Handmade Pasta Festival

One of the longest-running festivals in the Monti Dauni

The Handmade Pasta Festival in Castelluccio Valmaggiore, a small town in the Subappennino Dauno in the province of Foggia, is one of the most deeply rooted culinary events of the Apulian summer. Now in its 47th year in 2025, the festival has celebrated the ancient art of handmade pasta for nearly half a century—the heart of the rural cuisine in this corner of the Monti Dauni, bordering Puglia, Campania, and Molise.

Pasta as the queen of the table

The absolute stars are the pastas hand-rolled by the local women: orecchiette with ragù (the traditional "recchjetèlle 'a raù"), cicatelli with beans, and other fresh pasta varieties from the Castelluccio tradition, served alongside meatballs, meat dishes, and local wine. In the afternoon before the main event, workshops on handmade pasta are often held, open to everyone, to rediscover the techniques of rolling and shaping dough at home.

At the foot of the Byzantine Tower

The festival takes place in the historic center of the village, in Piazza della Libertà, at the foot of the evocative Byzantine Tower, which is nearly a thousand years old and serves as the symbol of Castelluccio Valmaggiore. The setting among the village's stone alleys and the illuminated tower gives the festival a unique atmosphere, suspended between medieval history and village conviviality.

Folk music and special guests

The tasting experience is accompanied by musical entertainment featuring ballroom orchestras and traditional folk groups. The 2025 edition hosted Nunzia Caputo, the famous "lady of the orecchiette" from Bari Vecchia, and the music of the Principi del Liscio, highlighting the deep bond between this festival and Apulian gastronomic culture.

A village celebrating all summer long

The Handmade Pasta Festival is part of the rich summer program in Castelluccio, which brings the Municipality of Castelluccio Valmaggiore to life between August and September with parties, excursions in the Monti Dauni, shows, and events like the Pettole Festival. It is a way to showcase the traditions and flavors of one of the most authentic villages in the Province of Foggia and inland Puglia.

The dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been officially announced: the festival is traditionally held in the second half of August.