Blue Fish Festival – Sorrento’s Autumn Festival

Sorrento being a sea side locality, their autumn festival is to do with fish and the sea. Blue fish festival, as the name indicates, deals with the varieties of fish known as the blue fish. This category of fish includes fish varieties like mackerel, sardines and anchovies. These used to be low-cost fish and so termed as poor man’s fish.

The blue fish festival takes place in September. The festival is all about fishing and excellent culinary efforts by the villagers. The whole locality and the visitors take part in this festival, by going fishing and preparing fish dishes. This unique festival usually takes place in the most beautiful beach in Sorrento called Marina Grande.

Marina Grande is a fishing village of historical importance. It lies on the western side of Sorrento under the cliffs. The whole of Sorrento is dominated by cliff terrains. Contrary to this, Marina Grande provides exquisite beach pleasures. This beach is an excellent tourist destination.

On the day of the Blue fish festival, fishermen and people of all guilds get ready for the yearly fishing festival, before dawn. The dishes made on the festival will compulsorily be of fresh fish. While the fishing goes on, the cooks of the village restaurants and women in the village gather ingredients for various delicacies using fresh fish. You can taste authentic Sorrento cuisine during the blue fish festival.

The fishermen return in the afternoon with the day’s catch and cooking begins. These dishes will be in keeping with the traditional cooking of Sorrento. The dishes are served in restaurants and parties all over the beach village with local wines and disserts. Celebrations and revelry goes on till late in the night.

The money collected in this festival is used up for the maintenance of the parish temple.

by Marina Chernyak