Vitorchiano con il Cuore (Charity Dinner)

A community rallying in the 'hanging village'

Every summer, in the heart of August, Vitorchiano transforms its Piazza Roma into a massive open-air dining room. Vitorchiano con il Cuore is the charity festival of the Tuscia "hanging village," promoted by the Municipality of Vitorchiano together with the parish Caritas: a solidarity dinner where citizens, associations, volunteers, and local businesses cook and serve hundreds of meals, donating all proceeds to those in need.

The origins: from 2022 to today

The initiative began in August 2022, when the first charity dinner in Piazza Roma raised nearly 5,000 euros for the Vitorchiano parish Caritas and the "I Care" Solidarity Emporium in Viterbo, with about eighty volunteers involved in cooking, distribution, and table service. Its success convinced the administration led by Mayor Ruggero Grassotti to make it a permanent fixture. In 2023, the second edition added a 5-kilometer "Heart Walk" with the Viterbo Runners Walkers and the awarding of honorary citizenship to Father Alberto Canuzzi, the historic president of the CeIS San Crispino in Viterbo. Edition after edition, the formula has grown, leading to the fourth edition in 2025, which spanned two days.

The formula: walking, music, and dinner in Piazza Roma

The format that makes the event special combines conviviality, culture, and local territory:

• The charity dinner in Piazza Roma, the heart of the event: traditional local dishes — bruschetta, pasta all'amatriciana, grilled meats, homemade desserts — offered at popular prices, with all proceeds donated to charity.
• The charity walk: a guided stroll toward symbolic local sites, such as the Corviano archaeological site, accompanied by local guides and walking groups.
• Live music: in 2025, the jazz concert by the Andrea Abbadia quartet at Largo Guglielmi opened the two-day event, in connection with the Tuscia in Jazz for SLA cause.

The beneficiaries: Caritas, ALS research, and international solidarity

The funds raised primarily support the parish Caritas, which helps local families in economic distress, and research into amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) through the Tuscia in Jazz for SLA association. During 2025, the initiative raised a total of approximately 7,000 euros, also allocated to the SoleTerre foundation to support the Palestinian population and missions in Peru; in January 2026, 2,500 euros were delivered to the parish Caritas.

Vitorchiano, Tuscia, and the village summer

Vitorchiano, a medieval village suspended on a peperino rock cliff a few kilometers from Viterbo, is one of the most evocative centers in northern Lazio. The charity dinner is part of the rich Vitorchiano summer calendar, alongside the Cavatello Festival, the Vitorchiano Film Festival, and the Assumption procession: an ideal setting to discover the historic center, the famous Moai carved by the Rapa Nui, and the flavors of the Viterbo Tuscia, while experiencing a moment of authentic community participation.

The 2026 edition

The fifth edition is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2026, officially included in the "Summer 2026" program of the Municipality of Vitorchiano and promoted together with the parish Caritas, featuring the traditional charity dinner in the center of the village.