Eggplant Festival
Four evenings dedicated to the eggplant at the Municipal Stadium of Santa Maria la Carità
About Eggplant Festival
The eggplant as the absolute star
In the heart of the Campanian summer, the Eggplant Festival in Santa Maria la Carità is one of the most anticipated gastronomic events in the Vesuvius and Lattari Mountains area. For four consecutive evenings, the town's Municipal Stadium fills with stalls, long tables, and enticing aromas. At the center of it all is the eggplant, a signature vegetable of Campanian cuisine, grown in the plains between Pompeii, Gragnano, and the Sorrento Peninsula.
The event was born from the initiative of the Pro Loco Association of Santa Maria La Carità, which involves dozens of volunteers, local housewives, and restaurateurs every year. It is this collaboration that gives the festival its unique character: it is not a commercial fair, but a community kitchen that serves home-style recipes, passed down through generations and prepared in large quantities for thousands of visitors.
A menu from appetizer to dessert
The tasting experience is designed as a true journey around a single ingredient. Among the dishes consistently highlighted by local sources:
- Eggplant Parmigiana, served in both the classic 'red' version and the 'white' version, without tomato sauce;
- Eggplant meatballs and rolls, the signature dishes of the local housewives;
- Savory sfogliatella filled with eggplant, gnocchi, and daily pasta specials;
- Neapolitan street food specialties like pacchianella, croquettes, frittatine, and sandwiches;
- Surprise desserts: eggplant zuccotto, chocolate-covered eggplant, anise-flavored eggplant, and gelato.
The dishes are accompanied by local wines, particularly those from Gragnano and the Vesuvius area, which complete the authentic local character of the menu.
Six themed stalls and online ordering
The festival area is organized into six themed stalls: appetizers and charcuterie boards, sandwiches and pasta, fried foods, desserts and watermelon, drinks, and finally the wine stall. Since 2024, the Pro Loco has added an official e-shop (sagradellamelanzana.it) that allows visitors to purchase their dishes online and reduce wait times, an innovation that has made the event significantly smoother during peak evenings.
Part of the 'Luglio Sammaritano'
The festival is not an isolated event; it is the culinary highlight that closes the Luglio Sammaritano, a month-long series of events that brings culture, folklore, and entertainment to Santa Maria la Carità. The program includes the Contrade Tournament, the beer-themed section Asini a tutta birra, the medieval historical pageant, and above all, the famous Palio del Ciuccio, a donkey race where the town's five districts—Aquila, Delfino, Farfalla, Ippocampo, and Leone—compete. For the occasion, the town center transforms into a medieval village with stalls and street performers.
A piece of local identity
Santa Maria la Carità is a young town in the Metropolitan City of Naples, in Campania, created after separating from the territory of Gragnano and grown around its agricultural roots. In this context, dedicating a festival to the eggplant is not a marketing choice, but a way to celebrate the countryside surrounding the town and the hard work of its producers. The evenings, animated by folkloric and musical performances, attract visitors every year from the entire Stabia area, the Sorrento Peninsula, and the Agro Nocerino-Sarnese.
Visitors from outside the region can easily combine their visit with a day at the Pompeii Archaeological Park, just a few kilometers away, or a hike in the Lattari Mountains: the festival thus becomes the perfect conclusion to a day spent between archaeology, the sea, and the hills.
Eggplant Festival — edition 2026
2026 Eggplant Festival
From July 17 to 20, 2026, the Municipal Stadium of Santa Maria la Carità hosted the four evenings of the Eggplant Festival, the concluding event of the Luglio Sammaritano. As every year, the organization was managed by the Pro Loco Association of Santa Maria La Carità APS with the contribution of volunteers, local housewives, and restaurateurs.
The tasting experience followed the proven formula: six themed stalls dedicated respectively to appetizers and charcuterie boards, sandwiches and pasta, fried foods, desserts and watermelon, drinks, and wine. On the menu were white and red parmigiana, eggplant meatballs and rolls, savory stuffed sfogliatella, gnocchi, along with Neapolitan street food specialties and the festival's most curious desserts, from zuccotto to chocolate-covered eggplant.
The evenings were accompanied by folkloric and musical performances, while the rest of the festival had already featured the Contrade Tournament, the Asini a tutta birra beer section, the medieval historical pageant, and the Palio del Ciuccio, held on Sunday, July 12, 2026, between the five town districts.
Programme Eggplant Festival 2026
Four evenings, from July 17 to 20, 2026
Stalls opened in the evening, with tastings until late at the Municipal Stadium of Santa Maria la Carità. Each evening featured the same setup: six themed stalls and folkloric/musical entertainment.
- Stall 1 — appetizers and local product boards
- Stall 2 — sandwiches and pasta
- Stall 3 — fried foods and Neapolitan street food
- Stall 4 — desserts, watermelon, and late-night specialties
- Stall 5 — drinks
- Stall 6 — wines from Gragnano and the Vesuvius area
New feature confirmed for 2026: the official e-shop sagradellamelanzana.it, allowing users to order dishes online and pick them up on-site, reducing wait times.
Part of the 2026 'Luglio Sammaritano' calendar
- June 27 - July 20 — 'Luglio Sammaritano' festival, featuring culture, gastronomy, and folklore
- Sunday, July 12 — Palio del Ciuccio with the Aquila, Delfino, Farfalla, Ippocampo, and Leone districts, medieval historical pageant, and costumed village
- July 17-20 — Eggplant Festival at the Municipal Stadium
Highlights Eggplant Festival 2026
- Eggplant Parmigiana in two versions: white and red
- Meatballs, rolls, and savory eggplant sfogliatella prepared by local housewives
- Unusual desserts: eggplant zuccotto, chocolate-covered eggplant, gelato
- Wines from Gragnano and the Vesuvius area
- Folkloric and musical performances every evening
- Advance ordering via the Pro Loco's official e-shop
Prices Eggplant Festival 2026
Practical information — Eggplant Festival
Where it takes place
Municipal Stadium of Santa Maria la Carità (NA), in Campania. The festival area is outdoors and organized into themed stalls with tables and seating.
How to get there
By car: Take the Castellammare di Stabia exit on the A3 Naples-Salerno motorway, then follow signs for Santa Maria la Carità (a few minutes away). By train: Circumvesuviana line to Pompeii Santuario or Gragnano, then local bus connection. By plane: Naples Capodichino Airport, approximately 40 km away.
Admission and costs
Free admission: you only pay for what you consume. Festival dishes are sold at affordable prices (typically a few euros per dish, with more elaborate boards for groups). Since 2024, an official e-shop is active for advance purchase of meals.
Tips
Stalls open in the evening and remain active until late: it is advisable to arrive early to avoid weekend queues. Those who want to experience the folkloric side of the 'Luglio Sammaritano' should plan their stay during the days of the Palio del Ciuccio. For accommodation, the most convenient options are in Pompeii, Castellammare di Stabia, or the Sorrento Coast.
Information
Associazione Pro Loco Santa Maria La Carità APS — phone +39 081 8026588, websites prolocosantamarialacarita.it and sagradellamelanzana.it.
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Where does it take place — Eggplant Festival
Stadio Comunale