Forni in Festa

A village that rekindles its ovens

Forni in Festa is the summer festival of Prignano Cilento, a small town of just over a thousand inhabitants in the province of Salerno, in the heart of the Cilento region. The idea behind the event is simple yet highly effective: for two evenings, the town's wood-fired ovens—which for generations have baked bread, pizza, and vegetable bakes for local families—are fired up once more to become the centerpiece of a community celebration. Though only a few years old, the festival has become one of the most anticipated events of the Prignano summer.

The Rione San Giuseppe, the heart of the event

The stage for the festival is the Rione San Giuseppe, one of the town's historic districts. For the occasion, the alleys, courtyards, and small squares of the district turn into an open-air gastronomic itinerary: visitors walk from one station to the next, tasting local specialties and stopping to chat on doorsteps. It is a format that favors a neighborhood atmosphere over a single large food stand, offering visitors an authentic glimpse of a Cilento village in celebration.

The flavors of Cilento cuisine

The menu revolves entirely around traditional Cilento peasant recipes, passed down through generations and prepared using time-honored methods. Dishes featured in various editions include:

• Pasta e patane 'nturtiera, a pasta and potato bake cooked in a wood-fired oven
• Cavatielli al sugo, fresh handmade pasta
• Ciambotta, a savory seasonal vegetable medley
• Cilento-style pizza baked in a wood-fired oven
• 'U puparuolo 'mbuttunato and mulignana 'mbuttunata, stuffed peppers and eggplants
• Freselloni with tomato and oregano, simple and fragrant
• Traditional local desserts

These are the very ingredients that made the Mediterranean Diet famous, which originated right here between Pioppi and the Alento valley: extra virgin olive oil, garden vegetables, wheat, tomatoes, and aromatic herbs.

Folk music and dancing until late

Each evening is accompanied by concerts of folk music from Cilento and Campania: tammurriate, tarantellas, and traditional songs that often turn into spontaneous dancing in the district's squares, continuing until late at night. The decision to focus on groups dedicated to researching and sharing the traditional repertoire of Southern Italy strengthens the festival's identity, making it as much a cultural event as a culinary one.

Who organizes it

The event is promoted by the Pro Loco Prignano Cilento with the patronage of the Municipality of Prignano Cilento. Forni in Festa is part of a broader summer calendar created by the Pro Loco, which throughout the season also offers open-air theater evenings, the patronal feast, children's events, and other local food festivals.

Prignano Cilento, between the Alento and the National Park

Prignano Cilento stands at an altitude of about 415 meters, including the hamlets of Melito and San Giuliano, within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The town is located a short distance from the coast and the archaeological sites of Velia and Paestum: attending Forni in Festa is therefore the perfect opportunity to discover an inland area that many visitors to Campania pass through without stopping, and to understand how deeply the cuisine of this region is tied to the land.

When it takes place

The festival is held in the summer, between the first half of July and the beginning of August, depending on the year: in 2026, the event was scheduled for July 3rd and 4th, while in 2025 it took place on July 26th and 27th. Exact dates and the program are announced by the Pro Loco on their social media channels a few weeks before the event.