Appennino Festival – Palmiano stop

Walking to be reborn: the Appennino Festival

The Appennino Festival is one of the most original events in Central Italy: a large, distributed, and travelling festival that, from May to October, touches dozens of villages in the central Apennines spread across Marche, Abruzzo, Lazio, and Umbria. Born to give new life to the territories of the so-called "seismic crater" hit by the 2016 earthquake, the festival combines a tried-and-tested formula at each stop: a scenic hike in the morning, a convivial lunch with local typical products, and a live concert in the afternoon.

Among the destinations of the exhibition is Palmiano, one of the smallest municipalities in the Province of Ascoli Piceno and in the entire Marche region, overlooking the Sibillini Mountains. Here, the stop bears the evocative title “A piantar patate” (To plant potatoes) and is dedicated to the Sibillini Potato, a mountain agricultural excellence that tells the identity and tenacity of this corner of the Apennines.

The Palmiano stop “A piantar patate”

The day in Palmiano begins with the gathering of participants in the village and continues with a ring-shaped hike of E difficulty (Hiking, suitable for everyone), starting and ending in the town. Along the way, hikers can witness the sowing of the Sibillini Potato and, in past editions, visit a truffle ground where a truffle farmer reveals the secrets of black truffle harvesting.

Upon return, the Pro Loco of Palmiano welcomes hikers with a refreshment point offering traditional peasant dishes: pasta, potatoes and sausage, dry biscuits, and cooked wine. The afternoon is dedicated to live music, with a concert in the square that concludes the day cheerfully.

A festival that centres on communities

The Appennino Festival is promoted by the Special Structure Commissioner for the Reconstruction of the 2016 Earthquake together with BIM Tronto and the involved Municipalities, with the support of the four regions of the central Apennines. More than just a series of events, it is a project for social and tourist relaunch: each stop invites visitors to rediscover landscapes often off the beaten track on foot, supporting small local economies and the Pro Loco associations of the villages.

For those who want to discover the authentic face of the inner Marche region, the Palmiano stop is a perfect opportunity: few people, unspoiled nature, genuine flavours, and a community that makes hospitality its distinctive feature.