Appennino Festival – Rocca Santa Maria Stage

The Appennino Festival in Rocca Santa Maria

The Appennino Festival – Inclusivo di Natura stops in the municipality of Rocca Santa Maria, in the province of Teramo, nestled in the heart of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park. This is one of the Abruzzo stages of a major traveling festival that, year after year, traverses the villages of the central Apennines across four regions: Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche, and Umbria.

The formula is the one that made the festival famous: a guided hike to explore the local area, followed in the afternoon by a live concert of folk music. Each stage creates a temporary community of hikers, residents, and visitors, all united by the desire to rediscover the Apennine mountains and their landscapes.

A territory to rediscover

Rocca Santa Maria is a scattered municipality nestled on the slopes of the Laga Mountains, an area of great natural value filled with beech forests, pastures, waterfalls, and small stone villages. The festival stage is designed to showcase this often-overlooked heritage, promoting the trails and traditions of local communities. The festival was born with a clear mission: to revitalize the inland areas of the central Apennines, many of which were scarred by the 2016 earthquake, through experiential tourism, culture, and solidarity.

Nature and folk music

The day in Rocca Santa Maria weaves together a walk along the trails of the Laga range with a moment of musical celebration. The stage is dedicated to rediscovering the Abruzzese folk repertoire, with traditional songs and dances—including the famous saltarella—that bring the afternoon to life after the hike. The goal is to offer a complete experience, where natural exploration meets the rediscovery of the cultural roots of the Teramo region.

A widespread festival

The Rocca Santa Maria stage is part of a calendar that covers most of the year, from May to October, with dozens of events distributed across numerous municipalities in the central Apennines. Each stage is organized in collaboration with local administrations, BIM Tronto, local associations, and volunteers, who are the true protagonists of an event that makes its participatory and inclusive nature its hallmark.

Why attend

• A guided hike in the Laga Mountains, within the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park.
• Abruzzese folk music and dances, featuring the saltarella.
• The discovery of the mountain village of Rocca Santa Maria and its traditions.
• A free, sustainable event dedicated to the revitalization of inland Abruzzo.

Attending the Rocca Santa Maria stage of the Appennino Festival means experiencing a day dedicated to nature, culture, and conviviality in one of the most authentic corners of the Teramo mountains.