Casolano Pesto, Eel and Salt Cod Festival

A festival born from a challenge between fishermen

The Casolano Pesto, Eel and Salt Cod Festival is one of the most iconic culinary events in the municipality of Atri, in the province of Teramo, Abruzzo. Set in the heart of Casoli di Atri, a small hillside village overlooking the Vomano valley, the festival is deeply rooted in authentic local tradition. The event, which reached its 37th edition in 2025, is organized by the Associazione Casoli 2015 under the patronage of the Municipality of Atri.

According to local lore, the festival began almost by chance, following a friendly challenge between eel fishermen who, after particularly bountiful catches along the Vomano River, decided to organize a celebration to introduce this fish and local cuisine to a wider audience.

Casolano pesto, a jealously guarded recipe

The signature dish is spaghetti with Casolano pesto, seasoned with a sauce whose recipe dates back to 1985 and has remained unchanged ever since. The ingredient proportions are a closely guarded secret of a local family, and the pesto is prepared in large quantities by the village women specifically for the festival. Alongside the spaghetti, the two main stars of the table are the eels from the Vomano and salt cod, both prepared according to traditional Abruzzese peasant recipes.

The "Maciacca", an ancient fishing technique

The history of the festival is linked to an ancient fishing technique known locally as "Maciacca" or "legal fishing": a method that does not use hooks, but relies on the fisherman's skill and a specific bait made with twine and earthworms, designed to exploit the eel's suction ability. It is a piece of river culture that the event helps to keep alive.

The painted village of CasoliPinta

The setting of the festival is particularly evocative: Casoli di Atri is a painted village and home to the CasoliPinta open-air museum, featuring dozens of murals on the facades of the historic center's houses. Strolling through the alleys between courses means discovering an open-air art exhibition, which makes the festival's atmosphere even more unique.

Evenings of taste and music

Every evening, the food stalls open at 7:30 PM, and the historic center comes alive with live music and dancing in the square. The format is the simple, convivial one of village festivals: good food, affordable prices, and a desire to be together in one of the most characteristic villages of the Teramo hinterland.