Wild Boar Festival

A festival born from the hunting traditions of the Comino Valley

The Wild Boar Festival in Gallinaro, a small town in the province of Frosinone in the Lazio region, is one of the youngest yet most popular food festivals in the Comino Valley. Established in the early 2020s by the local Pro Loco, it reached its fourth edition in 2025, cementing its status as a highlight of the village's summer calendar.

Here, wild boar is not an exotic or trendy ingredient; it is an integral part of the food culture in the mountains separating Ciociaria from Abruzzo and Molise. In the towns surrounding the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park, hunting and meat processing have created a repertoire of recipes over the centuries that the festival brings back to the town square every year.

The cuisine takes center stage

The food stalls set up in the town center offer classic local dishes, prepared by Pro Loco volunteers and served at open-air tables:

• Homemade pasta with wild boar ragù, including traditional Ciociaria shapes
• Wild boar stew, slow-cooked with aromatic herbs and red wine
• Grilled wild boar sausages and arrosticini
• Artisanal local cured meats and sausages
• Wines of the Comino Valley, with the Gallinaro Cabernet being one of the most representative labels

The service is typical of village festivals: you buy tickets at the cash desk and collect your dishes at the stalls, with affordable prices designed for families and groups.

Music, squares, and atmosphere

The evening doesn't end at the dinner table. As is tradition in the valley's festivals, the Wild Boar Festival is accompanied by live music and entertainment in the historic squares, with local bands performing popular and dance repertoires. The village streets remain lively until late at night, with stalls selling local products and handicrafts completing the experience.

Part of the 'Estate Gallinarese'

The festival is part of the Estate Gallinarese program, a series of events that fills Gallinaro with life from late July to late August: the GallinaRock music festival dedicated to emerging bands, the historic Cabernet and Local Wines Festival on August 13th (which reached its 30th edition in 2025), the Night of Wishes, the Festival of Stories, and the Patron Saint Feast of San Gerardo. Visitors arriving for the Wild Boar Festival will likely find other events happening on nearby evenings.

The village and the territory

Gallinaro has just over 1,200 inhabitants and stretches across a ridge overlooking the Comino Valley, between Atina, Alvito, and Picinisco. The town is known throughout central Italy for the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Canneto and the Marian cult that draws numerous pilgrims to the nearby Canneto valley every summer. The historic center retains its medieval layout, with steep alleys, arches, and views of the Meta mountains.

Surrounding the village is one of the greenest areas in Lazio: the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise National Park is just a few kilometers away, offering trails, beech forests, and opportunities to spot Apennine wildlife. In this context, a wild boar festival makes perfect sense.

Why visit

The Wild Boar Festival is an authentic event run by volunteers, free from tourist filters: you eat well, spend little, and connect directly with the local community. It is an ideal opportunity for those visiting Ciociaria in summer who want to discover the mountain cuisine of southern Lazio away from the beaten path.