Sagra Ijju Cerijje Festival

A festival born from fire and turkey oak embers

In the small village of Rocca di Cambio, in the province of L'Aquila, one of the most authentic festivals in the Abruzzo mountains takes place every mid-August: the Sagra Ijju Cerijje. The name, in the local dialect, refers to turkey oak wood ("cerijje"), a common oak on the Altopiano delle Rocche that volunteers use to produce the embers for slowly cooking mutton. This ancient practice gives birth to the festival's signature dish: the arrosto di cerìjje, mutton cooked according to the pastoral traditions of these mountains.

The highest town in the Apennines

Rocca di Cambio is the highest town in the Apennines, nestled at an altitude of 1,434 meters in the heart of the Sirente-Velino Regional Park. In August, when the heat grips the cities, this village on the Altopiano delle Rocche offers cool evenings and clear skies: the perfect setting for an open-air festival that fills the town center with the scent of embers, conversation, and music.

The flavors of the Abruzzo mountains

The festival's cuisine is rooted in the pastoral and peasant traditions of the area. Alongside the essential arrosto di cerìjje, the food stalls offer traditional local dishes:

• Sagnette alla rocchigianese, hand-rolled pasta;
• Gnocchetti with beans;
• Arrosticini (sheep skewers), an icon of Abruzzo gastronomy;
• Fried pizza, french fries, and bruschetta;
• Drinks: wine, water, and draft Irish beer.

Music, markets, and three days of celebration

Every evening, the stalls open around 7:00–7:30 PM, and the festivities continue late into the night with live music from local bands and folk groups, as well as craft markets, photo exhibitions, tasting workshops, and children's entertainment. The event is organized by the volunteers of the Pro Loco of Rocca di Cambio, active since 1999, with the patronage of the Municipality and the collaboration of the Alpini and local associations. More than just a culinary event, the Ijju Cerijje is a moment when the entire community of the Altopiano delle Rocche comes together, in one of the many festivals that enliven the summer in the L'Aquila area and Abruzzo.