Pedemonte Frog Festival

A festival with peasant roots

The Pedemonte Frog Festival is held in the hamlet of Pedemonte in Berbenno di Valtellina, in the province of Sondrio. The festival stems from the revival of an ancient gastronomic tradition: in the past, Pedemonte was located in a lowland area with marshy, stagnant terrain, which was particularly suitable for the proliferation of frogs, representing a traditional dish for the local peasant community.

Frog-based specialties

The festival menu revolves around this ingredient back in the spotlight: frog risotto, fried frogs, spit-roasted frogs, and frogs stewed with polenta. A unique and distinctive gastronomic offering that attracts enthusiasts and curious visitors from all over Valtellina. In the initial evenings, there is also a fish menu option.

Music and devotion

Every evening, the festival is accompanied by live music: DJ sets, orchestras, and tribute bands liven up the evenings. On Sunday morning, a solemn mass in honor of Saint Bartholomew, the patron saint of the hamlet, is celebrated, demonstrating the intertwining of popular celebration and religious tradition.

Pedemonte and Valtellina

Founded in 2006, the festival has grown to attract over 1,500 attendees, becoming an anticipated event at the end of summer. Organized by the parish of Saint Bartholomew, it tells a piece of Valtellina's rural history and the bond between Pedemonte and its territory, in the province of Sondrio.