Festone of Grottaminarda
The great patronal feast of the Grottesi, blending faith, illuminations, and fireworks
About Festone
The Festone, the great feast of the Grottesi
In Grottaminarda, in the province of Avellino, the Festone is more than just a patronal feast: it is the moment of the year when the entire community truly comes together. For five days at the end of August, the center of this Irpinian town fills with light displays, marching bands, processions, and thousands of visitors from across the Ufita Valley and neighboring towns. Those who have emigrated return specifically for these days: the Festone is, above all, the feast of the Grottesi.
Three Saints, one single feast
The event is dedicated to the town's three patron saints: Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Anthony of Padua, and Saint Roch of Montpellier. The pairing of these three figures began almost by chance in 1891, when bad weather forced the festivities to be moved to August, and the three statues were brought together into the Mother Church. From that moment, the devotions merged into one great celebration, which the Grottesi institutionalized a few years later with solemn processions. The name "Festone" (a grand feast) became popular in the first half of the 20th century to emphasize the scale of the event compared to other local celebrations.
The religious heart
The ritual that opens the festive period is the descent of the Saints: the statues leave their respective churches to be welcomed into the Mother Church. This is followed by the blessing of the bearers, the symbolic handing over of the city keys to Saint Thomas Aquinas, the solemn Mass, and the procession through the streets of the historic center, with confreres and bearers alternating under the weight of the statues amidst crowds of people. The cycle concludes with the translation of the Saints, as each effigy returns to its own church.
Lights, bands, and music
Alongside the devotional dimension, the Festone retains all the ingredients of a great Southern Italian feast:
- Artistic illuminations that transform streets and squares into true galleries of light.
- Brass band concerts featuring ensembles from Puglia and Campania, specializing in the great operatic and symphonic repertoire.
- Folk and contemporary music evenings with artists well-known to the national public, hosted at Piazzale Padre Pio and Piazza XVI Marzo.
- The «Questua del grano» (Grain Collection) with the Pacchiana, a woman in traditional costume who reenacts the ancient collection of offerings among local families.
The fireworks competition
The finale is entrusted to the fireworks competition, one of the most anticipated moments of the Irpinian summer: several companies compete with volleys and light shows in the sky over Grottaminarda, while the public judges from below, sitting on walls or standing along the streets. It is the signal that the Festone has concluded and that summer is drawing to a close.
Local flavors and atmosphere
During the days of the feast, the center fills with food stalls, vendors of local products, and fairground rides. The local confectionery tradition, with torrone, spumoni, and granitas, remains one of the most vivid memories linked to the Festone and continues to accompany the evenings, along with the community dinner organized under the arches of the main street, which has become one of the event's iconic traditions.
Grottaminarda and the Ufita Valley
Grottaminarda is located in the heart of the Ufita Valley, in a strategic position between Avellino, Benevento, and Puglia, dominated by the ruins of the Castello d'Aquino. It is a territory of cultivated hills, vineyards, and villages that multiply their festivals and patronal feasts in August. The Festone is the largest and most identity-defining event: those visiting inland Campania during this period will find here one of the best opportunities to understand how popular faith, music, and conviviality continue to intertwine in the towns of Irpinia.
Festone — edition 2026
The 2026 Festone in Grottaminarda
The 135th edition of the Festone takes place from August 20th to 24th, 2026, in Grottaminarda, in the province of Avellino, as part of the "Estate Grottese" (Grottaminarda Summer) program launched by the municipal administration together with eleven local associations.
The program alternates, as per tradition, between religious and secular events. Celebrations in honor of the Patron Saints begin on August 16th with the descent of the Saints, while the central weekend is dedicated to the solemn Mass, the blessing of the bearers, and the grand procession through the town streets. On the entertainment side, the Festone Committee has focused on a high-profile musical trio: Clementino, Dj Fargetta, and Le-One, supported by brass band concerts and the final fireworks display.
Programme Festone 2026
Religious Program
- Sunday, August 16th — Holy Mass and descent of the Saints towards the Mother Church, a ritual that officially opens the Festone period.
- Saturday, August 22nd — Blessing of the bearers and handing over of the city keys to Saint Thomas Aquinas.
- Sunday, August 23rd — Solemn Holy Mass presided over by H.E. Bishop Sergio Melillo, followed by the solemn procession through the streets of the center with the statues of the three Saints.
- Monday, August 24th — Translation of the Saints, which closes the cycle of celebrations.
Secular Program
- Thursday, August 20th — «Asstammc a cena sott' l'Arcat», the community dinner along Corso Vittorio Veneto with themed tables under the artistic illuminations.
- Friday, August 21st, 10:00 PM — Concert by Clementino at Piazzale Padre Pio (Piazzale San Pio).
- Saturday, August 22nd — Brass band concert by the "Città di Conversano" band; in the evening, Dj Fargetta at Piazza XVI Marzo and fireworks show.
- Sunday, August 23rd — Brass band concert by the "Città di Francavilla Fontana" band; in the evening, concert by Le-One at Piazza XVI Marzo.
- Monday, August 24th, 10:30 PM — Final fireworks competition with the Senatore, Lieto, and F.lli Romano companies.
Throughout the festival
The program is completed by the «Questua del grano» with the Pacchiana in traditional costume, the "Scatti dal Passato" photo exhibition dedicated to the history of the Festone, DJ set entertainment, artistic illuminations along the center, food stalls, and fairground rides.
Highlights Festone 2026
- 135th edition of the patronal feast, from August 20th to 24th, 2026.
- Concert by Clementino on August 21st at 10:00 PM at Piazzale Padre Pio.
- Dj Fargetta on August 22nd and Le-One on August 23rd at Piazza XVI Marzo.
- Community dinner «Asstammc a cena sott' l'Arcat» on Corso Vittorio Veneto on August 20th.
- Solemn procession on August 23rd with the statues of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Saint Anthony, and Saint Roch.
- Final fireworks competition on August 24th at 10:30 PM featuring Senatore, Lieto, and F.lli Romano.
- Brass band concerts by the "Città di Conversano" and "Città di Francavilla Fontana" bands.
Prices Festone 2026
Practical information — Festone
How to get there
By car: take the Grottaminarda exit on the A16 Naples-Canosa motorway, just a few minutes from the town center. The journey from Naples takes about an hour, and about thirty minutes from Avellino. By train, the reference stations are Avellino or Benevento, with a connection by bus. During the evenings of the Festone, the historic center is closed to traffic: it is advisable to leave your car in the peripheral parking lots and reach the squares on foot.
Where it takes place
Events are concentrated in the center of Grottaminarda: Piazzale Padre Pio for the major concerts, Piazza XVI Marzo for musical evenings and DJ sets, Corso Vittorio Veneto for the dinner under the arches, and the Mother Church and city streets for religious celebrations and the procession.
Tips
Evenings in late August in Irpinia can be cool: a light sweatshirt is useful. For the fireworks competition, it is advisable to arrive well in advance to find a spot along the panoramic route. For accommodation, you can look in Grottaminarda and the nearby towns of the Ufita Valley, such as Ariano Irpino and Mirabella Eclano.
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Where does it take place — Festone
Centro storico, Piazza XVI Marzo e Piazzale Padre Pio