Golfo Beer Festival

A craft beer festival overlooking the Gulf of Policastro

The Golfo Beer Festival is an event dedicated to craft beer that brings the historic center of Policastro Bussentino to life. This seaside village is part of the Municipality of Santa Marina, in the Province of Salerno, located in the southernmost part of the Cilento region in Campania. The format follows the tradition of Southern Italian street festivals: craft beer taps, food stalls, local specialties, and live music, all held outdoors just a short walk from the Gulf of Policastro.

The ancient village as a stage

The choice of the historic center is no coincidence. Policastro Bussentino preserves the layout of the old village clustered around the cathedral, with narrow alleys, small squares, and stairways that naturally transform into the rooms of a large, widespread party. Walking from one tap point to another, you traverse a settlement with roots in the ancient Greek Pyxous and later the Roman Buxentum—a setting that gives the evening a distinct atmosphere compared to more conventional beer festival tents.

What to expect at the event

• Craft beer on tap, featuring selections from independent producers
• Food stalls with street food and pairings designed for beer
• Local products from the Cilento and Gulf of Policastro area
• Live music in the squares and spaces of the village
• An open-air route through the historic center, with a lively village-fair atmosphere

From the first edition in 2018 to today

The first edition of the Golfo Beer Festival dates back to 2018 and was met with curiosity by the local Cilento press, which covered its debut as a new addition to the Gulf's late summer and early autumn calendar. The event was later brought back with a second edition, announced once again in the historic center and preceded by a three-day preview featuring food stalls, local products, live music, and craft beer. It is a young event that has grown gradually, driven by the initiative of local associations.

Craft beer and Cilento cuisine

Cilento is not just a land of textbook Mediterranean diets: in recent years, craft beer has found its place here alongside Cilento DOC wines, and several coastal festivals have begun pairing independent Campanian breweries with local products. At the Golfo Beer Festival, this encounter translates into simple, direct pairings: fried seafood, sandwiches with local meats and cheeses, cured meats, and Bussento specialties, accompanied by light, amber, and more complex beer styles.

One more reason to stop in Santa Marina

The Municipality of Santa Marina includes the hilltop town of the same name and the coastal village of Policastro Bussentino, overlooking one of the most beautiful inlets on the Tyrrhenian Sea, between the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park and the border with Basilicata. Festival-goers can easily combine the evening with a day at the beach, a hike along the Bussento river, or a visit to nearby villages like Sapri, Ispani, and Vibonati.

2026 Edition: information yet to be confirmed

As of the writing of this guide, the official dates for the 2026 edition have not been confirmed by institutional sources or the organizers. There are rumors of a three-day preview (the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd) in the historic center of Policastro Bussentino, but the month and year cannot be verified with certainty. Before planning your trip, it is advisable to check the dates with the Municipality of Santa Marina or local associations, and to consult the event's social media channels as soon as the program is published.