Fried Pizza Festival and Craft Exhibition

A day of flavor and craftsmanship

The Fried Pizza Festival and Craft Exhibition is the summer event that brings San Pietro Infine to life, a town of just under a thousand inhabitants in the province of Caserta, in Campania. The formula is the tried-and-tested one of the village festivals of the Alto Casertano: a single, intense, and focused day where popular cuisine and artisan work share the same space. On one side, fryers and food stalls; on the other, exhibitor stands showcasing objects, materials, and techniques to the public.

Fried pizza, a symbol of Campanian cuisine

Fried pizza is one of the most iconic dishes of the Campanian popular tradition. Born as a humble dish, prepared with the same dough as pizza but cooked in boiling oil instead of an oven, it has become an emblem of regional street food over the years. In its most classic version, it is stuffed with ricotta, pork cracklings (cicoli), and pepper, or simply with tomato and basil; its puffy, golden crust and molten filling make it a dish to be eaten hot, standing up, while strolling among the stalls. For a community like San Pietro Infine, dedicating a festival to it means bringing domestic knowledge, passed down from generation to generation, back to the center of attention.

Eleven editions of the Craft Exhibition

The second heart of the event is the Craft Exhibition, which reached its eleventh edition in 2026. The exhibition brings together artisans and small local producers, giving visibility to trades and crafts that might otherwise remain confined to workshops. For visitors, it is an opportunity to observe the artisan's craft up close, ask questions, and purchase unique pieces; for exhibitors, it is a chance for direct contact with the public that no online storefront can replace. The multi-year continuity of the exhibition speaks to an event now deeply rooted in the local calendar.

Music and entertainment for all ages

The day is accompanied by music and entertainment, with offerings designed for an intergenerational audience: families with children, groups of friends, and curious visitors from neighboring towns. It is the typical atmosphere of an Italian village festival, where the shared table and the town square matter as much as what is being eaten. The vibe remains intimate and informal, very far from large-scale festivals: visitors can easily meet the organizers and the exhibitors themselves.

San Pietro Infine, a village that is memory

Visiting the festival is also an opportunity to discover a place that occupies a unique position in Italian history. San Pietro Infine, at the foot of Mount Sammucro and a few kilometers from the border with Lazio, was completely destroyed in December 1943 during the fighting that preceded the Battle of Monte Cassino. The old village was not rebuilt: its ruins, left as they were, now form the Park of Historical Memory, featuring a museum set up in an old olive mill and a path of scenic installations. The municipality borders Mignano Monte Lungo, San Vittore del Lazio, and Venafro, in an area of passage between Campania, Lazio, and Molise.

What to expect

• Format: A single-day, open-air event in the town center.
• Gastronomy: Fried pizza as the star, alongside other popular Caserta-style dishes.
• Crafts: Booths from local exhibitors featuring traditional techniques and contemporary creations.
• Audience: Primarily local and from neighboring towns, with a strong family component.
• Period: Late July, in the heart of the Alto Casertano festival season.

For those planning an itinerary in the province of Caserta, the festival is well-suited to be combined with a morning visit to the Park of Historical Memory and a stop in the nearby villages of the Garigliano valley.