Donboscoinfesta (Mussel Festival and Porchetta Festival)

A parish festival that has become a city tradition

Donboscoinfesta is the summer event organized by the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish-Oratory in the Villaggio Don Bosco district of Formia, in the province of Latina, southern Lazio. Originally a neighborhood gathering tied to the life of the Salesian oratory, it has grown over the years to become a permanent fixture on the city's summer calendar. By 2016, local media were already covering its music, food, and talent shows, and in 2025, the Villaggio Don Bosco events were officially included in the Formia Estate program.

The two flagship festivals

The culinary heart of the event consists of two evenings that have become a small classic of the Formia August season. The Mussel Festival celebrates the iconic product of this coastline: Gulf mussels, served marinara-style, in pepper sauce, au gratin, or as a pasta topping, following home-style recipes and some more creative variations. A few days later, it is time for the Porchetta Festival, which brings the soul of Lazio to the table with freshly sliced porchetta served in sandwiches, accompanied by beer, local wine, and desserts.

These two festivals are not isolated banquets; they are part of full evenings featuring a stage, live music, and performances. In 2025, for example, the Mussel Festival was accompanied by a concert from the In The Wood Orchestra, while the Porchetta Festival closed the program with an entertainment evening hosted by Antonio Ciardiello.

Beyond the table: music, youth, and community

• Musical evenings with bands and artists from the Pontine and Campanian regions
• Shows and musicals performed by the oratory groups
• Games and entertainment for children and teenagers, including events like the foam party
• Food stalls managed by parish volunteers
• Community moments linked to the life of the oratory and Salesian tradition

The atmosphere

Visitors to Donboscoinfesta will find exactly what one expects from a neighborhood festival in southern Lazio: long tables under string lights, entire families dining together, children running across the oratory fields, affordable prices, and an organization run entirely by volunteers. It is a festival that does not rely on big names, but on participation: it is the residents of Villaggio Don Bosco and surrounding areas who build it every year, through kitchen shifts, setup, and rehearsals.

Formia, the Gulf, and the setting

The festival takes place during the liveliest period of the Formia summer, when the city—a historic hub between Rome and Naples, overlooking the Gulf of Gaeta—multiplies its events across the seafront, the high villages of Castellone and Mola, and outdoor arenas. Combining an evening at Donboscoinfesta with a day at the beach, a visit to the Tomb of Cicero, or a walk through the historic center is the best way to understand why the Pontine coast remains one of the most beloved destinations in southern Lazio.

Good to know

Admission to the festival area is free; you only pay for what you consume at the stalls, with the affordable prices typical of parish festivals. Evenings generally start after dinner and continue until late. The program for each edition is released close to Ferragosto through the parish channels and the municipal Formia Estate program.