Fair of the SS. Crucifix

A Tradition on the First Sunday of June

The Fair of the SS. Crucifix is held in Apecchio, a small mountain municipality in the Province of Pesaro and Urbino in the Marche region, every year on the first Sunday of June. The event takes place along the streets of the so-called "lower town": Via Isidoro Pazzaglia, Via Borgo Mazzini, and Via dei Giardini, which transform into a long route of stalls and stands for an entire day.

Devotion to the Crucifix

The fair originates from and takes its name from the deep popular devotion to the Most Holy Crucifix of Apecchio, preserved in the Sanctuary of Piazza San Martino (the ancient Pieve di San Martino, whose origins date back to before the year 1000). According to tradition, during the violent earthquake of 1781, with its epicenter on Monte Nerone, the 18th-century image of the wooden Crucifix raised its head towards the sky invoking divine protection: the town suffered significantly fewer damages and victims compared to neighboring communities. In memory of that event, every June 3rd, the community celebrates the religious feast of the SS. Crucifix, while the market fair is held the following Sunday (the first of the month).

What to Find at the Fair

The Fair of the SS. Crucifix is above all a large, traditional market fair with free admission, offering a popular and family-friendly atmosphere. Along the streets of the center, you will find:

• stalls of food products and local gastronomic specialties;
• exhibitors of crafts and objects;
• nurseries with plants and flowers, highly sought after this season;
• stalls of clothing, household goods, and various merchandise.

Apecchio and the Upper Marche

Nestled between Monte Nerone and Monte Petrano, Apecchio is one of the gateways to the Upper Marche Apennines, also known as the "land of truffles and beer." The Fair of the SS. Crucifix represents one of the first major events of the Apecchio summer season and an ideal opportunity to discover the village, its Sanctuary, and the surrounding nature. A simple and genuine event, capable of attracting visitors from the municipalities of the upper Metauro valley and the Pesaro hinterland.