Polenta Festival

An autumn festival in the heart of the Roman Sabina

The Polenta Festival in Nerola is one of the most anticipated gastronomic events of the autumn in the Sabina region, located halfway between Rome and Rieti along the Via Salaria. Every year in November, Piazza San Sebastiano transforms into a large open-air dining hall where polenta is served steaming hot to hundreds of visitors, creating a festive atmosphere that involves the entire village. The event is organized by the ACN - Nerola Cultural Association, with the support of the municipal administration, and was created to celebrate a simple, convivial recipe that serves as a symbol of the peasant cuisine of the Sabina Mountains.

Polenta in a wooden bowl

The heart of the event is the set menu, designed to capture the local tradition in a single dish. The polenta is topped with a slow-cooked sauce, enriched by artisanal sausage produced by local butchers and pork spare ribs. Everything is served in a scifetta, the typical wooden bowl that visitors can take home as a souvenir of the day: an ancient custom, linked to the winter vigils of farming families, which has become the signature of the festival here.

The main dish is accompanied by bruschetta with Nerola extra virgin olive oil and Nerola olive pâté—a signature product of a town surrounded by centuries-old olive groves—as well as French fries, crêpes, and homemade desserts prepared by the association's volunteers. Sabina wine completes the tasting experience. A vegetarian option of the menu is available upon request.

Music, markets, and a medieval village

The festival is about more than just food. Along the streets of the historic center, you will find stalls featuring artisans and local producers, offering olive oil, preserves, cheeses, and traditional crafts, while musical groups enliven the square with live folk music. Families will find areas dedicated to children and the opportunity to explore the town through walks in the medieval village, dominated by the imposing Orsini Castle, one of the most scenic fortresses in the province of Rome.

Nerola and the Sabina region

With just over a thousand inhabitants, Nerola is a small town in the Lazio region perched at an altitude of about 430 meters, overlooking the Tiber Valley and hills planted with olive trees. Its economy is historically linked to olive growing, so much so that extra virgin olive oil remains the town's signature product today. For the community, the festival is a moment of gathering, and for visitors, it is an opportunity to discover a lesser-known corner of the Roman province, less than an hour from the capital.

An event that grows year by year

Reaching its twentieth edition in 2025, the Polenta Festival has consolidated a proven formula over the years: two days, continuous afternoon hours, affordable prices, and hospitality provided by volunteers. The organization provides free parking in areas outside the center with a shuttle service to the square to avoid congestion in the narrow streets of the village. In case of adverse weather forecasts, the event is generally postponed to the following weekend: it is therefore advisable to check for updates on the association's channels before traveling.