Chestnut Festival

A festival rooted in the chestnut tree

The Chestnut Festival in Futani is one of the most recognizable autumn events in the inland Cilento area, in the province of Salerno, Campania. Every November, the small village dedicates three days to the fruit that has always defined the local economy and daily life: the chestnuts harvested in the surrounding woods. This is not a staged event, but a celebration born from the genuine work of the chestnut growers united in the Cooperativa Agricola Sant'Anna, which collaborates with the Municipality of Futani and local associations to organize the event.

The historic center as a stage

The decision to hold the festival in the historic center is what gives it its character. There are no large open spaces or tents: the route winds through narrow alleys, arches, stairways, and small squares, where stalls are set up in available spaces, often in cellars and doorways opened for the occasion. The result is a walking itinerary where you can stroll, taste, stop to listen to music, and continue on, with the scent of roasted chestnuts accompanying you the whole way. Futani is located within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, and the landscape of woods and hills provides a natural backdrop for the event.

What to taste

Cuisine is the heart of the festival and revolves entirely around the chestnut and traditional Cilento dishes. Among the offerings found along the gastronomic route:

• Roasted chestnuts, prepared to order on braziers placed along the village streets
• Fried pizzas made with chestnut flour
• Ravioli and first courses of the local peasant tradition
• The 'strinta' soup, a humble dish linked to the village's culinary memory
• Sandwiches, desserts, and baked goods based on chestnuts

Alongside the tastings, there is direct sales of fresh chestnuts from local woods and other undergrowth products: one of the reasons many visitors arrive early in the morning, before the stalls get crowded.

Markets, ancient crafts, and children

The program goes beyond food. Along the route, you will find craft markets with local handmade goods and specialties, and demonstrations of ancient crafts that reconstruct the gestures and tools of the Cilento peasant civilization. There are also educational workshops, traditional games, and fun activities designed for children, making the festival suitable for visiting families.

Music and evening atmosphere

In the evening, the village changes its rhythm: roaming musical groups play and sing live, moving from square to square with folk repertoires that invite dancing. There is no single stage, but multiple simultaneous entertainment points, so that the music reaches every corner of the historic center. This is when the festival reaches its peak attendance and when the village's identity is best perceived.

An appointment with a recent but solid history

The event surpassed its sixteenth edition in 2025, when it was also celebrated in conjunction with the fiftieth anniversary of the Cooperativa Sant'Anna. Over the years, the festival has grown to become one of the most anticipated stops on the Cilento autumn calendar, capable of attracting visitors from across the province of Salerno and the Cilento coastal areas, who in November find a different kind of tourism in the hinterland, made of woods, flavors, and villages to explore on foot.

When it takes place

The event is traditionally set in the month of November, over a long three-day weekend. Dates may be subject to change in case of bad weather: in 2025, for example, the edition initially scheduled for November 7-9 was postponed to the following weekend. It is therefore advisable to check the final dates on the channels of the Municipality of Futani and the organizers before setting off.