From A… to the Pumpkin

A festival that is literally cultivated

Dalla A… alla Zucca is a widespread and participatory event that takes place in Acquaviva Picena, a charming medieval village in the province of Ascoli Piceno, in the Marche region. Unlike a traditional festival, the event is not limited to a few days: it is a journey throughout an entire season, from May to October, involving children, families, and local associations around a simple and ancient gesture, growing one's own pumpkin.

How it works

It all begins with the distribution of a seedling kit at the Municipal Tourist Office, located at Via Giacomo Leopardi. Each participant takes the seedlings home, cares for them throughout the summer, and grows the fruits, which are then transformed into creative compositions. By collecting the kit, children are automatically entered into the fun contest "Create your imaginative composition".

• Direct Cultivation: a box with three pumpkin seedlings for €10.
• Adoption: for those who lack space or time, the pumpkins are grown by social enterprises in the area and returned at the end of the summer.

The Closing Celebration

The journey culminates in early October with the Pumpkin Festival in the historic center of Acquaviva Picena: two days of celebration to come together, celebrate the territory, and bring one's own pumpkins for the final composition. Exhibitors, workshops, and convivial moments animate the village, which for the occasion is adorned with the warm colors of the Marche autumn.

Nature, Care, and Inclusion

The festival is promoted by the Municipality of Acquaviva Picena together with a network of associations led by Orto Antico and Terre senza Confini APS, with the collaboration of Aromatika, Caritas Diocesana of San Benedetto del Tronto, Michelepertutti, and Orto Bruni of Grottammare. The adoption formula involves individuals with vulnerabilities and disabilities in the cultivation process, giving the event a strong solidarity and inclusive dimension.

A Piceno Tradition

The Acquaviva Picena Pumpkin Festival was born in 2018 as the first festival dedicated to pumpkins in the Marche region, conceived by Orto Antico, and has grown to become an anticipated autumn event. Visiting it is also an opportunity to discover one of the most beautiful villages in the Piceno area, dominated by the famous medieval Fortress and overlooking the gentle hills just a few kilometers from the Adriatic coast.