Cilento Fried Pizza Festival

A festival dedicated to Cilento's fried pizza

The Cilento Fried Pizza Festival is the summer event that Novi Velia, in the province of Salerno, dedicates to one of the most iconic preparations of Cilento's rustic cuisine. This is not a restaurant dish, but a domestic tradition: a dough made of flour, water, and yeast, left to rise, hand-stretched, and fried until puffy. Bringing that tradition to the town square, in front of residents and visitors, is the very essence of the event, which focuses on highlighting popular local recipes rather than spectacle.

Novi Velia, the village at the foot of Mount Gelbison

The municipality of Novi Velia is located in the heart of the Cilento hinterland, in Campania, on the slopes of Mount Gelbison, the sacred mountain also known as Monte Sacro. It is an area of medium-high altitude, forests, and trails, where summer brings milder temperatures compared to the coast and where festivals mark the calendar in July and August. Novi Velia is already known for the Mozzarella ind'a Murtedda Festival, held in August: the fried pizza festival fits into this gastronomic vocation of the town, effectively opening the most intense period of the summer in Novi.

What to taste

The absolute star is the Cilento fried pizza, served hot, straight from the oil. In the local tradition, it can be enjoyed plain, just salted, or accompanied and stuffed according to each family's habits: it is one of those preparations that changes slightly from house to house and from village to village, and which finds its shared version at festivals.

• Tastings of fried pizza prepared and served on the spot
• Traditional Cilento products and flavors offered during the evenings
• Outdoor dining at tables set up in the village

Live music and atmosphere

The festival evenings are accompanied by live music, an element that has always marked summer nights in Cilento villages. The result is a village festival in the fullest sense of the term: you eat standing up or at a table, stop to talk, and stay late. For those arriving from outside, it is also the most direct way to connect with the local community, in a setting without tourist filters.

Who organizes it

The event is promoted by the Nascette a Novi Cultural Association, a local organization active in promoting local traditions. The most up-to-date reference for dates, times, and the program remains the association's Facebook page, where posters for the current edition are published.

The 2026 edition

The 2026 edition is announced over three days, from July 31 to August 2, 2026. Cilento festivals during this period are concentrated in the evening hours, when the heat subsides and the villages fill up: it is therefore advisable to plan your arrival in the late afternoon.

Tips for your visit

• Novi Velia is a mountain village: evenings can be cool, so it is better to bring something warm to wear
• The town center has narrow streets; it is best to park in the designated areas and continue on foot
• The festival is perfect to combine with a daytime visit to Mount Gelbison and the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park
• Queues at the stands are normal on peak evenings: the fried pizza is prepared to order