Great Fishermen's Rustida

The fishermen's fish festival in Cesenatico

The Great Fishermen's Grill is one of the most cherished gastronomic evenings of the summer in Cesenatico, on the coast of the Province of Forlì-Cesena, in Emilia-Romagna. Every year, on the eve of Ferragosto, the Fish Market square comes alive from the afternoon onwards: it's the fishermen from the Cooperativa Pescatori Cesenatico, along with their families, who light the grills and personally cook the Adriatic catch for residents and tourists.

A tradition linked to the sea

The Rustida was created to celebrate and promote fishing, which has always been one of Cesenatico's main economic activities, and to offer those crowding the beaches in August the chance to taste fresh, local fish cooked directly by those who bring it ashore. It's much more than a food festival: it's a way to tell the story of the town's maritime identity, whose roots lie in the Canal Port designed by Leonardo da Vinci, the historic heart of the fishermen's village.

What to eat

The specialties are the classic dishes of Romagna's seafood cuisine, simple and generous:

• Mussel and clam stew, flavored with tomato and parsley;
• Mixed fried fish from the Adriatic, crispy and light;
• Spaghetti with clams and handmade pasta with cuttlefish ragu;
• Grilled bluefish, a symbol of the Romagna grill.

No reservations are needed: just get in line with a little patience, as the wait is part of the ritual of this popular evening.

Music, charity, and atmosphere

The evening is accompanied by live musical entertainment along the Canal Port, in a familiar and convivial atmosphere. An aspect that makes the event even more special is its charitable purpose: the proceeds are donated to charity, transforming the dinner into a gesture of community. The Great Fishermen's Grill is thus, for Cesenatico, the event that opens the Ferragosto celebrations and brings the entire city together around good seafood cuisine.