Handmade Pasta Festival

Three evenings dedicated to handmade pasta

The Handmade Pasta Festival is one of the longest-running gastronomic celebrations in inland Cilento. In 2026, it reached its twentieth edition, taking place from Friday, July 24th to Sunday, July 26th, in the elementary school square of Omignano Scalo, a hamlet in the municipality of Omignano, in the province of Salerno (Campania). For three nights, the square transforms into a large open-air kitchen, with tables set under the lights, stalls managed by the Pro Loco, and live music playing until late.

Cavatelli, fusilli, and ravioli: the traditional menu

The heart of the festival is the hand-worked pasta, still prepared today following the traditional techniques of Cilento's rural kitchens. The menu features:

• cavatelli, fusilli, and ravioli with tomato sauce, the historic shapes of local tradition;
• fusilli with castrato sauce, the festival's signature dish;
• mixed grilled meats;
• genuine local wine, served at the tables with the dishes.

Cilento-style fusilli are made by rolling the dough around a thin iron rod: a slow, rhythmic gesture passed down through generations in Cilento households, which returns here every evening as the star of the show—it is precisely this artisanal process that gives the festival its name.

The 2026 musical lineup

Each evening featured a live performance. On Friday, July 24th, ViceVersa Sound took the stage; Saturday, July 25th was the turn of Manuel Scarpitta & FolkBand; and Sunday, July 26th concluded with Barracca Republic, followed by a DJ set that kept the party going until late at night. The musical selection favors folk and popular repertoires, which are highly beloved in Cilento festivals, where eating and dancing happen in the same space.

Omignano Scalo, the village born around the station

Omignano Scalo is now the most populous center of the municipality of Omignano. It developed starting in 1887, the year the railway station was inaugurated, thanks to its favorable position between the State Road 18 and the Alento river. The historic core of Omignano is located higher up, on the slopes of Monte Stella, the symbolic mountain of ancient Cilento, on whose summit, at 1131 meters, stands the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Stella. The municipality, documented as early as 1047 during the Lombard era and becoming an autonomous municipality in 1848, has just over 1600 inhabitants.

A festival built by the Pro Loco

The organization is entirely entrusted to the Pro Loco Omignano Scalo, which mobilizes local volunteers every year for pasta preparation, table service, and setting up the square. This is a very common festival model in Campania and particularly in Cilento: small towns that, thanks to the work of their inhabitants, manage to attract visitors from all over the province of Salerno for a few summer evenings. The continuity of the event, now in its twentieth year, speaks volumes about the community's attachment to this tradition.

Tips for your visit

• Stalls open in the evening, roughly from 9:00 PM: it is best to arrive early, as the most popular dishes sell out quickly.
• The festival is held outdoors: in case of bad weather, the program may change, so it is best to check the Pro Loco's social media channels.
• Omignano Scalo is located a few kilometers from the Cilento coast and a short distance from Vallo della Lucania: an evening at the festival can easily be combined with a day at the beach or a visit to the villages of Monte Stella.
• At the end of July, there are numerous popular festivals in the area: it is the best time for a gastronomic itinerary through the villages of ancient Cilento.