Stresa seems to be recognizing more and more the appeal that the foods of the area have, to both tourists and residents, and is, as a consequence, planning a greater number of events centered around the regional and seasonal Piemontese specialities. The next upcoming rassegna enogastronomica, that is, a food and wine festival, will be on Sunday, November 10, 2009, and it will celebrate the release of this year's new wines, which are first allowed to be sold on this Sunday. Last year was the first time Stresa organized a festival for the vino novello, the new wines, and having been a great success, the festival will be expanded upon this year.

Centered in Piazza Cadorna, beginning at 10 am, a menu will be served of polpette di pesce gardon, patate fritte and riso Orto Mari e Monti. Polpette di pesce are like meatballs, but made with fish. They are served with patate fritte, french fries. Riso Orto Mari e Monti is a casserole-type of rice dish in which rice is cooked in the oven with other foods, foods from the sea and the mountains, mari e monti. Here, they will cook the rice with fish and local vegetables. In another area of the piazza there will be a castagnata, chestnuts roasting. And at the same time, restaurants and bars all around town will prepare menus around the same theme, and make the new wines available for the first time. Not wanting to be left out, shops all around Stresa will move wares outside into the streets for a sidewalk sale, and Via Garibaldi will be transformed for the day into the "Via Garibaldi Street Festival."