Events and Food Festivals in the Sibillini Mountains of Le Marche
Events and food festivals in the Sibillini, on the Marche side of the Sibillini Mountains, follow the seasons of mountain produce. The prized black truffle arrives between late winter and early spring, the summer black truffle in July, chestnuts in October and white truffle in November. In Amandola, for example, the late-winter edition of the truffle festival opens the season, followed by a July edition devoted to black truffle and a November one devoted to the prized white truffle. This calendar also includes the historic carnival of Amandola and, just across the border in Umbria, the great feasts of Norcia and Cascia.
Many events are tied to the landscape. In Le Marche the chestnut tree is rare, but in the territory of Montemonaco, in the Sibillini, centuries-old chestnut trees grow. Every year their ripening is celebrated with a sagra (food festival) that draws many visitors. This is why a sagra pairs well with a walk in the woods or a tour of the villages.
The places
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- Carnevale de Li Paniccià in AmandolaGuide
Diamanti a TavolaGuide- Feast of Santa Rita in Cascia (May 22) and the Blessing of the RosesGuide
- Fiera di San Benedetto in NorciaGuide
- Nero Norcia Truffle FestivalGuide
- Fall Food Festivals in the Sibillini MountainsGuide
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Events and food festivals in the Sibillini: the map
Events on the Marche side are concentrated in three provinces. In the province of Fermo there is Amandola, with its carnival and truffle festival, and not far away Montefortino. In the province of Ascoli Piceno, the main sagre are in Montemonaco, in Montedinove, with the festival of the mele rosa dei Sibillini (an heirloom pink apple), and in Trisungo, in the municipality of Arquata del Tronto, with "Marrone che passione". In the province of Macerata, events take place in Valfornace and Monte San Martino. On the Umbrian side are Norcia and Cascia.
To see where these villages lie in relation to the main valleys and mountains, the Monti Sibillini map is useful.
Events and food festivals in the Sibillini: the main places
Amandola, carnival. The Carnevale de Li Paniccià takes its name from an old nickname: in the Middle Ages the people of Amandola used it for those who dyed fabrics, the "panni". The highlight is the parade of allegorical floats and masked groups, held on Sundays during the Carnival weeks, from the Zoccolanti area along via Cesare Battisti to Piazza Risorgimento. In the 2026 edition, 15 floats and four groups paraded, coming from six municipalities including Montemonaco, Sarnano, Comunanza, Montefortino and Monte San Martino. The festival ends with the bonfire of the King Carnival effigy.
Amandola, truffle. Diamanti a Tavola is the festival of Amandola's prized truffle and of Sibillini local food products, with a late-winter edition devoted to black truffle and one between late October and November devoted to white. In 2026 it took place from February 28 to March 1. The summer edition is devoted to the summer black truffle and is paired with artisanal gelato, another typical product of Amandola. Between late October and November the festival is devoted to the prized white truffle.
Montemonaco and Valfornace, chestnuts. On the last weekend of October, Montemonaco hosts an open-air market devoted to chestnuts. There are fresh and dried chestnuts, chestnut flour, honey and preserves, as well as craft chestnut beer, and guided hikes in the woods are organized during the event. The 31st Sagra della Castagna of Valfornace took place on Sunday, October 11, 2026. At its center is the Marrone di Pievebovigliana chestnut, with walks in the chestnut groves, a market fair and music. The other events of the season are collected on the page fall food festivals in the Sibillini.
Montefortino and the pink apples. In Montefortino, a sagra is devoted to the cucciole dei Sibillini, mountain snails cooked with wild fennel and tomato or shelled and served with potatoes. The mela rosa dei Sibillini is the star of two festivals, in Monte San Martino and in Montedinove.
Norcia and Cascia, in Umbria. Nero Norcia has reached its 62nd edition, one of the longest-running events in Italy devoted to black truffle, and takes place over two weekends between February and March. Besides truffle, there are cured meats, prosciutto di Norcia IGP, pecorino and the lentils of Castelluccio IGP. On March 21, Norcia celebrates San Benedetto with a historical procession and the offering of the Pallio. Cascia celebrates Santa Rita on May 22. At the end of the Pontifical Mass the roses are blessed, and pilgrims raise them toward the sky.
Events and food festivals in the Sibillini: tips for visiting
Dates change every year, so it is advisable to check the updated program before leaving. The Amandola carnival depends on Fat Tuesday: in 2025 it ran from February 22 to March 8, while in 2026 it ended on February 21. The weather can also move events: in 2025 it was planned that, in bad weather, the parade would be postponed to March 2.
Those who go to Diamanti a Tavola to buy truffle will find the fresh product: the event's regulations exclude truffle-based sauces. In Norcia, it is worth combining the visit with a religious stop. The Basilica di San Benedetto, severely damaged by the 2016 earthquake, has reopened, and on March 1, 2026, the Benedictine torch was lit inside it.
For fall festivals with chestnut gathering or walks in the chestnut groves, suitable gear and a weather forecast checked the evening before are needed. For a fall hike in Montemonaco, a rain cape, shoes with lugged soles, gloves and a bag for the chestnuts are needed. More ideas for the season are on the page the Sibillini Mountains in fall.