Shepherds' Festival at Lame di Capraia

A festival born from transhumance

The Shepherds' Festival at Lame di Capraia is one of the most authentic and evocative traditions of the Garfagnana area, in the province of Lucca. It takes place every year on the last Sunday of July on the vast Lame di Capraia plateau, a stretch of meadows opening along the Apennine ridge near the San Pellegrino in Alpe pass, in the municipality of Pieve Fosciana.

The roots of the festival lie in the mountain pastoral world: Garfagnana shepherds who brought their flocks to graze in the mountains during the summer would meet right here, on the last Sunday of July, at the height of the transhumance season. It was a moment that was both sacred and convivial, where mass was celebrated and lunch was shared, intertwining religious devotion with community bonds.

The heart of the day

The event, organized by the Pro Loco of Capraia, kicks off in the late morning with Holy Mass celebrated outdoors on the large meadow along the ridge. Afterward, the food stalls open, where you can savor traditional Apennine specialties prepared according to age-old recipes.

In the afternoon, the atmosphere becomes more festive with field games for adults and children, while the day concludes with the delicious ritual of neccio fritters with ricotta, a symbol of Garfagnana's chestnut-based cuisine, accompanied by fried dough.

The flavors of Garfagnana

The table at the Shepherds' Festival is a tribute to mountain cuisine. Among the specialties you can enjoy:

• Polenta incaciata, the valley's signature dish
• Handmade macaroni and Garfagnana spelt
• Lamb, grilled pork ribs, and sausage
• Local cheeses, produced by shepherds using ancient methods
• Homemade cakes and traditional desserts
• The famous neccio fritters (chestnut flour) with ricotta

A place to reach on foot

The Lame di Capraia is a high-altitude plateau immersed in greenery, reachable by car along the Passo delle Radici road or, for those who love to walk, via the CAI trails that climb from San Pellegrino in Alpe, Capraia, and Vetricia. This very panoramic isolation, nestled between the mountains of the Garfagnana and the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, makes the festival a timeless experience, where the traditions of shepherds, beekeepers, and mountain crafts come back to life for a day.