Pontecorvo PDO Pepper Festival

A festival built around a unique product

The Pontecorvo PDO Pepper Festival is the food and wine event that transforms the historic center of Pontecorvo, in the province of Frosinone, Southern Lazio, every September. At the heart of it all is the Pontecorvo PDO Cornetto Pepper: sweet, thin-skinned, and crunchy, it is the only pepper in Italy and Europe to boast the Protected Designation of Origin status. Cultivating it according to strict regulations means adhering to rigorous standards and subjecting harvests to certification checks, as the local producers' association reminds us every year.

Where it takes place

The core of the event is Piazza IV Novembre and Piazza Belvedere, with the official opening in recent years held in Piazza De Gasperi. The town squares host food and tasting stalls, producers' booths, and performance spaces: you can stroll from one end of the town to the other, following the scent of fried, stuffed, and oil-preserved peppers.

What to eat

The festival's cuisine alternates between traditional dishes and more creative offerings, all centered around the pepper:

• Fried and sweet-and-sour peppers, prepared according to home recipes
• Stuffed peppers and oil-preserved jars from local producers
• Pasta dishes and revisited recipes featured in live cooking shows
• Typical products of the Lower Lazio region: cured meats, cheeses, olive oil, and wines from the Ciociaria area

Beyond the table

Alongside the culinary offerings, the program includes craft and local agricultural markets, creative workshops and play areas for children, variety shows, street performances, and live evening concerts. There are also technical sessions: conferences and seminars with agronomists, agricultural technicians, and university researchers dedicated to farmers operating within the PDO area, as the festival also serves as a testing ground for the local agricultural supply chain.

Who organizes it

The event is promoted by the Association of Producers of the Pontecorvo PDO Pepper with the support of the Lower Lazio Agricultural Fair Association, under the patronage of the Lazio Region and the Municipality of Pontecorvo, and in collaboration with Coldiretti, the Protection Consortium, and Banca Popolare del Cassinate. Recent editions have also been funded through a regional grant obtained via LazioCrea, ensuring no burden on municipal coffers.

Why it's worth the trip

Pontecorvo is a village overlooking the Liri Valley, halfway between Frosinone and Cassino: the festival is the perfect opportunity to discover it, climbing up to the Belvedere and the upper part of the town. For visitors from outside the region, it is also a tangible introduction to the rural culture of Ciociaria, where PDO-branded products are not just a commercial label but a piece of collective identity. An informal, family-friendly weekend where you can eat well on a budget.