Fettuccine Festival

The most delicious festival in Ciociaria

The Fettuccine Festival in Collepardo is one of the oldest and most iconic culinary events in the entire Ciociaria region, located in the heart of the Frosinone province in southern Lazio. Every year, around Ferragosto (mid-August), this small village in the Monti Ernici comes alive with aromas, music, and thousands of visitors drawn by the local signature dish: famous hand-made fettuccine served with authentic Ciociaro-style meat sauce.

A tradition born in 1977

The festival was established in 1977 by Tullio De Sanctis, founder of the Pro Loco of Collepardo (founded in 1971), to whom the association is now dedicated. For nearly half a century, the event has been organized by Pro Loco volunteers at the Oreste Cicalé Public Gardens, growing into one of the most anticipated summer highlights in the area and attracting at least three thousand people each year.

Hand-rolled fettuccine with the 'stenn'turo'

The secret of the festival lies in its artisanal preparation. The traditional dough, made only with eggs and white flour, is worked exclusively by hand by the village housewives; the sheet is then rolled out with a special wooden rolling pin, the stenn'turo, left to dry, and finally cut into long, narrow strips. For the Ferragosto evening alone, they use approximately 2,000 eggs, 200 kilograms of flour, and over 300 kilograms of tomatoes for the sauce. The fettuccine are served hot, tossed in a rich meat ragù, and finished with local pecorino cheese.

The eating contest and entertainment

Beyond the food, the evening offers musical performances and folk dances that keep the Public Gardens lively until late at night. The most entertaining moment is the thrilling fettuccine-eating contest, a challenge open to adults and children who compete for the title by eating the dish without forks or cutlery, using only their mouths, amidst the laughter and applause of the crowd.

Collepardo and the Monti Ernici

The festival is also a perfect opportunity to discover Collepardo, a village perched among the Monti Ernici and surrounded by a natural heritage of rare beauty, from the Pozzo d'Antullo sinkhole and the Grotta dei Bambocci cave to the nearby Certosa di Trisulti monastery. History, nature, and great food intertwine in a celebration that captures the genuine soul of the Ciociaria tradition.