Sagra season

si manga bene, si paga poco

One of the great things about life in Italy is the food and wine and during the summer months you have the opportunity to enjoy these with the locals. La sagra is a unique Italian festival that combines music, games and of course food. Many times they are in conjunction with a religious feast but they may simply focus on a type of food. In some areas there are so many sagre that you can attend a different one every Saturday and Sunday during the summer.

There is no charge to attend one of these festa but to eat you will need some euro, though the prices are remarkably low. The food is always fresh even though it is made in mass quantities, and there is always an offering of local wine. You will find the cassa where you place your order and pay then you head over to the food stand to get your meal. Since the food is cooked to order you may have a short wait of five or ten minutes. Two can usually get a small feast for less than 20 euros.

There is always a sitting area where you eat communal style, sharing tables with others and the local kids come around and clean-up the tables. It is not uncommon to share a bottle of wine you purchase with those nearby. Food and wine always brings out the generosity in Italians.

There will be a band and an area cleared for dancing but this usually doesn’t start until later in the evening. Many sagre will also have a contest or raffle for prizes, which will always include food.

Keep an eye open as you are driving the lanes of Le Marche and Abruzzo for the bright posters advertising sagre, many of these are not listed with the tourist offices.