Beer and Podolico Festival

A village festival in the heart of Irpinia

The Beer and Podolico Festival—also referred to as the Podolico and Beer Fair in official municipal programs—is one of the youngest and most popular summer events in Chiusano di San Domenico, a small town in the Province of Avellino, Campania. With just over two thousand residents, the village is nestled in the inland Irpinia region, surrounded by a landscape of forests and pastures rising toward the Picentini Mountains: a setting that perfectly explains why the Podolico cattle breed is the star of the show.

Craft beer and Podolico beef

The event's name highlights the pairing at the heart of the experience. On one hand, there is craft beer, served at stalls set up by the organizers; on the other, podolico, a term in Irpinia that encompasses both the meat and cheese of the Podolica cattle breed, raised semi-wild on high-altitude pastures. Previous editions have featured traditional local dishes, sandwiches, and Podolico veal skewers, all paired with draught beer.

The Podolico breed is a hallmark of this part of Campania: it is a hardy, rustic breed that grazes freely in the woods and produces limited milk, but of high aromatic concentration. This is the source of the famous Caciocavallo Podolico, one of the iconic cheeses of the Southern Apennines. A festival built around this animal is, first and foremost, a way to celebrate the agro-pastoral economy of the Irpinian mountains.

Past editions

• 2024 — first edition: August 17th and 18th, featuring musical entertainment by the Banda Battista and Nando De Marco on the first night, and the group Orizzonti Popolari on the second.
• 2025 — second edition: July 11th to 13th, included in the municipal summer calendar Il ritorno (R)estate a Chiusano, which enlivened the village from July 2nd to September 20th with sports, music, tradition, and culture.

As you can see, the schedule is not yet fixed: the first edition was held around Ferragosto, while the second took place in mid-July. It is always best to check the dates on the Pro Loco channels before traveling.

Music, squares, and summer nights

Like most festivals in Irpinia, the formula alternates between gastronomy and evening live entertainment: local bands, folk music, and traditional groups bringing the classic Campanian repertoire to the square. It is a festival designed for all ages, where locals and visitors alike gather at communal tables until late, enjoying the simple, convivial atmosphere that is an essential part of the experience.

Organizers

The event is promoted by the Municipality of Chiusano di San Domenico in collaboration with the Pro Loco Piero De Napoli, the association that manages most of the village's events, from the 'Cattura dell'Orso' (Capture of the Bear) in February to the 'Scalata del Monte Luceto' and the living nativity scene during the Christmas holidays. The Beer and Podolico Festival has seamlessly integrated into an already rich local calendar, becoming one of the most anticipated summer events in Chiusano.

Why it's worth the trip

Visitors from outside the region will find a highly authentic festival here, far from the major tourist circuits: affordable prices, products sourced just a few kilometers away, and a village that warmly welcomes visitors in the summer. Nearby, you can combine the visit with hikes in the Picentini Mountains, explore the valley's villages, or discover the great wines of Irpinia—Taurasi, Fiano di Avellino, and Greco di Tufo—all produced within a short distance of Chiusano di San Domenico.