Birra al Borgo - Craft Beer Festival
Five days of craft beer in the narrow streets of Colle Sannita, in the upper Sannio region near Benevento.
About Birra al Borgo
Birra al Borgo, the craft beer festival of the upper Sannio
Birra al Borgo - Craft Beer Festival is the event that brings the historic center of Colle Sannita to life every late July. This small town is perched between the Fortore and Tammaro valleys in the Province of Benevento, Campania. Born from the shared passion of a group of local friends and grown with the support of the Municipality of Colle Sannita and local associations, it has become one of the most anticipated events for craft beer lovers in the Campanian hinterland and nearby Molise in just a few editions.
A tasting trail through the village alleys
The formula that made the festival famous remains: not a fenced-off area, but an evocative path that winds through the alleys, arches, and characteristic corners of the village. You walk with a glass in hand from station to station, descending staircases and emerging into small squares to find a new tap bank. The historic heart of the event is the Castapagliara district; in 2026, the area expanded to include Piazza Flora, a sign of the festival's constant growth.
Over seventy beers, from Italy to great international traditions
The selection is the main draw: more than seventy craft beers on tap every night, chosen from the best of the Italian scene and the most representative expressions of international brewing traditions. Recent editions have featured labels such as Lariano, Eastside, War, Lambrate, Manerba, Birrificio Italiano, Cantillon, Lervig, Dupont, Boon, and Cromarty: a range spanning from contemporary hoppy ales to Belgian lambics, and from Italian-style lagers to Scandinavian and Scottish offerings. There is also an educational component, with beer culture workshops, guided tastings, and meet-the-brewer sessions for those who want to understand what is inside their glass.
Fortore cuisine to pair with your beer
The beers are accompanied by about ten food stalls that showcase the local territory: sandwiches with local meats, caciocavallo impiccato (hanged cheese) melted over embers, arrosticini, peperoni 'mbuttunati (stuffed peppers), and other traditional peasant dishes, along with typical products from local producers. It is zero-mile street food, designed to pair perfectly with the beer styles on offer.
Live music every night
Every evening has its own stage: the event features over fifteen live performances spread across the five days, including concerts, tribute bands, acoustic sets, folk music, and DJ sets to close out the night. The atmosphere remains that of an extended village fair, with families, a dedicated children's play area, and a crowd arriving from all over Sannio, Irpinia, and the nearby province of Campobasso.
When to go and how to experience the festival
The festival is traditionally held in the last ten days of July and lasts five days, from Thursday to Monday. The evenings are the best part: it starts around dinner time and continues until late at night, with the mild temperatures at 700 meters above sea level making it pleasant to walk through the village even in the middle of July. For public safety reasons, a mayoral ordinance prohibits the introduction and distribution of beverages in glass bottles and cans within the event area.
Colle Sannita and the Sannio to discover
Those who come to Birra al Borgo also find an opportunity to discover a corner of Campania off the beaten tourist track: the Fortore area of Benevento, with its stone villages, forests, tradition of iron and wool craftsmanship, and a gastronomy still tied to the seasons. Benevento, with its Arch of Trajan and Roman Theater, is about a forty-minute drive away, and within an hour, you can reach Campobasso and the inland areas of Molise.
Birra al Borgo — edition 2026
9th edition, from July 23 to 27, 2026
Five evenings, over seventy Italian and international craft beers on tap, more than ten food stalls, and over fifteen live events: these are the numbers with which the ninth edition of Birra al Borgo brought the historic center of Colle Sannita, in the Province of Benevento, to life from July 23 to 27, 2026.
The main novelty of the year was the expansion of the area: the historic path of the Castapagliara district was joined by Piazza Flora, which hosted new stalls and enlarged the festival space. The formula of a tasting trail through alleys and squares was confirmed, along with beer culture workshops, guided tastings, in-depth meetings, and a play area for children.
Regarding organization, Mayor Michele Iapozzuto signed an ordinance that, for the entire duration of the festival, prohibited the introduction, sale, and distribution of beverages in glass bottles, glass containers, glass cups, and cans, in accordance with the Ministry of the Interior's guidelines on public event safety.
Programme Birra al Borgo 2026
The program for the evenings of the 9th edition, from July 23 to 27, 2026, as published by the organizers on the official website:
- Thursday, July 23 - Gianni Sax, Free Rolling
- Friday, July 24 - Erika Petti and Manuel Concettini, Go Go Gozzilla
- Saturday, July 25 - Kashmir and Coldplayer Italian Tribute, closing with DJ set by Shiver
For the final evenings, the calendar listed Vincenzo Salamone with Tra Palco e Realtà - Ligabue tribute band, Acoustic Trio, Almaterra Popolare, and the Shiver DJ set.
Every evening, alongside the concerts: taps opened along the entire village path with over seventy craft beers, ten or more food stalls, beer culture workshops, guided tastings, and meet-the-brewer sessions, plus a dedicated children's play area. In 2026, the festival area included the Castapagliara district and Piazza Flora.
Highlights Birra al Borgo 2026
- Over 70 craft beers on tap, Italian and international
- Labels such as Lariano, Eastside, War, Lambrate, Manerba, Birrificio Italiano, Cantillon, Lervig, Dupont, Boon, and Cromarty
- More than 10 food stalls: caciocavallo impiccato, arrosticini, peperoni 'mbuttunati, sandwiches with local meats
- Over 15 live events: concerts, tribute bands, folk music, and DJ sets
- Beer culture workshops and guided tastings with producers
- Children's play area
- 2026 novelty: area extended to Piazza Flora, in addition to the Castapagliara district
Prices Birra al Borgo 2026
Practical information — Birra al Borgo
How to get there
By car: Colle Sannita can be reached via the SS 212 Val Fortore road. Estimated travel times provided by the organizers: about 40 minutes from Benevento (35 km), 1 hour from Avellino (65 km), 1 hour and 15 minutes from Caserta (75 km), 1 hour and 30 minutes from Naples (90 km), and 1 hour and 40 minutes from Salerno (105 km). The most convenient train station is Benevento, from where you can continue by car or local bus lines.
Parking and access
The tasting trail is located in the historic center, which is closed to traffic during the evenings: park in the areas at the edge of the town and continue on foot. The village is hilly with some staircases, so comfortable shoes are recommended.
Costs
Admission to the festival area is free; you only pay for what you consume, beer and food, directly at the stalls.
Area rules
By municipal ordinance, it is forbidden to introduce, sell, or distribute beverages in glass bottles, glass containers, glass cups, or cans for the entire duration of the event.
Where to stay
Accommodation in Colle Sannita is limited to local farmhouses (agriturismi) and bed and breakfasts: it is advisable to book in advance or look for options in San Bartolomeo in Galdo, Morcone, or Benevento.
Contacts
Official website birraalborgo.it, Facebook page, and Instagram profile @birraalborgo; a dedicated app for iOS and Android is also available with an updated taplist and program.
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Where does it take place — Birra al Borgo
Centro storico - rione Castapagliara e Piazza Flora