Emigrant Festival of San Biagio Saracinisco

A festival born from migration

The Emigrant Festival of San Biagio Saracinisco is one of the most heartfelt events of the summer in the Comino Valley, in the upper province of Frosinone. Every August 18th, the village — a few hundred inhabitants perched at 866 meters above sea level, on the edge of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park — pays tribute to all those who, starting from the 19th century, were forced to leave their land to seek work elsewhere. Poverty and lack of employment drove much of the local population to emigrate, especially at the beginning of the 20th century, towards the United Kingdom, the Americas, and the rest of Europe.

The bond with Saint Blaise, the patron saint

The summer festival has a deep connection to the devotion to the village's patron saint. The religious feast of Saint Blaise is celebrated on February 3rd, with the traditional rite of the blessing of the throat; however, the civic celebration has historically been moved to the heart of August, when emigrants and their descendants return to their home village for the holidays. It is during those days that San Biagio Saracinisco finds its community complete: the streets of the historic center fill with families, gatherings multiply, and the village experiences its most vital moment of the year.

A tradition of the entire Comino Valley

The Emigrant Festival is not an isolated case: it is a tradition shared by several municipalities in the Comino Valley, a land of ancient and established emigration. In the same period of August, Picinisco, Settefrati, and Casalattico also dedicate a day to their emigrants, while thousands of pilgrims — many of whom are returning from abroad — climb to the sanctuary of the Madonna di Canneto in the nearby territory of Settefrati. Participating in the San Biagio Saracinisco festival therefore means immersing oneself in a collective rite that concerns an entire valley and its history.

The most secret village in the Park

San Biagio Saracinisco has been defined as the most "secret" village of the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park. Of Samnite origin — as evidenced by the polygonal walls and the necropolis of Monte Croce, whose bronze and iron funerary goods are on display in a permanent exhibition — the village retains an authentic and secluded charm. Nearby, the La Selva lake, a body of water at about 900 meters above sea level surrounded by beech forests rich in truffles and mushrooms, and the springs of the Rapido river are worth a visit.

Mountain flavors

Village festivals are also an opportunity to discover local cuisine. The signature dish of San Biagio Saracinisco is tordiglione, a green polenta served with pork liver sausages; other specialties include abbuoto, lamb offal rolls, and canescioni, small pizzas stuffed with sausage, eggs, and cheese. These are honest flavors of the Apennines that tell the story of the same peasant civilization from which the emigrants departed.

The 2026 edition

The 2026 edition of the Emigrant Festival is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, 2026, as confirmed by the official summer program in the Comino Valley. The detailed program is announced by the Municipality and the Pro Loco association closer to the event: the appointment remains faithful to its formula as a community festival, open to residents, returning emigrants, and visitors from the Lazio Region and beyond.