Castelpagano Porcini Mushroom Festival
Ten days in the woods of the Alto Tammaro with the Boletus edulis as the star
About Porcini Mushroom Festival
Ten days of woods and cuisine in the Alto Tammaro
The Porcini Mushroom Festival is the event that transforms Castelpagano—a village of 1,300 inhabitants at 630 meters above sea level in the upper Sannio area, in the province of Benevento—into one of the most popular gastronomic destinations in inland Campania every September. Born in 1997 from the idea of local mushroom hunters who wanted to promote the territory, it reaches its 28th edition in 2026, scheduled from September 18th to 27th over two long weekends. Organized by the Municipality of Castelpagano with the Proloco and local associations, it is a non-profit initiative: volunteers cook, serve at the tables, and guide visitors along the trails.
The woods of Castelpagano and the Boletus edulis
The true star is the wood of Castelpagano: nearly one thousand hectares of oaks, turkey oaks, beeches, and conifers surrounding the town. It is in this undergrowth that the 'Boletus edulis' porcini mushroom—also known as the 'cold mushroom'—grows, alongside truffles and other epigeal and hypogeal species of the local agri-food basket. The municipal administration uses the festival to highlight the triple function of the forest: naturalistic, scenic, and productive. The setting is the Alto Tammaro, an inland area off the beaten path, a short distance from the Matese Park and Lake Campolattaro.
Full porcini mushroom menus
The gastronomic heart is the full porcini mushroom menu, served at lunch on weekends and every evening in Piazza Municipio. The chefs from the Termoli Hotel School work in the kitchen, preparing dishes on the spot: the famous tagliatelle with porcini, hand-rolled with a rolling pin, are tossed in the pan right in front of visitors. The menu changes daily:
- Appetizers: mushroom calzone, forest-style barley arancine, potato croquettes with mushrooms and mozzarella, vegetable caponata;
- First courses: yellow risotto forest-style, risotto with boleti, tagliatelle with porcini, local-style mixed gnocchi, homemade stuffed paccheri;
- Main courses: veal stew with boleti, suckling pig sautéed with forest herbs, Frisona beef medallions with forest cream, pork stew with herbs and Falanghina wine;
- Porcini pizzas every evening, the 'aperifungo' in Piazza Umberto I with Marchigiana beef burgers, stands featuring cured meats, cheeses, wines, and draft beer, and Vinarium tastings at the Aggregation Center.
Trekking, mountain biking, and activities for everyone
Weekend mornings are dedicated to 'Via dei Briganti' trekking, a trail that retraces an ancient path linked to popular legends, with an excursion to the 'Grotta di Trek' and an agri-break at the municipal pond; in parallel, the 'Castelpagano Village and Nature' MTB excursion takes place. In town, there is a tourist train departing from Piazza Municipio every half hour, a children's play area with inflatables and shows on Via Vittorio Emanuele III, and a painting and ceramics exhibition by Maestro Salvatore Fiore.
Music and square life until late
Every evening follows the same rhythm: live music from 9 PM and DJ sets from midnight, with the 'Case della Terra' lounge bar open until 2 AM. On Sunday afternoons, the Funky street band wanders through the streets of the village playing jazz, and on the second weekend, there is a major concert in Piazza Umberto I.
A festival that builds networks: the Tammaro Valley
Since 2025, the festival has been the cornerstone of the 'Journey into the Tammaro Valley' project, funded by the Campania Region with resources from the 2021-2027 Development and Cohesion Fund: the Municipality of Castelpagano leads a partnership of six Sannio municipalities—including Colle Sannita, Circello, Santa Croce del Sannio, Sassinoro, and Morcone—for an integrated tourist route in inland areas, together with the GAL Alto Tammaro and the University of Sannio.
Why it's worth the trip
In Castelpagano, you eat porcini mushrooms harvested just a few kilometers away, cooked to order, in a square at 630 meters with the crisp air of late September: the best way to understand the bond between an Apennine village in Sannio and its woods.
Porcini Mushroom Festival — edition 2026
2026 Porcini Mushroom Festival: dates confirmed and program published
The 2026 edition, the 28th, takes place in Castelpagano (province of Benevento, Campania) from September 18th to 27th, 2026, as announced by the Municipality on the official website. There are six days of festivities spread over two weekends: Friday 18, Saturday 19, and Sunday 20 September, then Friday 25, Saturday 26, and Sunday 27 September.
