Church New Frog Festival

A riverside festival in the heart of the Ferrara plain

The Church New Frog Festival is one of the most beloved gastronomic festivals of the summer in the territory of Poggio Renatico, in the province of Ferrara, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna. It takes place in the small hamlet of Chiesa Nuova, where for some evenings at the end of July, the covered stand at the Piazza Merli sports field becomes the meeting point for the entire community and the many visitors who come from neighboring towns.

The tradition of frogs

Frogs have always been one of the identity products of the riverside cuisine of the lower Ferrara region, linked to the ditches and waters of the countryside. The festival was born from the desire to keep alive the culinary tradition of the historic trattoria Il Girino, famous for its frog-based specialties: after its closure, local volunteers took up the mantle to preserve a flavor that has become a symbol of the area.

Specialties at the table

The menu revolves around frogs, offered in numerous traditional peasant preparations:

• First courses: frog risotto, frog taglioline, frog tortelli, and the frog soup trio;
• Second courses: the famous fried frogs, breaded frogs, stewed frogs, and the frog trio;
• Fish menu: seafood spaghetti and mixed fried fish;
• Meat menu: gramigna with cream and sausage, pork chop with handle and sausage with side dishes;
• seasonal side dishes and homemade desserts.

The kitchen is entirely managed by the numerous volunteers of the A.D. Polisportiva Chiesa Nuova, who use the proceeds from the event to fund their sports and cultural activities.

Music, family, and conviviality

In addition to good food, the festival offers live entertainment every evening with ballroom orchestras, bouncy castles for children, and markets. The stand is covered and equipped to welcome guests every evening. Takeaway service and table reservations are also available by calling the organizers. An authentic village festival, where the hospitality of the volunteers and the flavors of the Ferrara tradition remain the true protagonists.