Montenero Agricultural Fair

A fair in the heart of the Agro Pontino

The Montenero Agricultural Fair, also known as the Borgo Montenero Agricultural Exhibition, is the premier celebration of Pontine agriculture. It takes place in Borgo Montenero, a rural hamlet within the municipality of San Felice Circeo, in the province of Latina, southern Lazio. Promoted by the Insieme 90 association with the support of the municipal administration and the patronage of the Lazio Region, Arsial, and Macfrut, the event was founded in 2024 and quickly became a benchmark for local agricultural businesses: the second edition, in 2025, attracted about 80 exhibitors and 11,000 visitors over three days.

The black zucchini, symbol of the region

The absolute star of the fair is the black zucchini of the Agro Pontino, a vegetable symbolic of the reclaimed plains that finds ideal growing conditions here. The Zucchini Festival was born around this product, featuring tastings, show cooking, and a culinary competition based on zucchini recipes. This enhancement process has borne fruit: in 2026, the Agro Pontino zucchini received the European Union certification mark, presented by representatives of the Lazio Region to the producers' association, which is now aiming for PGI status. A milestone that gives the fair a dimension far beyond municipal borders.

What to find at the fair

In the editions held in the La Torre area, covering over 20,000 square meters, the public enjoyed a rich and diverse program:

• exhibition of agricultural machinery and equipment;
• technical conferences with university professors on biostimulation and sustainable crop nutrition;
• food and wine stands with typical products from the Pontine area and Lazio;
• historical focus on the reclamation of the Agro Pontino;
• children's area with inflatables and family entertainment;
• live music every evening with tribute bands and shows.

There were also special moments such as the Vespa rally from all over Italy and the participation of local chefs, including Michelin-starred chef Fabio Verrelli D'Amico, who led the culinary competition dedicated to the zucchini.

A village with over ninety years of history

Borgo Montenero is one of the foundation centers built between 1934 and 1935 during the reclamation of the Pontine Marshes, and the 2025 edition of the fair celebrated the village's ninetieth anniversary with photographic exhibitions and testimonials. The community, awarded the Gold Medal for Civil Merit in 2022 for the tragic events of May 1944, preserves a strong agricultural identity that the fair recounts and revitalizes year after year.

The 2026 edition: the festival moves to the square

For 2026, the event is renewing itself: the third edition of the Zucchini Festival is announced for August 20 and 21 in Piazza IV Ottobre, in the center of Borgo Montenero, with a market, culinary competition, shows, and music. A more intimate format that brings the Pontine agricultural celebration into the heart of the village, in the middle of summer, just a stone's throw from the Circeo sea.