Cappelluzza Festival (Saint Anthony and Saint Rita)

A neighborhood festival that becomes a town celebration

In Grottaminarda, a town in the Ufita Valley in the province of Avellino, summer truly begins on the first weekend of July, when the Cappelluzza district fills with festive lights, long tables, and music. The Cappelluzza Festival is not a manufactured event; it is a neighborhood celebration that has grown over the years to involve the whole town and much of eastern Irpinia, blending popular devotion, rustic cuisine, and square dancing typical of inland Campania.

The Cappelluzza, Saint Anthony, and Saint Rita

The festival takes its name from the small votive shrine in the area known as Sotto la Porta — the cappelluzza — around which the devotion to Saint Anthony and Saint Rita was born. The two small statues, affectionately nicknamed the "little saints," are the focus of the religious proceedings: on Sunday, Holy Mass is celebrated in front of the chapel, followed immediately by a solemn procession through the main streets of the town, accompanied by the district's faithful. The event is promoted by the Saint Anthony and Saint Rita Festival Committee in collaboration with the Santa Maria Maggiore Parish and is sponsored by the Municipality of Grottaminarda.

Cicatiello with pulieio, the signature dish

Since 1995, the religious festival has been accompanied by the Cicatiello with Pulieio Festival, now the event's biggest gastronomic draw. The cicatiello (or cecatiello) is a handmade fresh pasta, an Irpinian cousin to the cavatello; pulieio is a wild aromatic herb that grows in the Ufita Valley countryside, giving the sauce an unmistakable fragrance. The preparation is almost a ritual: the pulieio is softened in oil with parsley and garlic, then combined with tomato sauce and fresh tomatoes, and left to simmer patiently until the flavor reaches the right intensity. The pasta is boiled separately and tossed with the sauce in what the local women call "the wedding."

• Cicatielli with pulieio, the festival's signature dish
• Stew with potatoes, peppers, and sausage
• Other traditional Irpinian rustic dishes served at the district stalls

Folk music, ballroom dancing, and fireworks

Every evening, after the stalls open, the district stage hosts dance orchestras, ballroom groups, and local bands: repertoires that appeal to both grandparents and grandchildren, keeping the square lively until late at night. On Sunday, after the procession, the sky above Piazzale Padre Pio lights up with a fireworks display, the most anticipated and photographed moment of the three days. In recent years, the program has been enriched by a major guest concert in Piazzale "G. Scirea," with free admission, attracting an audience from well beyond the municipal borders.

Half a century of tradition

The festival dates back to the mid-seventies, and in 2025 it reached the fifty-year milestone, celebrated with three particularly rich days and the inauguration of the district's newly renovated square. The 2026 edition is the 51st: a figure that speaks volumes about the continuity of a purely volunteer-driven commitment, carried forward from generation to generation by the families of Cappelluzza.

Part of the Estate Grottese

The Cappelluzza Festival effectively kicks off the summer event season in Grottaminarda, the Estate Grottese, which continues in August with the historic Festone and in September with celebrations in honor of the Madonna di Carpignano. Those visiting Irpinia during this period can create an itinerary that combines popular festivals, Ufita Valley and Baronia villages, wineries, and local products.

Why it's worth visiting

It is an authentic, non-touristy festival: you eat well at popular prices, dance in the square, and witness a deeply felt procession. For visitors from outside the area, it is the most direct way to understand how a neighborhood festival in Southern Italy works, where the committee, the parish, and volunteers build everything together, from the kitchen to the stage.