Festa del Pastore
The transhumance and pastoral culture of the Matese mountains come alive on the Campitello Plateau
About Festa del Pastore
The festival celebrating the shepherds of the Matese
In Roccamandolfi, a village perched on the slopes of the Matese mountains in the province of Isernia, the Festa del Pastore is the annual tribute to an ancient craft and the transhumance culture that has shaped the Molise landscape. The event, traditionally held on the second-to-last Sunday of July, takes place on the Pianoro di Campitello, a high-altitude mountain pasture where flocks arrive from the early morning hours.
Ancient gestures and authentic flavours
The heart of the day lies in demonstrations of traditional pastoral practices: milking, shearing, and marking livestock – gestures that the shepherds of the Matese have passed down through generations. Around them, food stalls offer the products of this land – fresh and aged cheeses, freshly milked milk, roast lamb, polenta, and legume soups – in a feast for the senses that brings together the village families and the many visitors who ascend to the plateau.
A guardian of the inland areas
Organized by the Orizzonti del Matese association, the event also serves as a forum for discussing the future of inland mountain areas: the promotion of local products, rural tourism, and landscape preservation. It is an event of identity that, every summer, revives the bond between Roccamandolfi and its mountain.
Festa del Pastore — edition 2026
In 2026, the Festa del Pastore will once again animate the Campitello Plateau, above Roccamandolfi, on the second-to-last Sunday of July. The day, organized by Orizzonti del Matese, will feature the arrival of the flocks in the morning, demonstrations of milking, shearing, and marking, food stalls with local pastoral products, and discussions on the prospects for mountain areas.
Programme Festa del Pastore 2026
Second-to-last Sunday of July — Campitello Plateau
- Morning — arrival of the flocks on the plateau
- Demonstrations of traditional pastoral practices: milking, shearing, marking of livestock
- Opening of food stalls: fresh and aged cheeses, freshly milked milk, roast lamb, polenta, legume soups
- Discussions on pastoral culture and rural tourism in the Matese region
Detailed hourly program to be released by the Orizzonti del Matese association in the weeks prior.
Highlights Festa del Pastore 2026
Prices Festa del Pastore 2026
Practical information — Festa del Pastore
When
Second-to-last Sunday of July, on the Campitello Plateau.
How to get there
Roccamandolfi can be reached from Isernia or Boiano; the Campitello Plateau is at high altitude, on the Matese massif, accessible by car along the mountain road.
Admission
Free outdoor event. Mountain attire recommended.
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Where does it take place — Festa del Pastore
Pianoro di Campitello