PESARO – Rossini Opera Festival; Beginning of August. more info

MACERATA – Open-Air-Opera at the Sferisterio Arena; Juli and August. more info

FANO – Fano Jazz by the Sea; Juli. more info

POLVERIGI – Festival Internazionale Inteatro – Festival of Contemporary Theatre – Villa Comunale Nappi, Juli. more info

URBINO – Festival of Early Music; Juli – more info

SAN SEVERINO MARCHE – Blues Festival – Juli – more info

CASTELFIDARDO – International Accordion-Festival – September – more info This is one of the most important festivals worldwide for this instrument

ANCONA – Ancona Summer Jazz http://www.anconajazz.com/?event-category=ancona-jazz-summer-festival more info Jazz concerts with renowned musicians all year round in various locations

MONSANO Monsano Folk Festival; August. Various locations in the region around Monsano and Jesi. more info

APIRO Terranostra International Folklore Festival; August: Folk music and dances from all over the world. more info

JESI Festival Pergolesi Spontini; September. more info

Almost every town celebrates its own sagra or festa, often dedicated to a local specialty, from onions to snails to geese to chick peas or grape sirup. Food is of course the main attraction, but there is usually also music and other entertainment and often also a market with local specialties.

JUNE
Pianello (near Cagli) – Sagra della Lumaca (Snails) – Apiro (near Cingoli) – Sagra del Formaggio Pecorino (Sheep’s Cheese)

JULY
Sefro (near Camerino) – Festa della Piazza; Matelica – Sagra della Rana (Frogs); Ostra Vetere – Festa della Trota (Trout); Montemarciano (near Senigallia) – Sagra del Pesce (Fish); Corinaldo – Polenta-Festival on the 3rd Sunday. In memory of the fact that the inhabitants were able to resist a siege due to their large supply of maize. Sefro (near Camerino) – Festa del Tortellino alla Boscaiola (Pasta). Castelplanio (near Jesi) – Sagra della Crescia sul Panaro (a type of filled pita bread) – last Sunday; Ostra Vetere – Sapori ed Aromi di Casa Nostra; regional specialties; Music and a parade with antique agricultural machinery.

AUGUST
Monte Vidon Combatte (near Fermo) – Sagra delle Quaglie (Quail) – 1st Sunday; Sassoferrato – Sagra del Cinghiale (Boar); Cingoli – Sagra di Prosciutto e Melone; San Severino Marche – Sagra della Ceca (Chick Pea); Staffolo (near Cingoli); Festa del Verdicchio (Verdicchio-Wine Festival) – Fermo – Sagra delle Vongole (clams) Serra San Quirico (near Fabriano) – Sagra del Coniglio in Porchetta (Rabbit in Bacon); Monteprandone (near San Benedetto del Tronto) – Sagra delle Olive Fritte (filled deep fried olives); Pedaso – Sagra Nazionale delle Cozze (Mussels); Massignano (near Ascoli Piceno) – Sagra delle Frittelle (Omelette); Vererotta (near Ascoli Piceno) – Sagra della Vitella allo Spiedo (Roast Veal on the skewer);

SEPTEMBER
Apiro (near Cingoli) – Sagra della Polenta; Montecassiano – Sagra del Pesce (Fish); Cupramontana – Wine Festival in the heartland of the Verdicchio region; Piandimeleto (near Urbino) – Mushroom Fair; Lapedona (near Fermo) – Sagra del Vino Cotto (the Marche version of Vin Santo); Fermo – Sagra della Polenta; Arcevia – Sagra dell\’ Uva (Wine festival);

OKTOBER
Acqualagna – Fiera Nazionale del Tartufo (one of the biggest truffle fairs in the country) – last weekend in October and the first three weekends in November. The town calls itself the „Truffle Capital“. Acquasanta Terme (near Ascoli Piceno) – Festa d\’autunno – (a sort of Thanksgiving festival); Montemonaco (near Ascoli Piceno) – Sagra della Castagna (chestnut); Castelsantangelo sul Nera (near Visso) – Sagra della Marrone Castellano (Chestnuts); Sant\’ Agata Feltria – White truffle fair); Sant\’ Angelo in Vado (near Urbino) – Mostra del Tartufo Bianco (White truffle);

NOVEMBER
Acqualagna – Fiera Nazionale del Tartufo (one of the biggest truffle fairs in the country) – last weekend in October and the first three weekends in November; the town calls itself the „Truffle Capital“.

ASCOLI PICENO – La Quintana – Jousts on the main piazza of Ascoli on the 1st Sunday in August. Certainly the most authentic medieval event in Le Marche.

URBINO – Festa del Duca – a town festival in honor of Duke Federico, on the 3rd Sunday in August.

CAGLI – Palio dell\’ Oca – medieval games in the piazza. There\’s a golden goose to win. Mid August

MONDAVIO – Boar Hunt – a very entertaining medieval hunt on the Piazza, mid-August.

FERMIGNANO – Palio della Rana – Yes, right, a race with frogs that are placed in wheelbarrows. On the first Sunday after Easter the big jump begins.

Le Marche is the region with the highest number of cultural assets: 500 piazzas, more than 100 important monuments, 37 castles, 15 Chateaus, 15 fortresses and 170 towers. Thousands of churches (of which 200 are in Romanesque style). 96 Abbeys, 183 pilgrimage churches, 72 historical theatres – all restored and in use. In this region there is the highest density of museums and art galleries. There are 315 important libraries, among them the library of the Eremo di Fonte Avellana and that of the Leopardi family both holding incredible treasures. This is a region, where a civilization that dates back thousands of years is still rooted in the local population and in local habits and artisanship. People on the one hand feel loyal to the traditional values, but on the other hand they are open to new things and modern times. Entrepreneurship, art, innovative spirit, creativity and excellent craftsmanship can be found everywhere and are the foundation for many medium-sized companies that produce fashion, food, and technology and more for a worldwide market.