Events you can’t miss

Festa de le cove

It is one of Petritoli’s most heartfelt celebrations and takes place every year in July, usually on the second Sunday. The festival has its roots in farming traditions and represents, now as then, a ceremony honoring the Virgin Mary for the wheat harvest, and it is a religious interpretation of ancient pagan rites dedicated to Ceres, goddess of the harvest.

In ancient times, farmers offered canestrelle – decorated baskets containing ears of corn – to Our Lady as a sign of gratitude. Among the most significant moments of the festival are: the parade of the “forosette,” girls in traditional costumes who bring the canestrelle to the church for blessing; the allegorical floats of the contrade, which depict the various stages of wheat processing and parade through the streets of the village; and music and folk dances, such as the traditional saltarello. In general, the Festa de le Cove is an occasion for sharing and strengthening a sense of belonging, involving all generations of the village. The community works for months preparing the floats and decorations, helping to make the event a living expression of local tradition.

Carrozzi race

It is one of Petritoli’s most anticipated and beloved events, drawing fellow citizens and many visitors every year in mid-August for the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy.

The event originated in the 1970s and, to this day, transforms the village’s slopes into a thriling circuit bordered by straw bales.

In the past, “carrozzi” – a sort of chariots – were built by children from salvaged materials to have fun along the country’s pebbled roads, when there were few cars and it was safe to play outside.

Today, the race has become a real competition: participants make handcrafted carrozzi, with attention to detail, to compete in a race full of adrenaline, tradition and community spirit.

International oboe competition

It is a competition of international significance that takes place in this charming village and sees competitors arrive from all over the world. It is named after Giuseppe Tomassini, a Petritolese, as well as first solo oboist in the Orchestra of the Santa Cecilia Academy in Rome and teacher at the “Santa Cecilia” Conservatory. After the first three editions (1995-1997-1999), considering the high artistic value achieved, the competition became international in 2001, and takes place every three years since 2010.

Borghi Maestri festival

Created in 2023, the Borghi Maestri Festival is much more than a cultural event: it is a project for the regeneration and revitalization of small historic towns, which has transformed Petritoli and Monte Vidon Combatte into real open-air workshops of art, music and community participation. Funded by PNRR – Measure M1C3 Investment 2.1 “Attractiveness of Historic Villages,” the festival is part of an enhancement project that aims to generate a lasting impact on the local economic, social and tourism network.

The Festival brings contemporary circus acts, auteur musical performances, visual installations and street arts to the villages, enlivening every corner of the historic center: from the Rocca to the Tre Archi, from Piazza Tamanti to Moregnano. Artists, from all over Italy and abroad, transform the streets and squares into places of shared wonder. In addition to performances, the Festival promotes local creativity with experiential workshops, learning programs in regenerative agriculture, theater tailoring and violin making, actively involving young people and women.

Borghi Maestri is an integrated and transversal project: it combines culture, education, social inclusion and sustainable tourism development. It is a unique opportunity to experience the authenticity of the Marche’s villages through magical evenings in the historic streets, craft markets, live music and street food.