Straight Furrow Festival (Agriculture Day)

The Straight Furrow Festival in Gioia dei Marsi

In the municipality of Gioia dei Marsi, a village in the Marsican Mountains in the province of L'Aquila (Abruzzo), the Straight Furrow Festival takes place every year at the end of September alongside Agriculture Day. The event combines two occasions that have become symbols of the region's rural vocation: the Agriculture Festival, which showcases the products and crafts of the Marsican land, and the more recent Straight Furrow Festival, dedicated to a farming tradition deeply rooted in the community.

The straight furrow plowing

The heart of the festival is the historical re-enactment of the straight furrow plowing. This is the gesture with which, at the end of the harvest, farmers would trace a perfectly straight line in the fields destined for sowing: a ritual of thanksgiving for the past agricultural year and a propitiatory sign for the one to come. The practice, documented since 1625 and linked to the votive traditions of rural communities, was inscribed in the National Register of Rural Landscapes, Agricultural Practices, and Traditional Knowledge by a decree of the Ministry of Agriculture on February 2, 2026, in recognition of its value as intangible cultural heritage shared by six regions of Central and Southern Italy (Abruzzo, Basilicata, Campania, Lazio, Marche, and Umbria).

The program

The day brings the streets and squares of the town to life with a rich calendar of events:

• Exhibition in Piazza della Repubblica of fruit and vegetable produce, processed goods, agricultural machinery, Abruzzo wines, truffles, antiques, and lace;
• Historical re-enactment of the straight furrow plowing with a parade in period costumes, showcasing the evolution of plowing techniques, from oxen and horses to modern satellite-guided tractors;
• Conferences on the future of agriculture and inland areas;
• Performances and live music to close the festival.

The Furrow Villages

Gioia dei Marsi is part of the Borghi del Solco (Furrow Villages) network, municipalities united by this ancient agricultural tradition for civic and tourism purposes. The event is organized by the Municipality together with the Pro Loco and local associations, with the involvement of Coldiretti, Confagricoltura, and CIA. The village, awarded the national 'Spiga Verde' recognition, confirms itself as a model of rural excellence in inland Abruzzo.

An opportunity to discover the Marsica region

Beyond the festival, Gioia dei Marsi serves as a gateway to the Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise National Park and the landscapes of the Marsican Mountains. The Straight Furrow Festival is therefore also an opportunity to discover the gastronomy, traditions, and nature of this authentic corner of Abruzzo.