Fried Pizza Festival and Music Festival

A village celebration in the heart of the Alto Casertano

Between late May and early June, Ruviano — a town of just over 1,700 residents in the province of Caserta, Campania — comes alive for the Fried Pizza Festival, paired with the Music Festival. The nerve center of the event is Piazza Nuova, where food stalls and the concert stage are set up every year: festivities begin in the late afternoon, around 6 PM, and continue late into the night for several consecutive evenings.

This is not your typical one-night fair: the Ruviano formula combines fine food with live music, turning the village into a small, vibrant festival with festive lighting and families gathering in the square after dinner.

Fried pizza, a Ruviano culinary pride

At the heart of it all is the fried pizza, one of the most beloved symbols of Campanian popular cuisine: leavened dough, plunged into boiling oil, and served hot—fragrant on the outside and soft on the inside. The local press describes it as the culinary pride of Ruviano, capable of satisfying even the most demanding palates.

• Frying stations operate continuously throughout the festival.
• Alongside the fried pizza, other local peasant traditions are showcased.
• The service is designed for the square: you eat standing up or at communal tables, between one band and the next.

The Music Festival, a long-standing tradition

The musical component has roots that go back much further than its pairing with the food festival. The Ruviano Music Festival reached its fifteenth edition in 2017, when the event spanned from late April to May 1st with full days of concerts in Piazza Nuova. In its historic editions, the lineup hosted major names from the Campanian and Italian scenes, including Enzo Avitabile and the Bottari, Bandabardò, the Vasco Rossi tribute band Anymore with Alberto Rocchetti, and artists from Made in Sud such as the Arteteca, accompanied by dance nights, karaoke, quizzes, and communal lunches in the square.

In more recent years, the event has shifted to the turn of May and June, adopting the dual identity it is known for today: the food festival as a culinary draw, and the Music Festival as the heart of the entertainment, with a live performance every night.

A world of lights

Among the most recognizable elements of recent editions is the «A world of lights» installation, featuring scenic lighting in the village's iconic spots. The narrow streets and corners of the town become an integral part of the celebration, turning the walk between the stalls into an evening stroll through the historic center.

Organizers

The event is organized by ARCI with the patronage of the Municipality of Ruviano; the 2024 edition was also supported by funds from the European NextGenerationEU program. It is a grassroots event, built by the work of association volunteers and local families, and this is reflected in the atmosphere: affordable prices, genuine hospitality, minimal marketing, and high participation.

Ruviano, a village to discover

Described as a "pearl of the Alto Casertano," Ruviano preserves a medieval layout and maintains a strong rural identity. The village's passion for community celebrations doesn't end in spring: at the end of summer, the town also hosts the Peasant Culture Festival, dedicated to local flavors and folk traditions, featuring Italian and international folk groups.

For those visiting the province of Caserta, the Fried Pizza Festival is a great opportunity to step off the beaten path of the Royal Palace and discover the hinterland: a piece of Campania made of small towns, honest food, and village festivals that have been passed down for decades.

Tips for your visit

• It is best to arrive early in the evening: the fried pizza stations get crowded right after 8 PM.
• Parking is available along the town streets, but on busier nights, you may need to leave your car a bit further away and walk to the square.
• Late May evenings can be cool: a light jacket is recommended.
• Dates and programs are generally announced on the event's social media channels a few weeks before opening.