Cagnano Amiterno Beer Festival

The Beer Festival on the Amiterno plateau

In the heart of summer, when the crisp mountain air of the L'Aquila region draws vacationers and hikers, Cagnano Amiterno becomes the Abruzzo capital of beer. The Beer Festival, organized by the Apéiron Cultural Association, is one of the longest-running and most popular food and wine events in the Upper Aterno Valley, in the province of L'Aquila (Abruzzo). From a simple tasting event dedicated to beer varieties, the festival has grown over the years into a genuine village gathering that attracts thousands of people from across the Amiterno territory and the provincial capital.

Where it takes place: the village of Fossatillo

The festival headquarters is the sports field in the village of Fossatillo, along Via del campo sportivo, an ideal open-air space to host food stalls, beer taps, and the dance floor. Cagnano Amiterno is a scattered municipality formed by numerous hamlets spread across the plateau at the foot of the Laga Mountains: its location at over 800 meters above sea level ensures pleasantly cool August evenings, perfect for an outdoor beer.

Draft beer and Abruzzo cuisine

The heart of the festival is, of course, the wide selection of draft beers. In some editions, the organizers have brought true gems to Cagnano Amiterno, such as Pilsner Urquell poured directly from a 500-liter refrigerated tank—unpasteurized beer delivered via special tankers directly from Plzeň, in the Czech Republic. Accompanying the pints is a rich menu of traditional Abruzzo cuisine: fresh gnocchi, pasta dishes with fresh truffle and mutton ragù, fried pizzas, arrosticini (lamb skewers), sandwiches, fries, and sausages.

Music, Notte Bianca, and tournaments

Every evening, the opening of the stalls is accompanied by music: dance nights and DJ sets that continue late into the night on the open-air dance floor under the stars. The highlight is the Notte Bianca on August 14th, which kicks off the celebrations leading up to Ferragosto. Past editions have also included hot croissants served at midnight and a 5-a-side football tournament with awards for the teams, reflecting the community spirit that drives the event.

A piece of Abruzzo conviviality

More than just a beer festival, the Cagnano Amiterno event is a summer ritual that unites residents, emigrants returning for the holidays, and passing tourists. It is the perfect opportunity to rediscover the authenticity of the L'Aquila hinterland, amidst local flavors, social connection, and the backdrop of the inland Abruzzo mountains.