September 8th Fair

A fair with over a century of history

The September 8th Fair is the signature event of Rignano Flaminio, a town in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Lazio, situated along the ancient Via Flaminia. Today's event, dedicated to agricultural produce and craftsmanship, revives and updates the traditional livestock and goods market that has been held in the town without interruption since 1906: a rare continuity that makes this day much more than just a local village festival. The date never changes, as it coincides with the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a day when the village has always been filled with merchants, farmers, and breeders from the Roman countryside and the Sabina region.

What to find at the fair

For an entire day, the town center becomes a large open-air exhibition space. Along the main streets, in the squares, and throughout the historic center, you will find stalls from local farms, artisan workshops, displays of agricultural tools and machinery, and corners dedicated to farm animals. It is a fair that tells the real story of a territory that remains strongly agricultural, where olive growing, horticulture, and livestock farming are still widespread activities.

• Agricultural produce: vegetables, olive oil, preserves, honey, and products from local farms
• Craftsmanship and artisan trades: workshops, live demonstrations, and direct sales
• Animals and rural life: exhibitions and traveling displays with a nature theme
• Exhibitions and art: spaces reserved for artists in the cloister of the Town Hall and in the center's halls
• Music and entertainment: traveling bands in the afternoon, evening concert in Piazza Matteotti

Local flavors

The gastronomic chapter is one of the most anticipated. The stalls in the center offer specialties that define the local popular cuisine: pizzancotta, panzanella, beans with pork rinds, and sausages, accompanied by local wines and craft beers. Over the years, the fair has hosted guided tastings, distribution of traditional recipes, and culinary competitions, with the declared goal of passing on a heritage of flavors to new generations that might otherwise be lost.

For families and curious visitors

The day is also designed for the little ones: pony and donkey rides, carriage rides starting in the morning in Piazza dei Borgia, exhibitions created by local school students, and educational activities such as cheese-making demonstrations. There are also vintage car and motorcycle rallies organized by the Pro Loco and visits to the Museum of Rignano Culture and Traditions, which features a section dedicated to ancient trades and farming tools.

Why it's worth the trip

Rignano Flaminio is located just over forty kilometers from Rome, in an area—between Mount Soratte, the Tiber, and the Faliscan countryside—often ignored by major tourist circuits. Visiting on September 8th means seeing the town in its authentic version: shops open, associations in the streets, elders telling stories about the old livestock market, and producers explaining their harvest year. It is one of the best opportunities of the year to understand what the agricultural province of northern Lazio is really like, without filters or tourist traps.

Admission and accessibility

Admission to the fair is free, and the entire event takes place outdoors, in the streets and squares of the center. The spaces are mostly flat and easily accessible, with some slight slopes in the historic core. The closure of the center to traffic during the fair hours makes the visit comfortable and safe even with children.