29th Sagra dell’Umbrichello: Canonica di Orvieto Celebrates Umbria’s Most Authentic Pasta

From July 16th to 19th, 2026, the hamlet of Canonica, just outside Orvieto, transforms for four days into the capital of one of Umbria’s signature dishes: the umbrichello. Now in its 29th edition, the Sagra dell’Umbrichello has become a fixed date on the Orvieto summer calendar, drawing hundreds of visitors every year for good food, live music, and true small-town atmosphere.

What Is Umbrichello?

For anyone not yet fully adopted by Umbria, umbrichello is a handmade fresh pasta shape, similar in texture to chitarra spaghetti but thicker and rougher, made using only water and flour and hand-pulled into that irregular, slightly rough strand that holds sauce beautifully. It’s a humble dish by origin but rich in flavor, and this rustic simplicity is exactly what the festival celebrates: no elaborate plates, just handmade tradition passed down through generations.

The Outdoor Dinner Program

For all four evenings — Thursday the 16th, Friday the 17th, Saturday the 18th, and Sunday the 19th of July — the outdoor dinner will be running, with a menu that’s a real tour of typical Umbrian dishes:

• Umbrichelli (naturally, the absolute star)
• Grilled sausage
• Guinea fowl
• Pork steak
• Dessert and house wine

All served in the unmistakable atmosphere of an Italian village festival: long outdoor tables, paper tablecloths, and the smell of the grill mixing with hours-long simmering sauce.

Dance Nights

Every evening after dinner, live music takes over for dancing under the stars:

• Thursday 16 — Roberto Carpineti
• Friday 17 — Italo, the Italian party
• Saturday 18 — Gattomatto Band
• Sunday 19 — Le 3Emme

Where It Takes Place and Who Organizes It

The festival is held at Località Canonica, 56 – Orvieto (TR), hosted by the historic Trattoria da Peppe (tel. 0763.217232 – 392.9143641), a well-known local restaurant, with support from La Bottega del Tortellino in Piazza Fracassini, Orvieto (tel. 0763.343741).

Why It’s Worth the Trip

If you’re planning a trip to Umbria in mid-July, or simply passing through Orvieto, the Sagra dell’Umbrichello in Canonica is a great chance to taste the most genuine side of Umbrian cooking, the kind rarely found in the historic center’s tourist restaurants. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to discover a quieter corner of Orvieto, off the usual tourist trail, and experience village life during one of the most beloved summer evenings of the year.

Enjoy the festival, and… buon appetito with the umbrichelli!