Abatemarco Eggplant and Ancient Flavors Festival

Three nights of eggplant in the heart of Cilento

The Eggplant and Ancient Flavors Festival is the summer highlight of Abatemarco, a small village in the Municipality of Montano Antilia, in the Province of Salerno (Campania). Every year, in the very first days of August, long tables fill Piazza Padre Rocco Serra, and the village welcomes visitors from neighboring towns and the Gulf of Policastro coast. In 2026, the event reaches its 19th edition: it is a well-established tradition, consolidated year after year through the hard work of a local women's volunteer association.

Why the eggplant?

The choice of vegetable is no coincidence. In the gardens of inland Cilento, eggplants reach full ripeness right between July and August. They have always been a pillar of Campanian home cooking—the ingredient that fills tables at the height of summer, prepared in dozens of different ways by local families. Dedicating a festival to it at this time means showcasing the Cilento countryside at its best, when the harvest is most abundant.

The menu: between classics and forgotten recipes

Every year, the organizers create an extensive menu built almost entirely around the eggplant. Alongside well-known dishes, there are lesser-known preparations recovered from local rural memory—this is the part that gives the festival its name, those ancient flavors that might otherwise be lost.

• Eggplant parmigiana, the timeless classic
• Eggplant rolls
• Meatballs prepared according to traditional home recipes
• Timbales and traditional first courses
• Lesser-known rustic recipes, passed down orally through the village

The organizers place great emphasis on provenance: the products used are locally sourced, grown and processed on-site. This is not just a marketing slogan, but the natural reality of a village of a few hundred inhabitants, where vegetable gardens are still a vital part of the local economy.

Music, dance, and crafts

The festival is more than just a meal. The three evenings feature live musical performances and folk dances, which in Cilento primarily mean tammurriate and tarantelle—traditional Southern music that involves adults and children alike, turning the square into an impromptu dance floor. Around the food stalls, you will find craft displays showcasing local trades and products, while a space is dedicated to activities for children. This makes the event perfect for families, not just food enthusiasts.

Organized by the Associazione Mamme Insieme

Behind the festival is the Associazione Mamme Insieme, a group active for years in the cultural and social promotion of Abatemarco. They are the ones who cook, set up, welcome guests, and dismantle the site: an entirely volunteer-driven machine that is the true engine of the event. In statements to the local press, the organizers define their mission as the enhancement of rural roots and the creation of moments of authentic sharing—a tone much closer to a community feast than a commercial food fair.

Abatemarco, a village within the National Park

Abatemarco is a small hillside settlement of just over three hundred residents, located about 420 meters above sea level overlooking the Serrapotamo river valley, within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is inland Cilento, rarely visited by beach tourism: narrow roads through the woods, perched villages, and a landscape that changes completely compared to the coast just a few kilometers away. For those spending their holidays on the Cilento coast, a trip up to Abatemarco for an evening at the festival is the easiest way to discover the other side of the territory.

Visitor tips

The stalls open in the evening, around 8:00 PM, and it is best to arrive early: the village spaces are compact and queues form quickly. In August, at 420 meters above sea level, the temperature drops significantly after sunset—a light sweater is more useful than you might think. Parking should be found along the village streets. Updates on the menu, times, and musical guests are posted by the Associazione Mamme Insieme on their social media channels in the days leading up to the event.