Autumn Fest

Celebrating the Irpinian autumn in Mugnano del Cardinale

When the chestnut groves are in full harvest and the evenings turn crisp, Mugnano del Cardinale — a small town in the Baianese area, at the western edge of the province of Avellino, in Campania — dedicates an entire weekend to the most generous season of the year. The Autumn Fest is now a staple of the Irpinian calendar: born from the initiative of local youths, it has grown edition after edition to become one of the most popular autumn festivals in the area between Irpinia and the Nola region.

A festival born from the Youth Forum

The event is organized by the Youth Forum of Mugnano del Cardinale with the patronage of the Municipality. This detail speaks volumes about the event's character: the Autumn Fest is not a manufactured fair, but the result of the volunteer work of dozens of young people who spend weeks preparing stalls, decorations, and the musical program. The organizers' stated goal is to promote traditional Irpinian food and wine products while enhancing the town's historic center, which fills with people until late at night for two days.

The table: dishes that are always there

The heart of the festival lies in the food stalls set up along the route. In past editions, the menu has featured the great classics of Baianese peasant cuisine, cooked on-site and served in generous portions:

• Pizza di raurinio, an ancient local recipe that has become the event's symbol;
• Caciocavallo impiccato, melted over embers and served on warm bread;
• Sausage in tomato sauce with polenta, one of the most requested dishes of the evenings;
• Pasta and beans with pork rind and rustic seasonal soups;
• Cuzzutiello with meatballs in sauce;
• Sandwiches with cutlet, sausage, or porchetta and fried montanare;
• Roasted chestnuts prepared on the spot, along with sweets and hazelnut biscuits.

To accompany these, the reds of Irpinia, starting with Aglianico, along with the new wine that has just arrived on the table in October. The choice of products tells the story of a land where chestnuts, hazelnuts, and mushrooms are not just a folkloric addition but a true agricultural economy.

Live music, DJ sets, and performances

Alongside the gastronomy, the Autumn Fest has always placed great emphasis on music. Recent editions have alternated DJ sets and local bands: DJ Alfonso Marsella, known as DJ Fox, is a historic presence at the event, joined over the years by groups such as I Maramba, A Paranza ro Tramuntanu, Shakerando, Ted Sax, the theater company I Macchiettisti, and local artists like Dario Cuomo, Vincenzo Napolitano, and Carmine di Giacomo. Between one dish and another, there is also room for street performers, tammurriate, and entertainment moments designed for families.

Piè di Mugnano, the festival's natural stage

The route winds along Piè di Mugnano, the characteristic narrow street of the old town that, with its vintage decorations, creates the slightly nostalgic atmosphere that visitors describe as the event's hallmark. The stalls overlook the street and the adjacent small squares, just a few steps from Piazza Umberto I: a deliberately small scale that makes the festival easy to explore on foot and suitable even for those with children.

When it takes place

The Autumn Fest is traditionally held on the third weekend of October, with some calendar variations from year to year. The tenth edition took place on October 15 and 16, 2022, the eleventh on October 14 and 15, 2023, and the twelfth on October 19 and 20, 2024 — the latter reduced to just Sunday due to bad weather. Those planning a visit should check the event's social media channels in the weeks prior, as that is where the final program and times are published.

Why it's worth a visit

The Autumn Fest is the classic, successful town festival: no spectacular pretensions, plenty of well-made food, and a historic center that becomes a collective dining table for two days. For those arriving from Naples or the Nola area, it is also an opportunity to discover the Baianese, a corner of Campania less beaten by tourism, between the Sanctuary of Santa Filomena — the most famous monument in Mugnano del Cardinale — and the towns of the Partenio.