Collegiove Porcini Mushroom Festival

The festival of the king of the forest

In the heart of the Rieti Sabina region, the tiny village of Collegiove dedicates one of its most anticipated summer days to the product that best represents its land: the porcini mushroom. The Porcini Mushroom Festival, organized by the Collegiove Pro Loco in collaboration with the municipal administration, transforms the village square into a large open-air dining hall, where the scents of the forest arrive straight to your plate.

Collegiove is one of the smallest municipalities in the province of Rieti, nestled among the hills that mark the border between Lazio and Abruzzo. Here, the porcini is not just any ingredient but a true symbol of identity, linked to the beech and chestnut forests surrounding the town and the tradition of foraging that has accompanied village life for generations.

A menu all about porcini

The heart of the festival is the Pro Loco kitchen, which prepares a menu built entirely around the porcini mushroom. The offerings include:

• Bruschetta with porcini mushrooms, to start the meal with the flavors of the forest;
• Fettuccine with porcini, the festival's signature first course;
• Grilled sausage, the star of the main courses;
• Traditional local desserts to round off the meal.

Everything is accompanied by local wine, in a convivial atmosphere that is the true hallmark of village festivals. The dishes are served at long tables set up in Piazza del Comune and in the Via della Conciliazione area, in the village center.

Between the table and nature

The festival is not just a gastronomic event. Collegiove is located a stone's throw from the Monti Navegna e Cervia Nature Reserve, one of the most evocative protected areas in the Rieti region, rich in trails, forests, and mountain views. The day of celebration thus becomes the ideal opportunity to combine a traditional lunch with a walk in the countryside and the discovery of the stone streets of the village.

A returning tradition

Deeply felt by the community, the Collegiove porcini festival has a long history and continues to attract, in addition to residents, numerous visitors from neighboring towns and the Roman countryside. It is a small, genuine event, without frills, where the hospitality of the locals counts as much as the dish served. Table reservations are recommended to participate in the lunch, given the limited capacity of the village and the turnout the festival attracts.