Blue Fish Festival

A seaside festival at the foot of the Circeo promontory

The Blue Fish Festival is one of the most anticipated late-summer events in San Felice Circeo, a seaside village in the province of Latina nestled between the Circeo promontory and the Tyrrhenian Sea. The evening takes place at Piazzale G. Cresci, in the Rio Torto area, just a stone's throw from the water: here, the town celebrates its gastronomic and cultural identity linked to fishing, creating a convivial atmosphere that draws both residents and holidaymakers. The 17th edition was held on Saturday, September 6, 2025, confirming the formula that made the festival popular: tastings, live music, and folk traditions by the sea.

Blue fish, the star of the table

The heart of the festival is naturally the blue fish—anchovies, sardines, and mackerel—caught in the Tyrrhenian Sea and a symbol of a healthy, accessible seafood cuisine deeply rooted in local tradition. The fish is prepared and served with bruschetta featuring local bread and tomatoes and traditional San Felice pastries, in a culinary journey that highlights typical Pontine products. The tasting stalls are complemented by craft and food markets, showcasing the agricultural and artisanal excellence of southern Lazio.

The evening program

The festival's proven formula includes an afternoon and evening of widespread events:

• 6:00 PM — Opening with the flag-waver parade (in 2025, the flag-wavers from Cori), which travels from Rio Torto through the town center with colors and drum rolls;
• 8:00 PM — Piazzale G. Cresci transforms into a large convivial space with blue fish tastings and local products, accompanied by live music and market stalls.

The festival is promoted by the La Voce delle Donne Committee in collaboration with the Municipality of San Felice Circeo and has benefited from the support of ARSIAL, the Regional Agency for the Development and Innovation of Agriculture in Lazio, which allocated 20,000 euros to the promotion of local products for the 2025 edition.

Part of the 'Circeo d'Amare' calendar

The festival is part of the «Circeo d'Amare» summer calendar, a rich program of events that enlivens the historic center, the port, and the seaside resorts of San Felice Circeo from July to September with concerts, theater, excursions, sports, and traditional festivals. The Blue Fish Festival is one of its premier gastronomic highlights, marking the close of the beach season.

San Felice Circeo, between sea and myth

Visiting the festival is also an opportunity to discover San Felice Circeo: the medieval historic center gathered around the Templar Tower, the tourist port, the beaches, and the caves of the promontory linked to the myth of the sorceress Circe, in the heart of the Circeo National Park. A symbolic destination on the Pontine coast, in the Lazio Region, where maritime tradition remains alive all year round and finds its tastiest celebration in this festival.