Gauro Ham Festival

A village festival at the foot of the Picentini Mountains

Gauro is a small village in Montecorvino Rovella, a municipality in the province of Salerno nestled on the lower slopes of the Picentini Mountains, in Campania. For a few evenings in August, this tiny hamlet becomes the gastronomic center of the surrounding area: it is time for the Ham Festival, which reaches its 41st edition in 2026 and remains one of the most deeply rooted popular traditions in the Montecorvino area.

Ham, the absolute star

The festival's theme is clear from its name: ham, served for tasting and prepared in various ways at the food stalls set up in the village. Surrounding this signature product is an array of offerings that draws heavily on the peasant cuisine of the Salerno hinterland, with other local specialties served night after night.

• Ham tastings in various preparations, the heart of the entire event
• Typical specialties of the Montecorvino and Campanian region
• Service at outdoor stalls, with shared tables and a festive village atmosphere
• Evening format, designed for families and groups

Live music every night

The Ham Festival is not just about food: every evening features musical entertainment, entrusted to bands and artists from the Campanian scene. For the 2026 edition, the lineup includes Diadema on Saturday, August 8th, Altrosuono with Antonio Fiorillo on Sunday, August 9th, and the folk group Ascarimè together with Francesco Procopio on Monday, August 10th. Neapolitan songs, tarantellas, and popular repertoires accompany the tastings until late at night.

The Narciso D'Alessio auction

There is a ritual in Gauro that no one misses: the traditional auction conducted by Narciso D'Alessio, scheduled every evening. It is the most theatrical moment of the festival, when hams and products donated by the community are auctioned off to the public amidst bidding, jokes, and applause. More than just a sale, it is a piece of popular theater that defines the village's identity and has marked the festival's evenings for decades.

A festival born from the SS. Salvatore celebrations

The event is promoted by the SS. Salvatore and Sant'Andrea Apostoli Parish and is part of the hamlet's summer celebrations. This origin explains the character of the festival: not a manufactured event, but a community celebration where the committee, volunteers, and families of Gauro cook, serve, and organize. For over forty years, the tradition has repeated itself every August, when those who emigrated return to the village and homes reopen their doors.

Why it's worth the trip

Those who arrive in Gauro will find one of the most authentic festivals in the Picentini area: no artificial scenery, just a hillside village opening its streets, an identity-defining product served without frills, and a square where people sit and linger. Its location, a short distance from Salerno and the Piana del Sele, makes it a convenient stop even for those spending the summer on the coast looking for a different, cooler, and more genuine evening in the hinterland.

The municipality of Montecorvino Rovella is, after all, a land of festivals: the Gauro Ham Festival coexists with other summer gastronomic events in the surrounding hamlets, creating a calendar that touches a different corner of the territory almost every night in August.