FarinaFest - Morsi di Oplonti (Pasta and Pizza Festival)

A festival born to tell the story of Torre Annunziata's white art

FarinaFest - Morsi di Oplonti is a summer festival dedicated to the two icons of Italian cuisine worldwide: pasta and pizza. It takes place in the oratory courtyard of the Salesian House of Torre Annunziata, at 22 Via Margherita di Savoia, in the heart of the Vesuvian city in the province of Naples, Campania. The initiative is jointly promoted by the Salesians of Don Bosco, the Piccoli Passi Grandi Sogni association, and the Misericordia of Torre Annunziata, and was conceived by Rino Balzano.

The name of the event combines two precise references: farina (flour), the raw material that built the city's economy, and Oplonti, the ancient Roman toponym for Torre Annunziata, now known worldwide for the Villa of Poppea and its UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site.

The capital of the white art

Torre Annunziata did not choose the theme of its festival by chance. Between the 19th and early 20th centuries, the city was a true capital of the white art: the mills along the coast, the pasta factories, and the squares where pasta was laid out to dry in the sun and wind made grain processing an excellence recognized far beyond national borders. In the early 20th century, a huge share of the pasta exported worldwide left from here, a record shared with nearby Gragnano.

Historic brands like Setaro and Voiello, along with dozens of other local pasta factories that have since disappeared, are the tangible memory of this era. It is no coincidence that the Setaro Pasta Factory, the last historic pasta factory still active in the city, is among the event's supporters and provides the pasta served during the evening.

How the evening unfolds

FarinaFest is a one-night street festival that begins after sunset and continues late into the night. The Salesian oratory courtyard transforms into a large convivial space featuring:

• food stands serving a plate of pasta, a classic a portafoglio (folded) margherita pizza, or a fried montanarina, accompanied by a drink;
• live music and, late in the evening, DJ sets curated by local youth;
• a children's area with games, inflatables, and entertainment;
• moments of meeting between local associations, which present their projects and educational activities.

The preparation of the dishes is entrusted to the volunteers of the organizing associations and the young people from the Salesian family homes, assisted by local master pizza makers and chefs: a detail that clearly explains the spirit of the event, closer to a community party than a commercial fair.

Gastronomy and solidarity

FarinaFest is also an appointment with solidarity. The proceeds from the evening support educational activities for minors welcomed by the local Salesian community and the projects of the Piccoli Passi Grandi Sogni association. Eating a plate of pasta or a folded pizza in that courtyard therefore means contributing, in a simple and direct way, to social work that has concrete value in a complex city like Torre Annunziata.

Why it is worth visiting

Visitors from outside the area will find an authentic festival, without tourist filters: popular prices, shared tables, Neapolitan and Italian music, and families with children staying out late. It is also an excellent opportunity to discover a city often skipped by classic Vesuvius circuits, just minutes from the Oplontis Excavations, the seafront, and the Vesuvian Thermal Baths, and a fifteen-minute train ride from Pompeii and Herculaneum.

The format is that of the great Campanian festivals: you pay a single ticket, pick up your dish, and sit wherever you find a spot. Given that it is a one-night event, it is advisable to arrive early, as attendance in previous editions has been very high.