In Italy, humble sagra (plural sagre) is a festival that celebrates a specific type of food, drink, or product from a town. Sagre have become such popular events that almost every village in Umbria, and probably in the whole of Italy, has one. The festivals represent a great opportunity to revive villages that are not on the tourist trails, and often to collect funds to repair the bell tower, clean up a children’s playground or to take care of other community needs.

The sagra involves virtually all families in the village, with the women cooking the more “sophisticated” dishes. The men are divided to grill huge amounts of meat or provide traffic control and security services, while the youth and children proudly serve at the tables.