Stesa Festival

The festival celebrating the stesa, the pride of Strangolagalli

In the heart of the Ciociaria region, the municipality of Strangolagalli, a small hillside village in the province of Frosinone, Lazio, dedicates the first weekend of October each year to its most iconic specialty: the stesa. The Stesa Festival, organized by the Pro Loco of Strangolagalli, is one of the most anticipated culinary events of the Ciociarian autumn: the 26th edition was held in October 2024, followed by the 27th in October 2025.

What is the stesa?

The stesa is a humble dish rooted in peasant tradition: a simple dough made of flour, water, and a pinch of salt, kneaded by hand, rolled out with a rolling pin, and then fried in boiling oil or baked in the oven. The result is a golden, fragrant sheet that can be enjoyed plain, seasoned with oil and salt, or stuffed with local cold cuts, cheeses, and vegetables; there is also a sweet version, served with honey or sugar. During the festival, the local women prepare the stese on the spot, right before the visitors' eyes, with thousands of portions served over the two days.

A tradition spanning over twenty-five editions

With more than twenty-five editions behind it—the 24th in 2022, the 26th in 2024—the festival has become a fixed reference point for gourmets in the province of Frosinone and beyond. Having resumed with great enthusiasm after the forced hiatus of the pandemic years, the event has successfully renewed itself without losing its popular spirit, adding new attractions each year alongside the absolute star, the stesa.

How the festival unfolds

The festival enlivens the historic center, between Piazza Elena and Via Roma, typically starting at 4:00 PM. Alongside the food stalls that fry and bake stese non-stop, the program features tastings of local wines, live musical performances, and folk dancing. In recent editions, the weekend has been enriched by the Agricultural Machinery Rally: vintage tractors and historic vehicles parade through the village streets, while Sunday features the traditional community lunch that brings residents and visitors together.

The Day of Crafts

The festival is accompanied by the Day of Crafts, an initiative dedicated to local craftsmanship: local artisans display their products and demonstrate their techniques live, aiming to keep alive and pass on to new generations the knowledge, culture, and dedication to work. In one edition, the event even hosted the best works by students from the Academy of Fine Arts of Frosinone, showcasing the bond between labor, art, and beauty.

Strangolagalli and the Ciociaria region

Strangolagalli is a hillside village in southern Lazio, known for its olive oil production, located a short distance from Frosinone and the Liri Valley. The Stesa Festival is the ideal opportunity to discover the most authentic side of Ciociaria: that of village squares, folk traditions, and genuine cuisine, where a humble dough of flour and water becomes a collective ritual and a shared memory of the Lazio region.