Fusillo and Rabbit Festival

A Ferragosto festival between Irpinia and the Caudine Valley

The Fusillo and Rabbit Festival is the signature summer event in Zolli, a small village within the municipality of Roccabascerana, in the province of Avellino. Located in the heart of the Campania hinterland, where Irpinia meets the Caudine Valley and the Sannio region of Benevento, the festival traditionally takes place around Ferragosto (mid-August). During this time, the village homes fill with those returning for the holidays, and the main square becomes the hub of community life. In 2025, the festival celebrated its 37th edition, a longevity that makes it one of the most historic events in this part of the province.

The heart of the festivities is Piazza Michele Imbriani in the center of Zolli, where food stalls, a stage, and long communal tables are set up, extending the party into the surrounding streets until late at night.

Handmade fusilli and rabbit

The two main protagonists give the festival its name. The Irpinian fusillo is a fresh semolina pasta, hand-rolled one by one around a thin metal rod to create its signature central hole—a patient, time-consuming process that keeps the village women and volunteers busy in the days leading up to the event. The rabbit, cooked according to traditional home recipes, completes the main course, reflecting a rural culinary heritage based on home-reared livestock, local herbs, and slow cooking.

Alongside traditional dishes, the festival evenings offer popular street food: sandwiches, montanare (fried pizza dough), French fries, caciocavallo impiccato (melted cheese), draft beer, and sangria. Everything is served outdoors with the typical rhythm of a village fair: eat, mingle, dance, and return to the table.

Live music and performances in the square

The festival is more than just food. Each year, the culinary offerings are paired with a live music program that ranges from dance orchestras and folk music to tammurriata and modern disco. There is no shortage of entertainment: recent editions have featured street performers—jugglers, fire-eaters, and stilt-walkers—as well as comedians, such as the Arteteca duo, famous from the show «Made in Sud», who performed on the Zolli stage in 2024.

In 2025, the two-night event featured distinct themes: August 13th was a dance party led by the Follemente Disco collective, while August 14th focused on the traditional festival with the Azzurro show orchestra.

Organizers

The event is managed by the Associazione Zolli Mia APS, a group of local volunteers who organize the summer gathering, overseeing the kitchen, logistics, and artistic program. As with many Irpinian festivals, the entire operation relies on the voluntary work of the residents, which is exactly what creates the friendly, non-commercial atmosphere of the event.

Roccabascerana, a land of festivals

Roccabascerana is a small agricultural municipality of about 2,300 inhabitants, nestled between the provinces of Avellino and Benevento. It features oak and poplar forests, vineyards, orchards, and a strong dairy tradition centered on scamorza and caciocavallo cheeses. The town preserves the church of Santi Giorgio e Leonardo, rebuilt after the 1688 earthquake and consecrated in 1694, the Baronial Palace of the D'Aquino family, and the ruins of a medieval tower on a rocky spur above the town.

The municipal summer calendar is particularly rich: in addition to the Zolli festival, the village of Squillani hosts the Meatball and Cucchiulelle Festival in August, while the Laganelle and Chickpea Festival is held at another time of year. For those visiting Irpinia, the Zolli festival is a great opportunity to experience a territory still untouched by mass tourism, where the village fair is not a tourist reconstruction but a genuine community ritual.

When and how

The event usually falls on August 13th and 14th, starting in the evening around 8:30 PM. Entry to the festival area is free; you only pay for what you consume at the stalls, at the usual popular prices of village festivals. Dates and programs for each edition are announced in the weeks prior on the festival's Facebook page.