Spaghetti all'Amatriciana Festival

The festival of Italy's most beloved dish

The Spaghetti all'Amatriciana Festival is the most anticipated gastronomic event in Amatrice, a small mountain town in the Rieti province of Lazio, which gave its name to one of the most famous pasta sauces in Italian cuisine. Every year, on the last weekend of August, the town fills with visitors eager to savor authentic Amatriciana prepared according to the traditional recipe: guanciale, Amatrice pecorino, tomato, and a pinch of chili pepper, served over perfectly cooked spaghetti.

A tradition spanning over half a century

Reaching its 59th edition in 2025, the festival is one of the longest-running and most well-known in Central Italy. Originally a village fair to promote the area's signature product, it has evolved over the years into an event that draws thousands of people from across Lazio and neighboring regions, particularly Abruzzo and Umbria. Since the 2016 earthquake that devastated Amatrice, the festival has taken on an even deeper meaning: it has become a moment of celebration and rebirth for the community, a way to keep the town's identity alive and support its recovery.

Flavor, folklore, and entertainment

The program spans two days packed with events. At the heart of the festival are the Spaghetti all'Amatriciana tastings, served at food stands (including a gluten-free version), but the event offers much more:

• a market showcasing local food and artisanal products;
• art workshops and activities for children and families;
• marching bands, majorettes, flag-wavers, and folk groups;
• concerts, evening shows, and dance parties;
• excursions and musical walks in the surroundings of Amatrice.

A dish that is heritage

Amatriciana is now a world-renowned dish, but its roots lie in Amatrice, among the pastures of the Laga Mountains and the wisdom of shepherds who carried guanciale and pecorino with them. The festival is the perfect opportunity to taste the recipe in its original version, directly in the place that gave it its name, and to discover a territory of great natural beauty that is currently undergoing reconstruction. Participating in the festival also means tangibly supporting the Amatrice community and its desire to look toward the future.