Chestnut Festival

A festival born among the chestnut groves of inland Cilento

Perched at an altitude of about 675 meters, the Municipality of Stio (Province of Salerno, Campania) has always lived in symbiosis with its ancient chestnut groves. The Chestnut Festival was born from this deep bond: it is not just a food fair, but a moment when the entire Stio community shares its rural economy—a history of harvesting, drying, and processing the fruit that for generations provided bread and sustenance in the inland areas of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park.

The event traditionally takes place between late October and early November, once the harvest is complete and the village can finally open its doors to visitors. In a town of just over seven hundred inhabitants, the festival also represents a grand homecoming for emigrants and families scattered across Italy: it is a collective ritual, even more than a tourist attraction.

The historic center transformed into a culinary trail

During the festival, the alleys, arches, and small squares of the historic center become a continuous itinerary. Along the path, you will find food and wine stalls, sets recreating traditional rural life, and local craft booths. The stalls are open for both lunch and dinner during the festival days, offering Cilento cuisine paired with new wine.

• Roasted chestnuts prepared over embers in the village squares, the true symbol of the event
• Traditional chestnut-based desserts, castagnaccio, fritters, and preserves
• Soups, handmade pasta, and typical dishes made with local, zero-kilometer ingredients
• Cilento regional products: honey, extra virgin olive oil, cheeses, and cured meats
• Artisan markets featuring woodwork, ceramics, and textiles

Folk music, tammurriate, and street performers

The other soul of the festival is musical. Every year, Stio hosts groups playing Cilento and Southern Italian folk music, with drums, accordions, and traditional songs that enliven the evenings until late at night. Recent editions have featured bands such as Valcalore, Rittantico, SonuAnticu, Sunaria, Antiqua Saxa, Tammorra di Bagni, and Peppe Cirillo. Alongside the concerts, there are street performers, traveling shows, and activities designed for children, making the event perfect for families.

The connection to the Millenary Fair of the Cross

The chestnut celebration in Stio is intertwined with one of the village's oldest memories, the Millenary Fair of the Cross, a historic commercial event that for centuries attracted merchants and shepherds from all over inland Cilento. This connection is not merely decorative: the festival asserts a continuity between the village's rural roots and a model of slow, conscious tourism, where local products become a key to understanding the landscape.

Part of the Autumn Equinox circuit

In recent years, the Chestnut Festival has become part of the inter-municipal project Autumn Equinox, which connects Stio to other municipalities in the Cilento National Park—San Giovanni a Piro (lead municipality), Ascea, Gioi, Campora, and Orria—as part of the Strategic Plan for Culture and Tourism funded by the 2021-2027 Development and Cohesion Fund. The stated goal is to extend the tourist season beyond summer and promote inland villages through music, traditions, and identity-driven products.

Excursions, workshops, and meetings

The festival goes beyond the stalls. The program usually includes guided hikes in the chestnut groves and along the trails surrounding the village, such as the 'Vie della Croce' nature route, as well as visits to the Mill Valley and the Church of Saints Peter and Paul. There are also opportunities for deeper engagement, with conferences dedicated to the chestnut and the agri-food heritage of Cilento, as well as hands-on cooking workshops for adults and children.

Why it's worth the trip

Those who come to Stio during these days will find an authentic festival where the village atmosphere remains the protagonist: you eat well, walk among stone and chestnut trees, and listen to live music. It is one of the best opportunities to discover inland Cilento, far from the beaches, during one of the seasons when the landscape is at its most beautiful.