Gauro Mortadella Festival

A young festival in the heart of the Picentini Mountains

The Mortadella Festival takes place in Gauro, a hillside hamlet in the municipality of Montecorvino Rovella, in the province of Salerno, nestled in the heart of the Picentini Mountains. It is a recent event: the third edition was held in July 2025, following the September 2024 debut, and it has quickly carved out a significant spot in the Campania festival calendar. The village, accustomed for over forty years to the historic Prosciutto Festival, has thus added a second gastronomic event, younger in spirit and offerings.

Mortadella as the star, from sandwiches to gelato

There is only one common thread: mortadella, served in every possible way at the stalls set up along the village streets. In past editions, the culinary journey has featured:

• the mortadella and pistachio cream sandwich, now the symbol of the festival;
• rosetta bread with crusco pepper and pistachio focaccia;
• pizza with mortadella and pistachio and hot dogs;
• caciocavallo impiccato (hanging cheese) served with wild boar mortadella and truffle;
• skewers with buffalo mozzarella pearls and grilled mortadella;
• to finish, zeppole, pistachio muffins, and even pecorino and mortadella gelato;
• draft beer and refreshing drinks to accompany every bite.

Live music every evening

Each evening is accompanied by a live performance on an outdoor stage. In 2025, the lineup included Diadema, NaltroSound, Totore e la Band degli Onesti, and singer Leo Ferrucci; in 2024, the stage hosted Diadema, Roberto Grieco, and the Ms. No Money Band, with a DJ set by Antonio Flagello and entertainment by Pippo and Fabio. The format alternates between cover bands, traditional Campanian music, and well-known Neapolitan singers, maintaining the atmosphere of a local village feast rather than a formal concert.

Markets, games, and family-friendly fun

Alongside the food stalls, there are artisan markets and an area dedicated to children: the "Giochi Gaurici" (Gauro Games) have enlivened the afternoons of past editions with activities for children aged 3 to 16, typically from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. It is a festival designed for families, with hours that allow visitors to arrive early, stroll through the alleys, and stay until late in the evening.

Gauro and Montecorvino Rovella

Montecorvino Rovella is a hillside town in Campania overlooking the Sele Plain, about twenty kilometers from Salerno. Gauro is one of its most characteristic hamlets, nestled among olive groves and chestnut woods: narrow streets, courtyards, and small squares that transform into a single tasting trail during the festival. The local butchery tradition, linked to pork processing and the curing of cold cuts, is the natural context in which this event was born, acting as the younger sibling to the more established Prosciutto Festival held in the same village.

The 2026 edition

At the time of writing, the official dates for the 2026 edition of the Mortadella Festival have not been announced. The event was held in July in 2025 and in September in 2024, so the timing is not yet fixed. It is advisable to follow the organizers' social media channels and pages dedicated to Montecorvino Rovella events to learn about dates and programs as soon as they are announced.