Grape Harvest Festival

The Grape Harvest Festival in Massa di Vallo della Lucania

In early October, the village of Massa, in the municipality of Vallo della Lucania (Salerno province, Campania), dedicates an evening to the conclusion of the grape harvest. The Grape Harvest Festival is a relatively new event—the first edition took place on October 5, 2024—but it is rooted in an ancient tradition that has defined autumn for generations of Cilento families.

A stone village in the heart of Cilento

Massa retains the classic layout of central Cilento villages: historic houses built from local stone, narrow alleys, and underpasses that open onto small squares. The village is documented as far back as the 13th-century Angevin Registers and houses the church of Maria SS. della Vittoria, built in 1588 to commemorate the Battle of Lepanto, as well as a 16th-century Capuchin convent with its adjoining church of the Madonna di Lourdes. It is in this setting, among stone steps and small piazzas, that the festival stalls are set up.

What to eat

The format is that of a traditional village fair, without frills: food stalls open in the evening, serving the most iconic dishes of popular Cilento cuisine.

• Pizza a portafoglio, folded and eaten on the go;
• Sausage sandwiches, grilled over an open flame;
• Caciocavallo impiccato, hung over the fire and served melting on bread;
• Homemade desserts, prepared by local families;
• Local wine, produced in the vineyards surrounding the village.

The harvest in Cilento memory

In Cilento, the harvest—the «viligna»—was never just work. It usually took place in September and was primarily the task of women, who would wear their best clothes for the occasion, singing «cilindrane» (call-and-response songs) while cutting the grape clusters. This was followed by pressing, fermentation, and racking, with the new wine tasted around mid-November. With the gradual disappearance of small family vineyards, this rural ritual has faded; festivals like this one help ensure it is not forgotten entirely.

When it takes place

The first two editions were held on a Saturday in early October: October 5, 2024, and October 4, 2025, with stalls opening in the early evening. The date for 2026 has not yet been announced; as it is an autumn event, the announcement is usually made a few weeks in advance via the organizing committee's social media channels and local Cilento event pages.

Why it's worth visiting

This is a small festival, designed primarily for the local community, which is exactly why it offers an authentic glimpse of inland Cilento: the area behind the beaches of Palinuro and Acciaroli, characterized by simple stalls, communal tables, house wine, and the feeling of being a guest rather than a tourist. Vallo della Lucania, the administrative hub of the area and home to the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, is just a few minutes away by car, making it easy to combine the evening with a stroll through its historic center.