Pecorara Festival

A pastoral tradition in the heart of the Alto Vastese

The Pecorara Festival is the most anticipated summer event in Furci, a small town in the province of Chieti, nestled in the rolling hills of southern Abruzzo, just a short distance from Vasto and the Trabocchi Coast. Every year, on the evening of August 13th, the village fills with visitors drawn by the aroma of 'pecorara', the dish that gives the festival its name and is deeply rooted in the pastoral culture of this corner of the Alto Vastese.

Pecorara: the dish of the transhumance

Pecorara is an ancient, rustic dish tied to the lives of shepherds. It is prepared with large quantities of mutton, slow-cooked with tomatoes, chili peppers, and spices inside copper cauldrons—known as callàre in the local dialect—heated over an open flame for six to seven hours. This long cooking process makes the meat tender and flavorful, resulting in a rich sauce that the people of Furci still serve today as a symbol of their culinary identity. Along with the pecorara, visitors can enjoy sandwiches with local ventricina sausage, arrosticini, fries, the typical celli ripieni pastries, and other local sweets, all paired with wine and beer.

The bond with Beato Angelo

The festival takes place in the gardens of the Sanctuary of Beato Angelo, the patron saint of Furci. The date of August 13th is no coincidence: it coincides with popular devotion to the saint and the ancient pilgrimage to the ruins of the Benedictine-Augustinian abbey of Cornaclano. Organized by the Parish Group of the Sanctuary of Beato Angelo, the event has always served a charitable purpose, with a portion of the proceeds dedicated over the years to the restoration of the sanctuary.

Music, community, and conviviality

Beyond the food, the evening is brought to life by live music and popular entertainment, with local orchestras and artists keeping the square and gardens dancing until late. The Pecorara Festival is, above all, a great community celebration: dozens of parish volunteers work for days on the preparations, and the village of Furci, with its few hundred inhabitants, welcomes thousands of guests from across the province of Chieti and beyond.

A historic festival of Abruzzo's gastronomy

Documented without interruption since the early 1990s, the festival has reached significant milestones: the 30th edition in 2018, the 34th in 2024, and the 35th in 2025, celebrated as a special anniversary. Fully established among the folkloric and gastronomic festivals of Abruzzo, the Pecorara Festival in Furci is an authentic opportunity to discover the pastoral flavors of the Vasto hinterland and the hospitality of a village that turns tradition into its most cherished celebration.