Caciocavallo Festival

A festival dedicated to the king of Irpinian cheeses

Every summer, the small village of Greci, in eastern Irpinia in the province of Avellino, dedicates an evening to caciocavallo, the stretched-curd cheese that has accompanied the lives of families in this corner of Campania for centuries. The Caciocavallo Festival is a village feast in the most authentic sense: stalls set up in the squares, outdoor tables, live music, and a community coming together to share stories through food.

The 'hanged' caciocavallo, the absolute star

The signature dish of the event is the so-called 'hanged' caciocavallo. The whole wheel is hung by its aging twine and brought close to glowing embers without ever touching them: the heat slowly melts the cheese, which drips down thick and fragrant to be collected on slices of bread. It is a gesture that is both simple and spectacular, which can be enjoyed in several variations.

• Melted caciocavallo plain, on warm bread
• With truffle or local mushrooms
• In a sweet-and-savory pairing with honey
• With mortadella, for the most indulgent version

In recent editions, the menu has also added the panuozzo stuffed with caciocavallo and mortadella. The milk used comes from Irpinian farms, in a territory where Caciocavallo Silano PDO, a semi-hard stretched-curd cow's milk cheese, remains one of the defining products.

Greci, the only Arbëreshë municipality in Campania

The festival has a value that goes far beyond gastronomy, as it takes place in a truly unique town. Greci — Katundi in the local language — is the only Arbëreshë municipality in Campania: a community of Albanian origin that settled here starting in the 1460s, during the time of Skanderbeg, and has preserved its own language, songs, and customs. The village, with just over six hundred inhabitants, is located at an altitude of over 800 meters on the hills marking the border with Puglia, and still preserves the typical kalive, stone houses with wooden roofs and terracotta tiles.

Those who arrive for the festival also discover an Albanian culinary tradition, with desserts such as muxhela, made with wheat flour, raisins, pine nuts, and sugar, and the çiç kuet made of wheat and corn.

Music, dancing, and side events

The evening is not just about food stalls: in recent editions, the festival has been accompanied by live music in the square and moments of folk dancing, while the afternoon has been reserved for children's activities at the Villa Comunale and cultural meetings, such as the presentation of books related to local history and devotion in the setting of Palazzo Caccese. Admission to the festival is free, and individual tastings are paid for at the stalls.

When it takes place

The Caciocavallo Festival is traditionally held in the second half of August, as part of the summer program promoted by the Municipality of Greci and a few days before the patronal feast of Saint Bartholomew the Apostle, which falls on August 25th. The 19th edition took place on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, starting at 9:00 PM, while the 18th was held on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, between Piazza Caroseno and the 'Breggo' Villa Comunale.

What to see in Greci beyond the festival

A visit to the town deserves a few extra hours: the Church of Saint Bartholomew, the 18th-century Palazzo Caccese, and the Mnemoteca dedicated to Arbëreshë memory tell the story of the identity of this small linguistic island. The local calendar also features the Feast of the Madonna del Caroseno, celebrated on the first Sunday of June.