Gnocchi and Arrosticini Festival

A village festival in the heart of Tuscia

The Gnocchi and Arrosticini Festival is one of the most anticipated culinary events of the summer in Bomarzo, a village in the province of Viterbo, in northern Lazio. The event takes place at Parco delle Stelle, the equipped area in the Pinetti locality, located about a kilometer from the historic center, which becomes the meeting point for the town's major food festivals every year. Now in its ninth edition, the festival attracts both locals and visitors from neighboring towns, united by the desire to gather around outdoor tables.

Gnocchi and arrosticini, the stars of the menu

The heart of the festival is traditional cooking. The food stalls serve gnocchi tossed in rich, flavorful sauces based on local Lazio recipes, and the famous arrosticini—sheep meat skewers grilled over charcoal, hailing from the nearby Abruzzo and Apennine tradition. There is also a variety of other grilled meats and local dishes, all made with genuine ingredients and regional products. The menu, simple and hearty, is designed to bring back the authentic flavors of a traditional village festival.

Music, conviviality, and summer vibes

As is tradition, the Gnocchi and Arrosticini Festival is about more than just food: the evenings are brought to life by live music and entertainment that accompany dinner under the stars. With its wide green spaces, Parco delle Stelle provides the ideal setting for an evening with family or friends in a relaxed, convivial atmosphere. Free admission and affordable prices make the event suitable for everyone, from children to the elderly.

Bomarzo, between festivals and wonders

Attending the festival is also an opportunity to discover Bomarzo, world-famous for the Park of the Monsters (or Sacred Wood), the 16th-century garden commissioned by Prince Pier Francesco Orsini and populated by enormous, fantastic, and unsettling stone sculptures. The village, perched among the woods of the Viterbo Tuscia region, retains its medieval layout and is located a short distance from destinations like Viterbo, Lake Bolsena, and the villages of the Tiber Valley. A weekend in Bomarzo thus allows you to combine art, nature, and good food into a single itinerary.

The festival's editions

The event is organized by local associations, including the SSD Calcio Bomarzo, which manages numerous food festivals at Parco delle Stelle throughout the year. The festival takes place in the height of the summer season, between July and August, when Bomarzo's calendar is filled with events dedicated to traditional flavors. To find out the exact dates and the program for the current edition, it is best to follow the organizers' channels and local event portals.