Caciocavallo Festival

A festival dedicated to Podolico Caciocavallo

The Caciocavallo Festival in Castelfranco in Miscano, in the province of Benevento, is one of the most iconic gastronomic events in the Campanian Apennines. Every year in September, this small Sannio town—home to just over seven hundred residents at an altitude of 760 meters—opens its covered Fairgrounds to showcase the cheese that bears its name: a caciocavallo made from the milk of Podolica cows raised on the pastures of the Miscano Valley.

Castelfranco in Miscano, the easternmost town of Sannio

Castelfranco in Miscano is the easternmost municipality in the province of Benevento, overlooking the border with Puglia and just a stone's throw from Irpinia. Its name recalls the Miscano stream, a tributary of the Ufita, and its feudal origins dating back to the Angevin era. It is a land of ridges, forests, and vast pastures, historically tied to shepherding and transhumance: a setting that explains why this mountain corner of Campania is best known for its cheeses.

What is the Castelfranco Caciocavallo?

Recognized by the Campania Region as a Traditional Agri-food Product (PAT), the Caciocavallo of Castelfranco in Miscano has a rounded shape with a small head and a golden-yellow rind; the compact interior paste tends toward ivory white. The flavor is sweet and delicate in young wheels, becoming bolder and slightly spicy in aged ones. The production process preserves ancient techniques: the use of boiling scotta (whey) for curd maturation and a whey starter prepared in wooden vats, which gives the cheese its characteristic aroma. Some batches produced between January and February are aged for up to six months under layers of grain, developing amber tones and a distinctly rustic scent.

• Milk from Podolica cows, a hardy breed suited to the poor pastures of the Apennines
• Regional PAT certification — Traditional Agri-food Product
• The ritual of caciocavallo impiccato (hanged cheese): semi-aged cheese melted over embers and spread on toasted bread

How the event unfolds

In recent years, the festival has spanned four days, from Thursday to Sunday, inside and around the covered Fairgrounds. The ribbon-cutting ceremony, attended by civil and religious authorities, opens the exhibition pavilion; in the following days, the stalls offer traditional first courses, local meats, cured meats, honey, legumes, and Castelfranco desserts, all paired with Aglianico del Sannio wine. The event also features seminars on mountain livestock farming, markets for local products and crafts, horseback and mountain bike excursions, folk music, and evening shows.

The San Fedele Fair

The festival coincides with the celebrations for the co-patron saint, San Fedele. On the Saturday of that same week, the traditional San Fedele Fair takes place—an ancient event that fills the town streets with stalls and remains one of the most popular moments in the local calendar. The town's main patron saint is Saint John the Baptist, celebrated on June 24th.

Organizers

The event is promoted by the Associazione Pro Allevatori Castelfranchesi (Castelfranco Breeders' Association) with the patronage and support of the Municipality of Castelfranco in Miscano; in the past, it has also received support from the Fortore Mountain Community. The stated goal is to promote local products and regional craftsmanship, fostering development in the inland areas of Campania.