From 21 to 29 of March returns the National Fair of Grottaferrata.

The National Fair of Grottaferrata ( Fiera Nazionale di Grottaferrata) returns from 21 to 29 of March, with its 420th edition. Food and wine, craftsmanship, culture and tradition will make the heart of the medieval town vibrant with life.
Free entrance every day from 10:00 to 21:00.

The fair of Grottaferrata probably started in conjunction with important religious celebrations that attracted crowds of faithful. The need to restore a large number of people in an inhabited centers, attracked a lot of merchants who ended up exchanging goods with each other, giving rise to fixed-date markets coinciding precisely with religious holidays.

The first written witness of the fair is contained in Pio II Commentarii, when the Pope described the events connected to the celebration of the Nativity of Mary, in the scenario of the Abbey of Grottaferrata.

At the time of Commentarii there were indeed 2 fairs connected the first, to the feast of the Annunciation of Mary (25 March) and the second connected to her Nativity (8 September).

Over time, the March fair became the most important between the two, and its definitive consecration was given by the decision in recent years, taken by ENPI (National Accident Prevention Body) in 1966, to choose it as a place for the promotion of agricultural machinery, suitable for hilly and steep areas, equipped with particular safety and maneuverability.
Moreover,

A national competition with very rich prizes was organized, the establishment of a high-profile organizing committee was established, and the reorganization of the Fair by product sectors was decided, as well as the publication of a special “Fair Bulletin”.

All this earned the ministerial decree of recognition at the March fair as a national fair with the name of the National Fair of agricultural machinery and prototypes for working the sloping land.