Ham Shooting Festival (Ham Shooting Feast)

A tradition born from Cilento brigandage

The Ham Shooting Festival, also known as the Ham Shooting Feast, is one of the most unique re-enactments in Campania. It takes place in Campora, a small mountain town in the province of Salerno nestled in the upper Calore valley, between the Torno and Trenico streams, within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. The festival's origins date back to the second half of the 19th century, an era marked by post-unification brigandage: according to local tradition, the challenge arose from a dispute between brigands—likely belonging to the famous Tardio gang—who, returning from a raid, wanted to determine who was the most skilled marksman in the group. A large ham taken from the loot was the prize, and the ritual has continued ever since.

The competition: one shot, 72 meters

The heart of the event is the shooting competition held at Ponte Scalone, along the provincial road leading from Campora to Piaggine, under which the Torno river flows. The target is placed beyond the bridge at the traditional distance of 72 meters: whoever hits it with a single rifle shot wins the ham. In the past, they shot directly at a ham suspended over the ravine; over the years, the test has been regulated with a target placed at the same historical distance, but the essence remains the same: one cartridge, one chance, under the eyes of a crowd packing the bridge and the embankment.

The brigands' procession

Before the competition begins, the village transforms. In the early afternoon, the brigands' procession sets off: performers in period costumes, complete with rifles, cloaks, and wide-brimmed hats, walk the ancient path that descends toward the competition site. The arrival of the procession is the most atmospheric moment, accompanied by shouts and blank shots that recreate the dynamics of the original legend. It is a popular re-enactment, not a philological one: the inhabitants themselves play the roles of the brigands, and the result is a scene as theatrical as it is authentic.

Bread and ham, food stalls, and music

Once the competition concludes, the festivities move to the village. Bread and ham are offered to attendees, and food stalls offer typical products from the Cilento hinterland: artisanal cured meats, cheeses, handmade fusilli with meat sauce, minestra maritata (wedding soup), and chestnuts. Folk music enlivens the square until evening, in a moment of conviviality that renews the spirit of the tradition and closes the day with the awards ceremony for the shooting winners.

• Where: Ponte Scalone, on the Campora-Piaggine provincial road, and the town center
• When: Two dates in April, the Tuesday after Easter and April 25th
• Organizer: The Pro Loco of Campora with the local community
• Admission: Free for the public

Campora, a village in the Cilento hinterland

Campora has a few hundred inhabitants and is surrounded by beech, chestnut, and oak forests: a territory to explore on foot or on horseback, famous for porcini mushroom picking and rustic country cuisine. Beyond the Ham Shooting, the village calendar is marked by the Feast of Saint Nicholas on December 6th. The village's name derives from the Latin campus, «flat place», and its documented history dates back to the 12th century, when the center controlled the passages between the valleys.

Why it's worth the trip

The Ham Shooting is not a festival manufactured for tourism: it is a village ritual that has survived for nearly two centuries, combining memories of brigandage, shooting skill, and Cilento gastronomic culture. Those arriving in Campora in April will find a village that tells its story without filters, between the sharp sound of a shot echoing in the Torno ravine and the scent of hand-cut ham.