This year again, the Fish Festival in Caorle is back for all fish lovers and fans of traditional cuisine!
Here you’ll find everything you need to know about the Fish Festival and the area’s culinary tradition around Caorle.
The origins of the Fish Festival go back a long way and are rooted in an old tradition of the town of Caorle. Before Caorle developed into an international tourist destination thanks to its wonderful fine-sand beaches and its colourful houses nestled among alleyways and little squares, the town lived solely from the tireless work of its fishermen.
Fish in the northern Adriatic, also known as “Pesce azzurro” (blue fish) – meaning sardines, anchovies and mackerel – is a “poor man’s fish”, yet it is very rich in nutrients, lean, and therefore low in saturated fats. But the sea doesn’t offer us only fish – it also generously provides delicious crustaceans such as scampi, prawns, the famous crabs, small mantis shrimps, and tasty shellfish, including mussels, clams, scallops and tellins.
To pay tribute to their only source of food, it was customary to celebrate at the end of the hot months with the catch from the sea and the lagoon, prepared directly by the fishermen. In this way, people gave thanks for the catch and for the chance to share it with everyone. Both types of fishing demanded a great deal of time and strength from the fishermen; in the past, for example, lagoon fishermen had to leave their families for the three winter months and move into the famous Casoni Lagunari, the lagoon houses (straw huts on stilts in the lagoon – very picturesque, but also very uncomfortable), in order to catch as much fish as possible.
After a few years in which the festival no longer took place, the town of Caorle revived this wonderful tradition, and this year the celebrations will once again be held on Spiaggia della Sacheta, where the Chiesa della Madonnina stands. The event is framed by stunning sunsets over the Adriatic and the fresh September breeze, making your evenings even more unforgettable.
The festival offers not only the finest fish (baked and grilled) and the fishermen’s heart-warming smiles, but also entertainment with traditional music and the opening regatta, which you can watch right from the beach. All of this is accompanied by a good glass of local wine or a jug of well-chilled beer.
Don’t miss the chance to experience one of Veneto’s many traditional festivals if you’re in Caorle or the surrounding area. Enjoy the local folklore and savour the aroma of the Adriatic.
