San Martino Fair and Festival (featuring the Tacchino alla Neretese Festival)

The San Martino Fair and Festival in Nereto

Every year, around November 11th, the Municipality of Nereto, in the heart of the Val Vibrata in the province of Teramo, celebrates its patron saint with the San Martino Fair and Festival. It is one of the most deeply felt and rooted events in the Teramo area of Abruzzo: a celebration that has its origins in the centuries-old tradition of the market fair, once dedicated to livestock, and which today transforms the entire historic center for five days into a vibrant blend of devotion, commerce, folklore, and gastronomy.

The Feast of the Patron Saint, Saint Martin

The religious core of the event is the Feast of Saint Martin, Bishop of Tours, the patron saint of Nereto. Celebrations include Holy Mass in the church of San Martino, often presided over by the Bishop, followed by the symbolic presentation of the cloak to the Roman soldier and the solemn procession through the town streets. A highlight of great emotional impact is the historical re-enactment of the cutting of the cloak, the most famous episode in the Saint's life, performed by young people from local associations.

The Tacchino alla Neretese Festival

Alongside the religious dimension, the festival is a celebration of flavors. In Piazza Cavour, during the evening hours, the Tacchino alla Neretese Festival takes place, dedicated to a local recipe recognized by the Abruzzo Region as a traditional agri-food product. The turkey, cooked according to the ancient Nereto preparation, is paired with roasted chestnuts and novello wine, in perfect harmony with the proverb of Saint Martin. There is also plenty of street food, which completes the culinary offering alongside stands open for lunch during the main days.

The Fair and Entertainment

During the fair, the main streets of the center host over one hundred exhibitors with local products, handicrafts, and gastronomic specialties. The atmosphere is made festive by roving performances, live music, DJ sets, and entertainment for children: soap bubbles, face painting, and stilt walkers accompany families and visitors among the stalls. Roasted chestnut events in the square and the Solidarity Dinner, organized by local associations, add a touch of conviviality and social commitment.

A Defining Event of the Val Vibrata

The San Martino Fair and Festival represents much more than a simple event: it is a moment of collective identity for Nereto and the entire Val Vibrata. The event is promoted by the Municipality of Nereto together with the Pro Loco, the San Martino Vescovo Parish, and numerous local associations, which every year renew an ancient ritual capable of uniting faith, rural memory, and the pleasures of the table in one of the most evocative seasons in Abruzzo.