Cavatello Festival (Holy Trinity Feast)

A festival born in the shadow of the Sanctuary

The Cavatello Festival takes place in Borgo Latonuovo, a district of Montesarchio (Benevento, Campania) that gathers around the Holy Trinity Parish-Sanctuary. This event was not created for tourism; it is the culinary heart of the religious and secular festivities organized by the parish every year, marking the spring season with liturgical celebrations, processions, and lively evenings in the square. Local records document a long-standing tradition—the 23rd edition in 2024 and the 24th in 2025—tracing the festival's origins back to the early 2000s.

Cavatello: a dish that tells the story of the Caudina Valley

Cavatello is the quintessential homemade pasta: semolina, water, and the thumb that «caves» the dough on the wooden board. In Montesarchio, it is served in the version that made the festival famous: with fava beans, pancetta, and cheese (often pecorino). It is a humble yet generous dish, born from the gardens and pantries of the Sannio region. The spring fava beans, the savory crunch of browned pancetta, and freshly grated cheese create a dish best enjoyed outdoors, served in deep bowls passed from hand to hand by volunteers.

• Cavatelli with fava beans, pancetta, and cheese — the festival's signature dish
• Local gastronomic specialties from the Caudina Valley and Sannio
• Service provided by parish and local volunteers

Devotion and public celebration

The calendar of the Holy Trinity Parish-Sanctuary weaves together two major events around which the festival has revolved for years: the feast in honor of Saint Michael the Archangel in May, and the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity, celebrated on the Sunday after Pentecost. The most poignant moment is the procession of the Holy Trinity statue, which winds through the town in the afternoon and returns late at night, accompanied by the local band and the faithful. Alongside the liturgical program runs the secular one: the festival, group dances, folk music ensembles, and, in recent editions, full-scale evening concerts by artists from the Neapolitan and Italian music scenes.

Music and evenings in the square

Over the years, the village evenings have hosted various guests: in 2024, a concert by Marco Calone and Vale Lambo; in 2025, an evening with Emiliana Cantone; and in past years, shows concluded with fireworks. During the May 2025 edition in Borgo Latonuovo, the musical entertainment was provided by the folk group Evoè, featuring tarantellas and traditional Campanian repertoire. It is a proven formula: eat, dance, and stay out until the night is deep.

Montesarchio, gateway to the Caudina Valley

Visitors arriving for the festival will find a town that deserves more than just an evening. Montesarchio, the ancient Samnite Caudium, is dominated by the Castle and the Tower visible from across the valley. The National Archaeological Museum of Sannio Caudino, housed within the castle complex, preserves the famous crater depicting Hippolytus and Phaedra. The historic center, stone portals, and olive trees climbing toward Mount Taburno complete the picture. Combining a daytime visit to the town with the festival evening is the best way to experience this corner of the Benevento province.

Why it's worth the trip

• An authentically parish-led festival, free from tourist artifice
• A signature dish rarely found elsewhere in this specific version
• The close bond between religious ritual and village festivity
• The charming setting of Borgo Latonuovo and the Holy Trinity Sanctuary