Red Mullet and Fried Fish Festival

A fish festival in the heart of Villa San Nicola

The Red Mullet and Fried Fish Festival is one of the most beloved gastronomic events of the summer in Ortona, in the province of Chieti, nestled on the Abruzzo coast. Every year in August, the hillside village of Villa San Nicola comes alive for three evenings dedicated to Adriatic seafood and local maritime traditions. The event is organized by the Pro Loco Villa San Nicola APS, active since 2010, which has successfully transformed a local tradition into a festival that attracts visitors from across the Chieti region.

The queen of the festival: golden red mullet

The star of the show is the red mullet, a symbolic fish of the Adriatic, served fried and golden according to the traditional fishermen's recipe. Alongside the mullet, the stalls offer the classic mixed fried fish platter, featuring fresh squid, prawns, and small blue fish. There is no shortage of arrosticini, a staple of any Abruzzese feast, and traditional desserts: above all, the nevole, the famous rolled wafers of Ortona, prepared with traditional irons that are often showcased to the public during the festival. The food stalls generally open in the evening, from 8:00 PM, when the streets of the village fill with enticing aromas and crowds.

Music, dancing, and village atmosphere

Beyond the excellent food, the festival offers nightly musical entertainment with ballroom orchestras and live bands, keeping the public dancing in the square until late at night. It is the perfect opportunity to experience authentic Abruzzese hospitality in a genuine, family-friendly atmosphere that brings different generations together around outdoor tables.

The UNPLI "Quality Festival" mark

In 2026, the Pro Loco Villa San Nicola achieved an important milestone: the "Quality Festival" (Sagra di Qualità) mark awarded by the National Union of Pro Loco of Italy (UNPLI), presented during a ceremony at the Senate in Rome. It is the first Pro Loco in the province of Chieti to earn this certification, which rewards authenticity, reliability, and the promotion of local products. This recognition confirms the care with which the community of Villa San Nicola has upheld this tradition for over a decade.

An event of the Ortona Summer

The Red Mullet and Fried Fish Festival is part of the rich Ortona Summer program, the seasonal calendar promoted by the Municipality of Ortona, which features over eighty events between the city center and its surrounding districts from July to September. Along with other village festivals, this event represents a key piece of the gastronomic and cultural identity of this stretch of the Adriatic coast.