Le Marche; Sagre and Festivals

At this time of year when we are still in the depths of winter it is always nice to look forward to the wonderful summer Sagre and festivals that we have in Le Marche. Sagre are found all over Italy and are local food fairs that have come about over the centuries to celebrate the fruits of the earth and harvest. The Le Marche region is no different from the other regions of Italy and many Sagre are held throughout the region every year.

A Sagra is a wonderful way to get to know the local community in your village or area and at the same time being able to try wonderful local produce.
Each village has either a particular type of dish on offer or in some cases many dishes to choose from at their Sagra and these are offered for sale to the public. Most Sagre are held in the warm summer evenings, but a few are held during the day especially those held at weekends.
 
The variety of produce and dishes on offer is enormous and can include various meats, salami, vegetables, salads, pasta, many types of seafood and also beers, wines and olive oil… In Le Marche most villages no matter how small will hold a Sagra, and normally in the summer months around harvest time. Larger villages and towns may hold more than one Sagra each year and accompany it with music and other events.

Having sold real estate in Le Marche and helped restore properties over many years I have of course managed to visit many of the villages and towns in the central and southern areas.
This has given me the opportunity to see many wonderful farmhouses in the countryside and townhouses in the Centro Storici of pretty hilltop villages. So of course I have attended many Sagre while looking at real estate in Le Marche and I have my very own favourites that I try to attend each year.
 
I mainly visit Sagre in the villages of south le Marche where I am based, but I also love the Sagre in some of the villages in the area near Senigallia. Of course Senigallia has the increasingly popular Summer Jamboree held each summer in August and this year 2010 it is from July 31st to August 8th but Senigallia also has a fish Sagra early in the summer.
Most Sagre offer outstanding food and entertainment but I will just list a few that I have attended over the years and this has to include the world famous Polenta festival held in the mediaeval town of Corinaldo on the third Sunday in July, this Sagre commemorates the time when the population of Corinaldo successfully resisted a long siege.
Ostra Vetere holds a Festa dels trota (trout) in July, Cingoli offers a Sagra di prosciutto e melone in August, Sassoferrato has the Sagra del Inhale (wild boar) and Cupramontana holds a wonderful grape festival in the Verdicchio area in September.
I am based in the south of the region and feel some of the best Sagre in southern Le Marche are the Sagra delle vongole (shell fish) held in the city of Fermo in August, the Sagra delle cozze (mussels) held in the southern resort of Pedaso also in August and the world famous Sagra della vitella allo spiedo (spit-roast veal) held in Venerotta also in August.

There are so many Sagre held in Le Marche over the summer months from June to October that it is almost possible to visit a different village Sagra several times a week and in August I am sure it is possible to attend a Sagra every day.
Sagre are just one of the many wonderful offerings available in Italy in the summer months, as well as the many religious festivals, festas, musical and theatrical events held in villages, towns and cities all over the country during this time.

I would highly recommend anyone wanting to learn more about Italian culture and village customs to attend if possible Sagre in some of the different regions of Italy and they will be guaranteed many truly memorable experiences!