Cicatiello Festival and Feast of Saint Martin of Tours

A festival born from the patron saint's feast

In San Martino Valle Caudina, a town in the province of Avellino overlooking the Caudina Valley, the Cicatiello Festival is no mere tourist invention: it is the culinary soul of the Feast of Saint Martin of Tours, the patron saint celebrated on November 11th. For generations, families in the village have prepared cicatiello for the feast day lunch; over the years, this domestic tradition has evolved into a major event for the entire Irpinia region and the nearby Sannio area, with stalls lining Corso Vittorio Emanuele and the historic center coming alive for several days.

Cicatiello: a simple pasta of water and flour

Cicatiello is a short, handmade pasta, crafted simply from flour and water, shaped with a quick flick of the thumb on a wooden board. No eggs or machines are used: its quality depends entirely on the skill of the maker, and the local women are the guardians of this ancient technique. The traditional sauce is a pork ragù, slow-cooked from the early morning, often served with a side of tender braised meat. The stalls also offer variations with mushrooms and sausage, alongside other local specialties.

What to taste at the stalls

• Cicatielli with pork ragù, the festival's signature dish;
• meats and braised pork cooked in sauce;
• farm-to-table products from the Caudina Valley and the Irpinian mountains;
• local chestnuts, cheeses, and cured meats;
• Irpinian wines to pair with your meal.

Beyond the table: music, art, and culture

The festival program complements the culinary journey with a calendar of free events: live concerts and DJ sets in the square, street performances, photography and craft exhibitions, tournaments (including a chess tournament in recent years), children's entertainment, and cultural walking tours. The Castello Pignatelli della Leonessa stands in the background, overlooking the town and providing a unique, dramatic backdrop for a village festival. The event spans the main street, Villetta Cardone, the Ducal Palace, and the local sports hall.

November 11th: the heart of the celebration

The day dedicated to Saint Martin the Bishop retains its traditional structure: a solemn mass in the afternoon and a procession through the town streets accompanied by a brass band, before the stalls reopen in the evening for more music. It is a time for the community to reunite, with many emigrants returning home: the festival serves as a powerful moment of reconnection for those who have moved away.

San Martino Valle Caudina and Irpinia

The town is located in the Campania region, at the northwestern edge of the province of Avellino, in the Caudina Valley that links Irpinia to the Sannio area of Benevento—historically known as the site of the ancient Battle of the Caudine Forks. It is a land of chestnut groves, olive trees, and small mountain villages: the November festival is the perfect opportunity to explore the area during the chestnut and new wine season, when the "Saint Martin's Summer" often brings clear, mild days.

Organizers

The event is promoted by the Municipality of San Martino Valle Caudina in partnership with the Pro Loco San Martino Valle Caudina APS, the Parish of San Giovanni Battista and San Martino Vescovo, the Youth Forum, and local associations. Admission to the festival is free: you only pay for what you consume at the individual stalls.