It opens on Friday 18 at 6:30 PM with the presentation of the Festival and the Agri-Food Review in the Municipal Library on Via Umberto I; at 7 PM, food stands and local product exhibitors open, at 7:30 PM the full porcini menu and porcini pizza tastings begin in Piazza Municipio, at 9 PM the musical show starts, and at midnight the DJ set in the square.
The two Saturday mornings are dedicated to excursions: the 'Via dei Briganti' trekking with a visit to the Grotta di Trek and an agri-break at the municipal pond organized by the 'Borgo Antico' Agriturismo, and the 'Castelpagano Village and Nature' MTB excursion. The official homepage also indicates excursions on the Via dei Briganti for Sundays 20 and 27 September: it is advisable to check the final time with the Proloco before leaving. Saturday 26 at 11:30 AM, in the municipal library, a conference on the strategy for inland areas and local development planning is scheduled.
Sundays follow their own rhythm: stands open from 12 PM, lunch from 12:30 PM, DJ set at 3 PM, Funky street band through the village streets at 4:30 PM, dinner from 7 PM, 'aperifungo' and pizzas from 7:30 PM, and live music at 9 PM. On the second Friday, September 25th, the evening is built around the concert in Piazza Umberto I at 11 PM—in 2025 the space was entrusted to the Nuova Orchestra Italiana—followed by the DJ set at midnight.
Throughout the festival, the 'Case della Terra' lounge bar, the 'aperifungo' in Piazza Umberto I, the tourist train departing from Piazza Municipio every half hour, the children's play area with inflatables on Via Vittorio Emanuele III, the painting and ceramics exhibition by Maestro Salvatore Fiore, and the 'Vinarium' wine tasting at the Aggregation Center remain active. The names of the artists for the 2026 evenings have not all been made official yet: the Municipality will announce them on the website and the festival's Facebook page in the preceding weeks.
Programme Porcini Mushroom Festival 2026
Highlights Porcini Mushroom Festival 2026
Prices Porcini Mushroom Festival 2026
Practical information — Porcini Mushroom Festival
How to get there
Castelpagano is located in the upper Sannio, between the Fortore and the Tammaro valley, about an hour's drive from Benevento heading up towards Morcone, Circello, and Colle Sannita. From Naples, take the A1 or A16 motorway to Benevento and continue on local roads; from Campobasso and Molise, access is even faster. The reference railway station is Benevento: from there, a car is essential, as evening public transport connections are very limited.
Where to park
For the festival, the Municipality sets up a camper area in the designated zone and four car parking areas: two at the entrance to the village, one near the municipal pine forest, and one signposted along the access road. Simply follow the signs placed at the entrance to the town; from the parking lot, you can reach the center on foot in a few minutes.
Opening hours
Food stands open at 7 PM on Fridays and at 12 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. The 'Case della Terra' lounge bar is active on Fridays from 6 PM to 2 AM, Saturdays from 11:30 AM to 3 PM and 6 PM to 2 AM, and Sundays from 10:30 AM to 2 AM. Walking and mountain bike excursions depart early in the morning (between 8 AM and 8:30 AM) on weekends.
Prices
Admission is free: you only pay for tastings at the cash desk. In recent editions, the full porcini mushroom menu was around 18 euros, with lighter options for pizza, 'aperifungo', and sandwiches. The official price list is published by the Municipality together with the final program.
Where to stay
- B&B Domus sibi et amicis — tel. +39 347 4489915
- Agriturismo Il Borgo Antico — tel. +39 0824 935486
- Agriturismo La Rosa dei Venti — tel. +39 340 7549938
- Agriturismo Le Antiche Terre del Baraccone — tel. +39 0824 935060
- Agriturismo Maselli Rocco — tel. +39 339 1749215
Tips
- At 630 meters altitude, September evenings are cool: a jacket or sweatshirt is essential.
- For trekking and MTB excursions, proper shoes and reservations are required: it is advisable to contact the Proloco or the Mountain Bike Castelpagano association in advance.
- Sunday lunches are the most crowded: arriving early helps to find a table.
- Updated programs, daily menus, and posters are published on the official website sagradelfungoporcinocastelpagano.it and on the festival's Facebook page.
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Where does it take place — Porcini Mushroom Festival
Piazza Municipio, Piazza Umberto I e centro storico
Piazza Municipio, 82024 Castelpagano