Cuzzitiello Festival

The cuzzitiello: Sannio's signature street food

There is a unique way in Campania to turn bread into a complete meal: take a loaf, hollow out the crumb, and stuff it with sauce, meatballs, vegetables, or cured meats. In Paduli, they call it cuzzitiello, and it has become the star of a festival that fills the town streets every July. The Cuzzitiello Festival, originally known as 'Street Food Padulese', is now one of the most anticipated gastronomic events of the summer in the Municipality of Paduli, in the province of Benevento.

A young event that grew quickly

The festival is one of the most recent additions to the Paduli calendar: in 2026, it reached its fourth edition, scheduled for Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19. In just a few years, the concept has proven successful by focusing on a humble, popular product served as street food, with Pro Loco volunteers at the stoves and the town center transformed into an open-air dining room. In 2025, the third edition took place on July 26 and 27, during a weekend particularly packed with events across the Sannio region.

Two evenings of flavor and music

The format is simple and well-tested: the stalls open in the evening—in previous editions, opening time was set for 8:00 PM—and the cuzzitiello is offered in various fillings, accompanied by typical local Sannio products. The culinary experience is complemented by live music and entertainment: in 2025, for example, the bands Stragatti and Janua performed on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

• Stuffed cuzzitiello, the absolute star of the two evenings
• Typical products and traditional Paduli specialties
• Concerts and entertainment in the town center
• Informal atmosphere, perfect for families

Paduli, a Sannio village to discover

Paduli is a small hillside town a few kilometers east of Benevento, in Campania. Home to a few thousand inhabitants, it is dominated by the Ducal Palace, which frequently hosts community cultural initiatives. It is an agricultural land of wheat, olive oil, and vegetables, where village festivals are not folklore manufactured for tourists, but rather the way the community tells its story and gathers together.

The Pro Loco Padulese, the engine of the town's summer

Behind the event is the Pro Loco Padulese, an association active since 1984 and a member of the UNPLI, led by president Raffaele Marmorale. This is the same team of volunteers that organizes the 0-Km Pizza Festival, which reached its twelfth edition in 2026 (August 7-9) and is a candidate for the UNPLI 'Quality Festival' recognition. Those visiting Paduli between July and August will find two back-to-back gastronomic events, both built on local products and the hard work of the same association.

Why it's worth an evening

The Cuzzitiello Festival is not a massive fair: it is a local village festival with tables in the street, families stopping to chat, and a dish eaten standing up, without ceremony. For anyone in Benevento or the surrounding province in July, it is a chance to taste a preparation rarely found elsewhere in Italy, in its most authentic version: prepared by the very people who have been eating it for generations.