Trofie and Zucchini Festival

A village festival in the heart of the Cicolano

The Trofie and Zucchini Festival takes place in Pescorocchiano, a municipality in the province of Rieti, Lazio, and is one of the most anticipated summer events on the local calendar. The event is organized by the Pescorocchiano Festival Committee, a group of local volunteers who manage community celebrations throughout the year. For one night, they transform the Post Office parking area into a large open-air kitchen complete with long tables, food stalls, and a stage for live music.

The signature dish

At the heart of the evening is a simple and recognizable first course: trofie with zucchini, seasoned with crispy speck. It is a home-style recipe, the kind prepared in Cicolano families when the vegetable gardens are at their peak, which the festival brings to the public square in its most generous version. The Festival Committee insists on one key point: the exclusive use of local products, a choice that gives the event value beyond a simple social gathering, linking it to the gastronomic promotion of the area.

The evening menu

The format follows the tried-and-tested tradition of Lazio festivals: a fixed-price set menu, served at the table or for takeaway, which includes:

• a plate of trofie and zucchini with crispy speck;
• lemon chicken bites;
• seasonal side dish;
• bread and a drink.

All for the price of 15 euros per person. There is also draft beer, served throughout the evening at the Committee's stand.

Live music and atmosphere

As per tradition, the culinary experience is accompanied by live music: after dinner, the village gathers in front of the stage, and the evening continues with dancing and conversation until late. It is a familiar, unpretentious atmosphere where passing tourists mingle with residents and vacationers who repopulate the municipality's hamlets during the summer.

Pescorocchiano and the Cicolano territory

Pescorocchiano is one of the largest municipalities in the province of Rieti, stretching across numerous hamlets scattered among the woods and hills of the Cicolano, the Apennine belt that marks the border between Lazio and Abruzzo. It is a land of chestnut groves—it is no coincidence the village is also known for its historic autumn Chestnut Festival—pastures, and ancient hilltop villages. Those arriving for the festival will find an ideal setting for a day trip: trails, green areas, and a slow pace that perfectly represents the most authentic soul of the Rieti mountains.

Why it is worth visiting

This is not an event built for mass numbers, and that is precisely its strength: the food is good, the prices are low, and you get in direct contact with a community that cares about its traditions. For those visiting Lazio outside of Rome, such an evening is the simplest way to understand how summer is truly experienced in the Apennine villages.