Zucchini Flower Festival

A festival born around a flower

The Zucchini Flower Festival is a young but already popular event, established in 2023 in Sipicciano, a hamlet of the municipality of Graffignano, in the province of Viterbo, Lazio. The original idea is simple and delightful: to put a humble, seasonal ingredient—the zucchini flower—at the center of the table, honoring a long-standing family tradition in Lazio and specifically in the Viterbo Tuscia region. In just a few years, the festival has become one of the most anticipated June events in the Teverina area, attracting visitors from neighboring towns and nearby Umbria.

The Parco del Poggio del Castagno

The heart of the event is the Parco del Poggio del Castagno, a green space on the outskirts of Sipicciano that transforms into an open-air restaurant for three days. Kitchens and food stalls are set up among the trees, with long tables in the shade and a stage for music—a formula that allows for dining outdoors on early summer evenings, when the temperature is pleasant and the park fills with families, groups of friends, and curious visitors.

Zucchini flowers in every version

The absolute star of the menu is, of course, the zucchini flower. The most beloved version remains the classic: the flower stuffed with anchovies and mozzarella, dipped in batter, and fried until golden and crispy. Over the years, the kitchens have introduced increasingly curious and successful variations, such as flowers with walnuts and gorgonzola or cacio e pepe. The flowers also feature in pasta dishes—mezze maniche with flowers, guanciale, and cherry tomatoes, or fusilli with flowers, anchovies, and tuna—alongside local grilled meats, cheeses, cured meats, and regional wines, completing a menu that perfectly showcases the rustic cuisine of the Viterbo province.

Live music and local atmosphere

Each evening is accompanied by live music: local bands and artists take turns on stage with popular repertoires and dance music, turning the park into a dance floor under the stars after dinner. This is the authentic soul of a village festival, where the gastronomic and social aspects carry equal weight, and where local volunteers handle everything from cooking and service to hospitality.

Graffignano and the Viterbo Teverina

The festival is also a great opportunity to discover an off-the-beaten-path corner of Lazio. The municipality of Graffignano is dominated by its Baglioni Castle, while Sipicciano preserves its own historic center and a castle that defines its skyline. All around lies the Teverina, a land of hills, olive groves, and woods between the Tiber River and Lake Bolsena, a short distance from Civita di Bagnoregio, Orvieto, and the provincial capital, Viterbo.

A date to mark in June

With free admission and affordable prices at the stalls, the Zucchini Flower Festival has already carved out a permanent spot in the calendar of June festivals in Lazio. Those looking for a genuine event, far from commercial tourist traps, will find here one of the many celebrations that tell the story of the deep bond between the villages of Tuscia and their culinary heritage.