Top Italian Sagre in Le Marche COVID is Keeping Us From
COVID-19 has pushed a bunch of good things farther away from our lives - our family members, our friends, our freedom to roam and last but not least Italy and its beauty. We are especially missing the Italian food festivals, a.k.a sagre. (To brush up your memory, read Why You Should Know About Italian Sagre.)
The best times to wrap yourself up in the deliciousness of Italian sagre are Spring and Fall with one summer July addition not to be missed. The sun in August is notoriously too hot and it will literally melt any good meal away.
Sagre in the Spring
Spring is a graceful season in Le Marche. It gives you the just-right balmy weather you need to see you through a string of food festivals dedicated to porchetta and wine.
Cagli is an inland village that hosts a food festival called Distinti Salumi (Refined Cured Meats) between May and June. Unlike many other sagre, this one focuses on filling your plate with an incredible and surprising variety of salami-based courses. They also offer a series of cooking lessons where you can learn local cured meat recipes. If this is not enough for you, drive 35 km south to Genga, in Frasassi National Park and discover its caves, rivers and spectacular waterfalls that tear down craggy gorges. Down one of these stands the incredible Temple of Valadier that will surely make your visit worth your while.
Cagli’s centro storico full for disitinti salumi
The Temple of Valadier. Built in 1828, the temple is known as the “Refuge of Sinners,” and acted as a pilgrimage site for those seeking forgiveness.
At Monterubbiano, at the beginning of June, the Sciò la Pica - Sagra dei Piceni takes place. On top of great food, this sagra also includes a palio. Not a typical horse race, a palio consists of horsemen trying to pick a metal ring dangling from a high pole with their spears.
The palio at Monterubbiano.
The Palio dei Castelli at San Severino starts on the 8th of June. You’ll find archers, horsemen, tug-of-war and delightful food swirling around the streets of this enchanting town. The celebrations go on for ten days, ending with the Corsa delle Torri. In this spectacular competition local teams race around the perimeter of the main square shouldering a heavy tower depicting their own neighbourhood castle.
San Severino
Corse delle Torri in San Severino.
Le Marche is a region of superlative wines as well. There are many types of vines, but the queen of the region is verdicchio bianco. Like in many other areas in Italy, farmers here tend to form wine cooperatives to preserve the quality and the standards of their wine.
At the little town Camerino many wine cooperatives bring their best whites and reds to the festival Il Ducato in un bicchiere. This sagra is an enological journey within the ancient city walls. Visitors explore the narrow streets and alleyways to discover the best wineries, artisanal craft markets, live music and food that can be found even in the most hidden corners of the city.
Sagre in July
Mogliano is an intact ancient town lying along a ridge like a giant ship. 1744 Mogliano is the name of an extraordinary cultural event held at the beginning of July. To put on this very unique event, the whole town, including its restaurants and wineries, turns into a huge stage. Everyone wears the clothes; adopts the habits; uses the recipes; and puts on the feasts from the 18th century. Walk across this astounding place and you’ll be plunged right into the time of white wigs and aristocratic etiquette.
Mogliano
Sagre in the Fall
If spring months favour porchetta and medieval horse races, the fall no doubt loves truffle and grape harvests.
Autumn marks the start of the truffle-hunting season which in its turn triggers the season of truffle food festivals in Le Marche. At the National Truffle Fair at Acqualagna this magic tuber is finely sliced and served in a wide range of recipes.
A wine festival that truly stands out is the Sagra dell’uva in Cupramontana. It’s one of the oldest festivals dedicated to the most renowned vine in Le Marche, verdicchio. But it’s not just that. The festival goes on for four days at the beginning of October and wants to amaze you with a rich program. So when you go there you see people crushing grapes by foot in huge wooden tubs, major live music shows, parades with giant floats and food stands dishing up top local recipes.
The last weekend of September sees another Grape Festival at Montefelcino that resembles the one in Cupramontana but in a more discreet fashion, so to speak.
Ascoli Piceno is one of the main cities of Le Marche. The place is truly delightful and worth visiting at any time. However, in the first weekend of November, the city holds Il Salone del Vino Piceno: a wine festival where the major wine cooperatives bring you their best wine production of the year.
Il Salone del Vino Piceno is held at the Caffe’ Meletti in Piazza del Popolo at Ascoli Piceno.
At Petriolo the festival Le Cantinette di Petriolo runs for three days run at the start of November. Petriolo puts on a wine and food event in a more traditional fashion. A similar festival is held at the end of November at Serra de’ Conti and it’s called Festa della Cicerchia.
Festa della Cicerchia.