Italian Running & Outdoor Festival 3rd Edition
DATE → 2026-05-29
A weekend of running, climbing and outdoor at BASE Milano. On May 9 and 10, 2026, BASE Milano hosted the third edition of the Italian Running & Outdoor Festival: two days of expo, talks, races and workshops that confirmed the festival as a reference point for the Italian outdoor and running community.
Full pavilions, crowded stands and a program that left no free moment: the SS26 edition confirmed the format that works, with over 60 brands presenting the season’s new releases and an ever-growing community. Supporting the festival throughout the weekend: Wikiloc as official mapping partner, Acqua Chiarella as official water, Dolomitico as official soft drink – highly appreciated among visitors – and Enervit, which provided runners and athletes with energy bars and cans during activities.
On the talk front, the weekend brought to BASE some of the most anticipated figures from the outdoor and running world. Francesco Puppi opened with “Beyond Performance,” an honest account of method and long-term athletic development. Frank Lotta from Radio Deejay brought Japan to Milan, between trails and ancient culture. Omar Di Felice recounted the Ruta del Condor: 7,000 km solo by bike between Machu Picchu and Punta Arenas. Clara Donghi described the 120 km self-supported in the Ica desert for the Marathon des Sables in Peru. Matteo de Zaiacomo from Ragni di Lecco spoke about exploration alpinism, the kind far from the spotlight.
Francesco Tomè presented Endless Peaks, running around the Alps in 60 days for 2,500 km, one of the most ambitious projects shared at the festival. Gabriele Arduini described Riverbound, his solo kayak journey from Milan to Venice. Dino Lanzaretti focused on the human factor in extreme bicycle journeys. The Medical Pirates held a practical outdoor medicine session. Yuri Basilicò and Sara Furlanetto from Va’ Sentiero recounted exploring Italian trails on foot, while Tom Search led four consecutive workshops: backpack, tent, hiking routes and how to tackle your first walking trip.
There was no shortage of technical content, which was highly popular with the running audience. Fisiorunning addressed injury prevention, Dislivello debunked running myths with data in hand, and Michele Evangelisti spoke about mileage and athletic longevity. Martina Cumerlato shared her journey toward elite performance, while Nick Pescetto held a Social Media Survival Guide for those wanting to share their outdoor stories online.
On the climbing side, Wafaa Amer shared her journey between life and climbing and Stefano Ragazzo described an ascent in Patagonia in extreme weather conditions.
Providing a loud counterpoint to the talks was the Crash Fest Boulder Contest, with the boulder wall powered by Simond as the undisputed star of the climbing area. On Saturday the blocks never emptied: attempts, soft falls, applause and the curiosity of those approaching climbing for the first time. Sunday morning rain imposed a brief pause, but in the afternoon the area was already operational again and crowded as if nothing had happened.
On the ground, the weekend offered a race program for all tastes. Saturday morning Pizza Run Club with Mount To Coast, Ciele, Wise and Cotopaxi opened with The Crunchy Peak: presentation of the 2026 outdoor calendar, social run and pizza party. In the evening the Rabbit Race at Monte Stella powered by Nike ACG closed the day with 60 minutes of trail race in “most laps wins” format, accompanied by the energy of the Orok Rock band. Sunday morning Run the Extra Mile gave space to a non-competitive collective run supporting outdoor projects, followed by a yoga session and a DJ set. And then Run Your Next Challenge: Decathlon, together with the Yapperz, offered an hour of easy running with the new Kipride Max, with games and team challenges along the route.
Outside the festival, in the most literal sense: Make It Outside, a project born from collaboration between Decathlon, Italian Outdoor Festival and The Pill Outdoor Journal, brought 45 people from Milan to Melloblocco, in Val di Mello, for an experience that combined running, climbing and trail running in one of the most spectacular environments in the Alps. With the option, for those who wanted, to stay overnight on site.
Space also for outdoor cinema, with two well-attended screenings. “Oro Bianco” by Wild Tee, the story of the 570 km from Milan to Cortina running, accompanied by the project’s fanzine, and Endless Peaks by Francesco Tomè, which paired the stage presentation with images of the Alpine traverse.
The awards for Best Italian Outdoor Store and Best Italian Running Store, the most voted stores by the community in each province, took place both Saturday and Sunday, with 162 award-winning shops arriving from all over Italy to collect recognition that has become one of the festival’s regular appointments.
An edition that confirmed the festival’s inclusive vocation: not just running, not just climbing, but a space where enthusiasts of all levels, brands and industry professionals meet with the same passion for the outdoors. The next appointment is set for Saturday, November 28 and Sunday, November 29, 2026, with the winter edition.
Denis Piccolo, creator of the festival and The Pill Outdoor Journal, states: “Milan confirms itself as the Italian reference city and one of the European capitals for running and outdoor sports. The public response is incredible: the community connected to the festival grows and consolidates more and more with each edition.”
