Cavatelli and Local Roast Festival

Three nights of celebration in the heart of Sanza

The Cavatelli and Local Roast Festival is the most anticipated summer event in Sanza, a small town in the province of Salerno, Campania, resting on the slopes of Mount Cervati. Historically, the festival takes place on August 8th, 9th, and 10th: for three nights, the historic center fills with long tables, the scent of charcoal grills, and the buzz of village life, while the main square transforms into an open-air kitchen where visitors are welcomed like neighbors.

Piazza Plebiscito, a kitchen for everyone

The heart of the event is Piazza Plebiscito, in front of the church of Santa Maria Assunta. Starting at 8:00 PM, queues form at the stalls: on one side, local women hand-rolling the pasta; on the other, grills sizzling with meat. There is no staged scenery for tourists, and that is precisely its strength: it is a festival the village organizes for itself, which, year after year, has attracted visitors from across the Cilento and Vallo di Diano regions.

Handmade cavatieddi

The signature dish is cavatieddi, the traditional Cilento cavatelli: semolina and water, nothing else, shaped and hollowed one by one with the fingers. It is a labor-intensive process that keeps volunteers busy for days before the festival, and it is the true reason why this event has never become just another generic fair. Portions are served hot from the kitchen until late at night, enjoyed by a crowd sitting side-by-side at communal tables.

Local roast

Alongside the pasta is the other star that gives the festival its name: the local roast, consisting of meats slow-cooked over charcoal according to the rustic traditions of the Cilento mountains. It is the part of the festival that smells most like home and hearth, keeping the square crowded until late into the night, amidst glasses of wine and lively conversation.

A festival born from the parish

The festival was the brainchild of parish priest Don Giuseppe Spinelli, who conceived it and continues to organize it alongside a group of local volunteers. Among the long-time supporters is Cavaliere Attilio De Lisa, who has been involved with the initiative for over twenty years. In 2025, the event reached its 30th edition; in 2022, it returned for its 27th edition after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. This speaks volumes about the resilience of this festival: it has never ceased to be a community event first and a gastronomic one second.

Live music and evenings in the square

The dining experience is always accompanied by live music, with local bands enlivening the square after dinner. In the 2025 edition, the final evening featured the Pino Pinto Band, with dancing in the square until late.

Sanza, Mount Cervati, and the Cilento hinterland

Sanza is located on the southwestern side of the Vallo di Diano, among the mountains of the Cervati range, where the valley opens toward the Gulf of Policastro. Mount Cervati, which dominates the town, is the highest peak in Campania and a symbol of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park: it is a landscape of lavender fields, beech forests, and high-altitude trails. Those who travel to Sanza for the festival find themselves in one of the most authentic mountain areas of the region, just a short distance from the Tyrrhenian coast. The town also preserves the Torre di San Martino in its historic core, and the local calendar continues in autumn with a festival dedicated to chestnuts.

Why it's worth the trip

• One of the longest-running and most popular festivals in the Cilento hinterland, with over thirty years of history.
• Fresh pasta hand-rolled in front of the public, not industrial.
• Free admission to the historic center, with food at popular prices.
• An ideal opportunity to combine the festival with a hike on Mount Cervati.