Chestnut Festival

The queen of autumn events in the Vallo di Diano

Every year, between late October and early November, the small town of San Rufo, in the province of Salerno, becomes the gravitational center of autumn in the Vallo di Diano. The Chestnut Festival began as a local village fair and, over more than twenty years, has evolved into a true laboratory for regional development, blending food and wine, nature, popular traditions, and cultural tourism. Mayor Michele Marmo has called it the "queen of autumn events," and the numbers prove him right: thousands of visitors arrive from across the Vallo di Diano and surrounding areas.

A widespread gastronomic trail through squares and alleys

The festival's format is that of a widespread gastronomic trail: stalls are not concentrated in a single area but are distributed along the squares and alleys of the historic center, turning the visit into a stroll of discovery through the village. The beating heart is Piazza del Comune, where the opening ceremony takes place, but the entire town participates: courtyards, open spaces, and narrow streets fill with stalls, aromas, and music.

Alongside the food stalls, there are stands featuring typical local products, with producers from the Vallo di Diano and Cilento offering cheeses, cured meats, preserves, and, of course, chestnuts.

The flavors of the chestnut

The chestnut is the absolute star, featured in both savory and sweet versions throughout the menu. Among the dishes offered in recent editions:

• Forest Appetizer with chestnuts, pumpkin, local cheeses, and cured meats
• Cavatelli with chestnut flour, zucchini cream, and porcini mushrooms
• Roasted pork loin with chestnuts
• Castagnacci, hazelnut rolls, and other traditional desserts
• Roasted chestnuts and boiled chestnuts, the true queen of the festival

The dishes are accompanied by local wines, such as the Cilento Aglianico PGI and the Lambiccato Cilentano, as well as beer and soft drinks.

Music, street performers, and walks in the chestnut groves

The program goes beyond the table. The opening is traditionally marked by music: in 2025, the inauguration was accompanied by the Sassano City Band. On the following evenings, the historic center is enlivened by roving shows and street performers, in a format that has evolved over the years into a small busker festival.

Since 2025, the Pro Loco has introduced a highly appreciated novelty: walks in the woods with chestnut harvesting, allowing visitors to personally experience the harvest in the chestnut groves surrounding the town. The program is completed by educational workshops and a drawing competition reserved for primary and secondary school students, with an awards ceremony held during the festival.

A festival focused on solidarity

For several editions, the Chestnut Festival has hosted stands dedicated to research and awareness: the Italian Cystic Fibrosis League is present with its own booth, while the "Aggiungi un Posto a Tavola" association has donated part of the proceeds from the sale of roasted chestnuts to the ConRett ETS association, which is committed to supporting those with Rett syndrome. This is a defining feature of the event, combining conviviality with civic commitment.

San Rufo, the town of chestnuts

San Rufo has just over 1,600 inhabitants and is located at an altitude of about 640 meters, within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, between the peaks of Spina dell'Ausino and Cucuzzo delle Puglie, with a view over the Tanagro plain. The village preserves the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, the Chapel of San Rocco, and the Baronial Palace, as well as the remains of the medieval castle in the Calvanello area. Here, the chestnut is not just an agricultural product: it is an element of identity, so much so that San Rufo is known as "the town of chestnuts."

The event is organized by the Pro Loco of San Rufo, chaired by Simona Setaro, together with the municipal administration, with the support of the Vallo di Diano Mountain Community. The 2025 edition was part of the "Journey into the Vallo di Diano" project (led by the municipality of Teggiano), co-financed by the 2021-2027 Development and Cohesion Fund, which promotes cultural, naturalistic, and gastronomic tourism in this part of Campania.