Milan hosts tons of events, to the point where there is something going on every week. The most famous is April’s Salone del Mobile (Milan Design Week), which is the largest furniture trade fair in the world. The entire city transforms into a festival atmosphere, with furniture and design shops going all out for the occasion and people thronging even streets that are usually quiet. It’s a true Milanese experience.

The biggest events in the city are Fashion Week in April, Food Week and Piano City in May, Beauty Week and a music festival called MITO in September, and Host Milano, an event dedicated to the catering and hospitality sector, in October. Just outside of the city, there’s the Cremona International Music Academy and Festival. November is packed: just as BookCity Milano wraps up, Music Week starts, followed by the Jazz Festival.

There are also motorcycle and bicycle shows, jewelry shows, woodworking equipment shows, the Vinitaly wine trade fair, and leather goods shows. If you travel a little farther to the trade port of Genoa, there are boat shows. So whether it’s a trade fair, exhibit, show, or festival, there is always something going on. There’s even an RV show in Parma that I’ve never been to but actually sounds quite interesting. They have all kinds of camping gear and outdoor equipment there.

You can also find a variety of smaller shows that only take place over a weekend in different parts of the city. They’re actually a fascinating opportunity to experience artisanship up close across all kinds of different fields.

Dense fog is common this time of year, but no matter how cold it gets, the Milanese always get psyched up to go to the Artigiano in Fiera artisan fair, held for nine days at the beginning of December each year. It’s a huge event and a wonderful shopping opportunity featuring specialty goods, traditional crafts, and handmade goods from around the world. It’s too big to visit all the booths in one day, and there are some hardcore fans who visit every single day of the event.

From clothing to accessories, home goods, and even food, you can find everything at the Artigiano in Fiera. They have rare finds from all over the world—a deluge of spectacular pieces from true artisans. One mom I know got so lost in the treasures that she completely forgot about her kid—to the point that she didn’t even notice when they wandered off. She only realized when she heard an announcement for a lost child and found them crying when she picked them up. You’ll see moms failing to meet up when they said they would, and half-crying kids following moms completely absorbed in shopping. The scenes are almost like hidden finds in this huge market.

But the stories go to show just how captivating the Artigiano in Fiera can be.