Organic Trout and River Crayfish Festival

A festival born from the water

Rivodutri is a small municipality in the Province of Rieti, in the heart of the Sabina region, in Lazio, nestled between the Rieti plain and the first foothills of the Reatini Mountains. Its most precious treasure is water: the Santa Susanna Spring, in the Piedicolle area, is considered one of the largest springs in Europe and constitutes a regional natural heritage of extraordinary clarity. It is right here, in the park surrounding the spring pools, that the Organic Trout and River Crayfish Festival takes place every year at the end of July.

The two events were born separately and have been combined for several years into a single celebration, which today represents the most anticipated summer event in the village. In 2026, the Organic Trout Festival reaches its twenty-fourth edition, while the River Crayfish Festival celebrates its fifteenth: numbers that tell of a rare continuity for a center of only a few hundred inhabitants.

The Reatini organic trout

Trout raised in the waters of the Rieti plain is an identity product of the territory. The springs that feed the facilities guarantee a constant temperature and a purity that allows for certified organic farming, without forcing and with reduced density. The result is a fish with firm and delicate flesh, which local cuisine has learned to prepare in many ways: preserved in oil with aromatic herbs, as a fillet, marinated, smoked, or simply grilled.

The river crayfish, a fragile presence

The native river crayfish is an increasingly rare presence in Italian waterways, and its survival in the waters of Santa Susanna is a precious indicator of the site's environmental quality. The festival tells its story and offers traditional preparations, from risotto to bruschetta with stewed crayfish, up to pasta seasoned with crayfish sauce. The availability of the product, however, depends on fishing campaigns and can vary from year to year: it is part of the very nature of a festival linked to a living ecosystem.

What to eat

• Trout in oil with aromatic herbs
• Trout fillet in traditional Reatini versions
• River crayfish risotto
• Mezze maniche pasta with crayfish sauce
• Bruschetta with crayfish stew and garden herbs
• Local wines, desserts, and seasonal fruit

Every evening, visitors can choose between two alternative menus, one dedicated to trout and one to crayfish, cooked by local restaurateurs with zero-kilometer ingredients.

Music, crafts, and vintage tractors

The gastronomic part is accompanied by an entertainment program that changes every evening: musical performances and dance evenings in the square in front of the spring, a local artisan market, and, by now a consolidated tradition, the exhibition curated by the Rivodutri vintage tractor association, with historic agricultural machines restored by the members. An element that reflects the village's deep bond with field work.

The naturalistic setting

Those who arrive in the afternoon can take advantage of a walk along the paths of the Santa Susanna Springs park, among beeches, willows, and intensely green pools of water. It is one of the most photographed naturalistic destinations in the Province of Rieti and is free to visit. Nearby, the village of Rivodutri with its churches, Lake Ripasottile, and the Laghi Lungo and Ripasottile Nature Reserve are worth a stop, as well as the Saint Francis Way that crosses the holy Rieti valley.

Why it's worth the trip

It is not a major national event, and it does not pretend to be. It is a well-executed village festival: authentic products, honest prices, volunteers who actually cook, and a setting that is hard to match. For those spending the summer between Rieti, the Sabina, and the upper Velino valley, it is a stop that amply rewards the detour.