but to concretely approach a technique that will also be featured in the competition of the second weekend. All participants in the Master Class will also receive a complimentary artificial lure.

The day will end again in the village, starting from 8 pm, with street food and music.

On Sunday, October 4th, it starts again at 12 pm at the port with another squid-based lunch. Throughout the day, there will also be space for the Craft Fair and the Squid Music, to experience the island through stalls, flavors, music, and festive atmosphere.

From October 30th to November 1st, the competition weekend arrives

The second part of the Festival will be more linked to Capraia’s seafaring tradition. Friday, October 30th, from 8 pm in the village, the party will start again with street food and music.

Saturday, October 31st will be the big day of the squid fishing competition. Again, from 12 pm at the port, it will be possible to have lunch with the specialties prepared by the island’s restaurants. At 3 pm, registrations for the competition will open, with a surprise for all participants: the technical sponsor HERAKLES will offer an artificial lure for squid fishing to each registered participant, regardless of the category.

The competition will start at 4.30 pm from the port. Boats in different categories – sailing, motor, and land – will go out to sea. The boats’ departure is one of the most characteristic spectacles of the event.

At 7 pm, at La Salata, it will be time for the weighing of the caught squids: buckets, catches, curiosities, and the traditional anticipation to discover which will be the largest squid and who will prevail in the various categories. The evening will continue from 8 pm in the village with street food and music.

The grand finale of November 1st

Sunday, November 1st, from 12 pm at the port, the grand squid-based lunch is scheduled, while the day will also be dedicated to the awards ceremony.

The winners of the fishing competition will be awarded, with prizes for the top three in each category and for the biggest squid. The equipment offered by HERAKLES will include fishing rods, reels, artificial baits, fishing lines, clothing, and accessories.

There will also be the award ceremony for the 2026 poster design competition, dedicated to creativity and images capable of capturing the spirit of the Festival.

At the port, the Craft Fair and Squid Music will return, to accompany the last day of the event.

A festival born by the sea and grown at the table – The Festival is organized by the Pro Loco together with the island’s restaurants, and the squid will naturally be the absolute star on the table. The gastronomic program includes a real overview of specialties: fried squid, squid with rice, squid couscous, squid with herbs, squid with potatoes, squid lasagna, spicy squid crostini, and squid arancini, in addition to variations that enrich the menu every year.

And fishing is the historical heart of the event. The competition involves different categories, including land, sailboats, and motorboats, and culminates in the spectacular departure of the boats and the subsequent weighing at La Salata.

To make the 2026 program even richer, HERAKLES will be present, a brand of Colmic S.p.A. specializing in fishing with artificial lures and Eging techniques, the official technical sponsor of the competition. In addition to the lures offered to participants and prizes for the winners, during the days of the Festival, at the booth created in collaboration with the store L’Approdo, other fishing-related activities will be organized: a casting competition for children, a raffle, and other activities and surprises for young and old.

The common thread will always be the same: to introduce new people to fishing with artificial lures, share knowledge, and turn the passion for the sea into a collective experience.

“Let’s go squid fishing!”

There is also a slogan that perfectly embodies the spirit of the event: “Let’s go squid fishing!”.

It is an invitation that arises from the daily lives of fishermen and nocturnal outings at sea, when the engine runs at a slow pace, the squid jigs are dropped, and the wait for the first touch begins. But it is also a social ritual: being together in the dark, sharing stories, a hot coffee, patience, and the satisfaction of a catch.

A tradition in which fishing becomes mainly sharing, respect for the sea, and teamwork.

Because, in the end, this is the essence of the Squid Festival: an island that for two weekends changes its atmosphere, first bidding farewell to summer and then welcoming autumn, but continuing to narrate itself through the sea, its cuisine, and its people.

Two weekends. Two seasons. Two souls. Yet one extraordinary Capraia.

For those interested in participating in fishing, there is also the membership questionnaire available, while on the official website of the event you can consult the poster of the Master Class and the full regulations of the 2026 Squid Fishing Competition.