Sabina Beer Festival in Gavignano

A beer festival in the heart of Sabina

The Sabina Beer Festival takes place in Gavignano Sabino, a small hamlet of the Forano municipality in the Rieti province, Lazio. It is one of those grassroots events organized by the Pro Gavignano Association with the help of local volunteers, which has quickly become a staple of the lower Sabina summer calendar. The venue is the upper parking lot on Via Poggio Mirteto, a spacious open-air area that fills up with long tables, food stalls, and beer taps for two nights.

The beers of Birrificio Sabino

The common thread of the event is the craft beer from Birrificio Sabino, a local producer from the Poggio Mirteto area. Their taps accompany the entire festival, joined by Italian and international beers offered by the evening's sponsors. The choice to focus on a local brewery is no coincidence: it speaks volumes about how Sabina is building a small local brewing scene alongside its tradition of olive oil and wine, finding its most natural showcase in village festivals.

The cuisine: Sabina dishes and grilled specialties

The food stall opens around 8 PM and offers a menu that changes nightly. Among the dishes that have defined recent editions are the stringozzi with pecorino, pepper, and pancetta prepared by Ristorante I Granari and the gnocchi with mutton ragù, two classics of the peasant cuisine from the Lazio hinterland. Alongside fresh pasta, there is plenty of grilled food and classic village-style street food:

• Arrosticini and meat skewers
• Grilled sausages and burgers
• Hot dogs and French fries
• Seasonal specialties like organic snails

Live music and dance nights

The format features two nights with different vibes. The first is dedicated to live music, with acoustic concerts by local bands starting around 10 PM, while the tables are still full. The second night shifts toward an open-air disco, with DJ sets and a dance floor open until late. It is a balance designed to satisfy different crowds: those who arrive for a relaxed dinner and those who want to dance.

An event designed for families too

The festival is not just for adults. In recent editions, inflatable play areas for children have been set up, and workshops dedicated to bread-making and cheese production have been offered—small educational moments that share Sabina's rural knowledge with those unfamiliar with it. This is one of the aspects that distinguishes this event from more commercial beer festivals: the desire to remain tied to the village and its activities.

Gavignano Sabino and the Forano area

Gavignano Sabino is a village of a few hundred inhabitants overlooking the hills of lower Sabina, a short distance from the municipal seat of Forano and the Tiber Valley. The calendar of recurring events in the Forano municipality includes, in addition to the beer festival, events like the Pangiallo and Nociata Festival on January 6th and the monthly fair on the third Sunday. Those arriving in June for the festival can combine their visit with a day among the Sabina olive groves, oil mills, and nearby villages like Poggio Mirteto, Cantalupo in Sabina, and Casperia.

When it takes place

The event usually takes place in June, over a weekend. It should be noted that the official calendar of recurring events for the Forano municipality sometimes indicates it for early July: dates can therefore shift from year to year, so it is always a good idea to check the announcement published by the Pro Gavignano Association before setting off.