Pastorizia in Festival
Pecorino di Picinisco PDO and the agro-pastoral culture of the Comino Valley
About Pastorizia in Festival
A festival born from transhumance
Pastorizia in Festival is the signature event of Picinisco, a stone village perched over 700 meters above sea level in the Comino Valley, in the province of Frosinone, south-eastern Lazio. Established in the early 2000s by the association of the same name in collaboration with the municipal administration, the event reached its 24th summer edition in 2026 and is now one of the most popular dairy-focused gatherings in Central Italy.
This is no ordinary village fair: the festival tells the story of a craft and a landscape. Picinisco lies within the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, a territory of high-altitude pastures and ancient sheep tracks (tratturi) used for centuries by flocks migrating towards the Tavoliere plains. The festival's iconic product is born from this very practice.
Pecorino di Picinisco PDO
Pecorino di Picinisco PDO is a raw sheep's milk cheese (with a small addition of goat's milk) produced exclusively in a small area of the Comino Valley. Its quality depends directly on the biodiversity of the mountain pastures and the environmental health of the National Park. During the festival, you can taste it in its two aging varieties, purchase it directly from producers, and learn about its production through demonstrations by local cheesemakers.
What to experience in the village
- National exhibition and market of mountain cheeses and artisanal products, featuring producers from all over Italy.
- The Tratturo del Gusto (Taste Trail): a gastronomic route winding through the historic squares, offering traditional agro-pastoral dishes, from 'cacio e pepe' fettuccine (Picinisco style) to lamb.
- The cutting of the giant wheel of Pecorino PDO, the most anticipated opening moment, followed by a public tasting.
- National Cheese Competition «Pascolo e alpeggio italiano», with a technical jury and Sunday awards ceremony.
- Workshops for children, including the historic «I Pastorelli all'opera» (Little Shepherds at Work), dedicated to cheesemaking and ricotta production.
- Conferences on transhumance, raw milk, and supply chain enhancement, organized with Slow Food Italia, ONAF, and regional agricultural bodies.
- Folk music and traditional dances in the squares, featuring bagpipes, accordions, and folk groups from the Central-Southern Apennines.
The shepherd's breakfast and excursions
One of the most beloved traditions is the shepherd's breakfast, served in village cafes and mountain huts: whole-wheat bread, fresh ricotta, and jam, just as it was eaten at dawn before heading to the pastures. The program also includes guided tours of farms with tastings, hikes in the Prati di Mezzo and the protected area, and an adventure park with a zip-line set up in the Mountain Park.
Two editions: summer and winter
Since 2024, the event has featured a double annual schedule: the main summer edition in early July and a more intimate winter edition between February and March, dedicated to long-aged cheeses and mountain cuisine. The format remains the same—tastings, technical meetings, and music—but the atmosphere changes, often with the village covered in snow.
Why it's worth the trip
Picinisco is one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy and preserves an intact medieval layout, dominated by its castle and tower. During the festival, the village fills with visitors but maintains an authentic feel: you eat standing in the alleys, chat with shepherds, and listen to the accordion. For those visiting Lazio off the beaten path, it is the best way to understand how the Apennine mountains built their cuisine around milk and pasture.
Pastorizia in Festival — edition 2026
Three days between pastures and squares
The 2026 edition confirmed the formula that has made Pastorizia in Festival a national reference for the dairy world. The village of Picinisco, in the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, hosted producers from all over Italy for an exhibition-market dedicated to mountain cheeses and short-supply-chain products.
Alongside the commercial aspect, the program gave ample space to technical reflection, with a conference on raw milk and the Italian dairy tradition as a cultural heritage, organized in collaboration with Slow Food Italia, ONAF, and regional agricultural bodies. On Sunday morning, the awards ceremony for the National Cheese Competition «Pascolo e alpeggio italiano» took place, along with recognition for local agro-pastoral businesses.
In terms of taste, the Tratturo del Gusto offered traditional local dishes in the various squares, while families participated in cheesemaking workshops for children. The evenings concluded with folk music concerts and traditional dances.
Programme Pastorizia in Festival 2026
Friday, July 3, 2026
- 4:30 PM — Opening of the cheese and artisanal product market in the historic center.
- Afternoon — Guided tours of farms with tastings (10 euros, by reservation).
- Wine tasting mini-masterclass.
- Evening — Screening of the documentary «Ritorno al Tratturo».
Saturday, July 4, 2026
- 10:00 AM — Opening of the market, activities in the Mountain Park, and the adventure park with zip-line.
- 1:00 PM — Shepherd's breakfast in village cafes.
- 7:00 PM — Official inauguration in the square with the cutting of the giant Pecorino di Picinisco PDO wheel and public tasting.
- 7:30 PM — Opening of the Tratturo del Gusto gastronomic stands in the historic squares.
- From 9:30 PM — Folk music concerts and traditional dances.
Sunday, July 5, 2026
- Morning — Market, folk music itineraries through the village streets, guided hikes in the National Park.
- 10:30 AM — Awards ceremony for the National Cheese Competition «Pascolo e alpeggio italiano» and recognition of local agro-pastoral businesses.
- Conference «Italian dairy tradition as a cultural heritage: raw milk cheeses from Slow Food Italia to current health standards».
- Afternoon — Children's workshop «I Pastorelli all'opera» (cheesemaking and ricotta), tastings, and performances.
A shuttle service connected the parking areas to the historic center throughout the event.
Highlights Pastorizia in Festival 2026
- Cutting of the giant Pecorino di Picinisco PDO wheel, Saturday, July 4 at 7:00 PM.
- National Cheese Competition «Pascolo e alpeggio italiano» with Sunday awards.
- Tratturo del Gusto: gastronomic route through the squares with agro-pastoral dishes from the Comino Valley.
- Conference on raw milk cheeses with Slow Food Italia and ONAF.
- Children's workshop «I Pastorelli all'opera».
- Documentary «Ritorno al Tratturo» and wine tasting mini-masterclass.
- Adventure park with zip-line in the Mountain Park and hikes in the National Park.
Prices Pastorizia in Festival 2026
Practical information — Pastorizia in Festival
Getting there
By car: A1 Rome-Naples motorway, exit at Cassino, then take the SS Sora-Cassino towards Atina and finally Picinisco (about 30 km from the exit). It takes about 2 hours from Rome. By train: Cassino station on the Rome-Naples line via Formia, with onward travel by bus or taxi.
Parking and shuttles
The historic center is closed to traffic during the event. Parking areas are provided at the entrance to the village and in the Mountain Park, connected to the center by a free shuttle service.
Admission and costs
Access to the village, the exhibition-market, and the concerts is free. You only pay for tastings along the gastronomic trail (tickets for individual dishes at the stands) and some activities requiring reservations, such as guided farm tours.
Tips
Wear comfortable shoes: the village is hilly and paved with cobblestones. Evenings at high altitude are cool even in July, so it is best to bring a light jacket. For accommodation, farmhouses and B&Bs are concentrated between Picinisco, Atina, and San Donato Val di Comino: it is advisable to book well in advance.
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Where does it take place — Pastorizia in Festival
Centro storico di Picinisco e Parco Montano