Sulmona Red Garlic Festival

The Red Garlic Festival in Campo di Fano

Every year, on the second weekend of July, the small village of Campo di Fano, in the municipality of Prezza (L'Aquila province, Abruzzo), becomes the beating heart of the Peligna Valley's culinary culture. The Sulmona Red Garlic Festival is an event that has been drawing visitors, producers, and food enthusiasts to Piazza Peppino Impastato for over thirty years, enlivening summer evenings with vibrant scents, flavors, and music.

Organized by the Pro Loco Nicola Di Pietro of Campo di Fano, the festival has grown into a landmark event for the region, attracting not only food lovers but also agricultural experts and food professionals interested in one of the most iconic products of inland Abruzzo.

A precious ecotype: the red garlic of the Peligna Valley

The undisputed star of the festival is the Sulmona red garlic, a local ecotype grown in the Peligna Valley, the basin surrounding Sulmona. It stands out from common garlic due to its characteristic reddish outer skin, its particularly intense aroma, and its slightly spicy flavor. It is prized for its high content of essential oils and allicin, as well as its exceptional shelf life, which can exceed a year.

Recognized as a Traditional Agri-food Product (PAT) and included in the Slow Food Ark of Taste, this red garlic has been part of the local rural economy for centuries; 19th-century documents already attest to its commercial importance and export. In the kitchen, it is used fresh, while its flowering stems—locally known as zolle, tolle, or crastetelli—are transformed into refined side dishes, omelet ingredients, or paired with fava beans.

Flavors on the table and village atmosphere

The heart of the festival lies in the food stalls, which typically open at 8:00 PM, offering a menu entirely inspired by red garlic and Abruzzese tradition: garlic sprout cream, garlic pasta, bruschetta, zampanelle, arrosticini, and fried pizza. There is also direct sales of the famous garlic braids, connecting producers directly with visitors.

• Traditional dishes featuring red garlic from the Peligna Valley
• Evening food stalls in Piazza Peppino Impastato
• Live music and dance evenings
• Market and direct sales of Peligna garlic
• Entertainment and games for children

A summer highlight for the entire region

The Sulmona Red Garlic Festival is part of the Estate a Prezza (Summer in Prezza) calendar, a series of events that brings the municipality to life during the summer season. For the public, it is the perfect opportunity to rediscover an authentic corner of Abruzzo, explore the villages of the Peligna Valley, and enjoy genuine cuisine rooted in the land and popular traditions.