Maggiolata – Raiano Cherry Festival

The reddest festival in Abruzzo

Every year, at the beginning of June, the small town of Raiano, in the Peligna Valley near L'Aquila, transforms into a sea of cherry red. The Maggiolata – Cherry Festival is the town's defining event and one of the longest-running and most heartfelt festivals in all of Abruzzo, drawing visitors from across the region and beyond.

A tradition born from poetry

The Maggiolata has its roots in 1946, when it was conceived by the local poet and intellectual Ottaviano Giannangeli. From the very beginning, the festival has intertwined the celebration of the cherry harvest—the region's prized fruit—with folk culture, literature, and rural traditions. It is no coincidence that the event is linked to the Literary Parks and takes place near the feast of the patron saint, San Venanzio, whose sanctuary and the stunning Gorges of San Venanzio are among the area's natural treasures.

Three days of folklore, flavor, and music

The heart of the Maggiolata is the traditional parade of allegorical floats and folk groups, which fills the streets of the historic center on Sunday afternoon with costumes, songs, and dances. Alongside the parade, the program offers everything: food stalls dedicated to cherries and the typical products of the Peligna Valley, the Cherry Red Flowered Balconies competition, tournaments, walks among the town's murals, and guided tours of the San Venanzio Gorges Nature Reserve, the Museum of Rural Art, and the ancient oil mill.

The most anticipated evening is the Cherry Red Night, now in its tenth year: a night of street performers, jugglers, markets, street food, musical shows, and DJ sets that has particularly captivated younger crowds, helping to renew an ancient festival without betraying its spirit.

An event to experience

• Parade of allegorical floats and folk groups
• Stalls featuring cherries and typical Abruzzese products
• Cherry Red Night with street performers and concerts
• Cherry Red Flowered Balconies competition
• Visits to the Gorges of San Venanzio and local heritage sites

Organized by the Municipality of Raiano together with Raiano Eventi APS, the Pro Loco, and numerous local entities, the Maggiolata is much more than just a festival: it is the moment when the entire Raiano community celebrates its identity, amidst the red of the cherries and the green of the Peligna Valley.