Country Feasts and Fairs

Gnocchi, truffles, wild boar in most beautiful places in the region. Summer fairs in Umbria are dedicated to venison and traditions.

The Waters Festival at Piediluco Lake

The period of Summer Festivals and Fairs in Umbria starts from the Piediluco Lake, in the Province of Terni, with the Waters Festivals. An event which is rooted in the archaic popular traditions linked to the celebration of Summer Solstice. Since ancient times the population of the Lake decorated boats to pay tribute to the water deities.

Nowadays, the heart of the event is the night parade of the Allegorical Boats on the lake. In the last decades this parade has changed into a real competition among artisan boatmen for building the most beautiful boat. At the end of the parade (this year to be held on the last Saturday of the Festival) the winner will be hailed and a firework show will follow.

During the festival will take place tastings of typical products and historical revivals.

From 8 to 17 July, at Narni, Terni province, takes place the Gnocchi Fair. In the evenings after 19 at the covered stands visitors can taste dishes of gnocchi with different sauces: ragout or butter and sage. The evenings have a musical background and after dinner you will enjoy dancing on dancefloor. During the festival, on Sunday 3 July at 18:30 will be held the footrace “Corri sul Nera” .

The Boar Fair

During your Umbrian Summer stay you cannot miss the Boar Fair. From 7 to 16 July the Fair will be held at Vitellino Castiglione del Lago, Perugia province. This year it will be the 13th Edition. Each night visitors can taste boar dishes at open-air stands, such as pappardelle, and stewed boar. In the evenings you will enjoy live music concerts.

Pappardelle with boar, the animal which is the symbol of hunting in Central Italy and to which is dedicated the July Boar Fair in Vitellino Castiglione.

At Dunarobba, in the province of Terni takes place the Rabbit Fair. Visitors will be served at gastronomic stands with the typical Lepre alla Cacciatora, the main dish of the evening. You can taste also polenta with rabbit sauce, rabbit pappardelle or gnocchi and many other courses. During the fair several evening shows will also take place.

Where to taste summer truffle

At Campello sul Clitunno Perugia province, between July and August there is the Summer Truffle Fair. At gastronomic stands visitors can taste most delicious typical products such as truffle, cheese and lamb cooked following the local traditional recipe. Here visitors can experience the ancient tastes. Local housewives passionately prepare traditional familiar dishes which are eaten with pleasure among relatives and friends on the background of unspoilt suggestive landscape of the mountains surrounding these small villages.

Poco prima di Ferragosto a Stroncone in provincia di Terni si tiene la Sagra della ciriola. Si tratta di una manifestazione gastronomica, il cui piatto principale è la ciriola, una pasta fresca ottenuta con acqua e farina, lavorata e tagliata rigorosamente a mano per esaltarne il gusto e arricchita da condimenti non elaborati. La preparano le donne del posto e la condiscono in vario modo: con il tartufo, con un sugo al pomodoro, con verdure, o con le “4p”(pomodoro, pancetta, peperoncino e pecorino).Ci sarà anche un’ampia scelta di antipasti e carni alla brace e non mancheranno i dolci locali. Durante tutto il periodo della festa si potrà ballare all’aperto, sulle note dei vari gruppi musicali che si alterneranno sul palco.

Fonte: Umbria Tourism