Casapozzano in Festa

A series of food festivals in the Atella area

Casapozzano in Festa is not just a single food festival, but a true autumn event series: several consecutive weekends, each dedicated to a local product, transform the courtyard of the San Michele Arcangelo parish into a large open-air kitchen between September and November. We are in Casapozzano, a small hamlet in the municipality of Orta di Atella, in the province of Caserta, in the heart of the Atella area—a region named after the ancient city of Atella that still thrives on vegetable gardens, cultivated fields, and family recipes passed down through generations.

Everything is organized by the San Michele Arcangelo Festival Committee, the same group of volunteers who manage the celebrations in honor of the village's patron saint. The result is an authentic village festival, free from tourist artifice: cooking takes place in the parish, meals are enjoyed at shared tables, and dancing continues late into the night.

A different product for every weekend

The formula is simple and proven: each weekend, the committee's kitchen focuses on one ingredient and prepares it in every possible way, from pasta dishes to fried foods, sandwiches, and side dishes. The 2025 edition featured the Eggplant Festival, the Sausage and Pepper Festival, an evening dedicated to pizza a portafoglio (folded street pizza), and two weekends of the Sausage and Friariello Festival, running from September 19 to November 9.

• Eggplants, peppers, and vegetables from the Campanian countryside were the stars of the first weekends in September
• Sausage and friariello, the quintessential Neapolitan pairing, took center stage in October and November
• Pizza a portafoglio, fried bread, sandwiches, burgers, and fries for the younger crowd
• Local wine and soft drinks at the stalls managed by committee volunteers

Sausage and friariello, the signature dish

This is the most anticipated event of the series, which has made Casapozzano famous well beyond the municipal borders over the years. Sausage with friarielli—turnip tops sautéed in a pan with garlic, oil, and chili pepper—is one of the most iconic gastronomic marriages in Neapolitan and Casertan cuisine: it is enjoyed in a sandwich, as a main course, on fried bread, or as a pasta sauce. Previous festivals have also featured orecchiette, fried delicacies, and traditional desserts like sfogliatella, all at affordable prices.

Evenings of piano bar, karaoke, and entertainment

The stalls open in the evening and the lights stay on until midnight. The musical program follows the classic style of Campanian village festivals: piano bar and karaoke every night, with local bands, entertainers, and dance schools taking turns over the weekends. Past editions have featured live bands, Neapolitan comedians, and dance troupes, with the audience dancing between the tables and children playing in the courtyard: a familiar, lively, and cheerful atmosphere.

Casapozzano, a village to discover

The festival is also a great opportunity to visit the old village of Casapozzano, one of the most characteristic corners of the municipality of Orta di Atella: narrow alleys, historic buildings, and the ancient castle that overlooks the town, just a short walk from the church of San Michele Arcangelo where the festivities take place. It is one of the many festivals that mark autumn in Campania and allow you to get to know the territory through its food.

Why go

• Free admission and affordable prices: you spend little and eat well
• Homemade food prepared by volunteers, not by external caterers
• Multiple opportunities over two months, with ever-changing gastronomic themes
• Easily accessible from Naples, Caserta, and Aversa, less than half an hour by car
• Family-friendly atmosphere, with outdoor tables and space for children

When it takes place

The festival is traditionally held between the second half of September and the first few days of November, concentrated on weekends. The exact dates change every year and are announced by the organizing committee at the end of summer, along with the themes of the individual festivals and the names of musical guests.