Massa di Faicchio Food and Wine Festival

Bidding farewell to summer in Massa di Faicchio

Every year, in mid-September, the hamlet of Massa—a small village in the municipality of Faicchio, in the Province of Benevento, Campania—transforms into a large open-air dining room for three evenings. The Food and Wine Festival, organized by the Pro Loco Massa di Faicchio, began as an end-of-summer celebration and has consistently maintained that spirit: for years, official communications have presented it as a "farewell to summer," the final convivial gathering before the countryside at the foot of the Matese mountains returns to the rhythms of autumn. It is a village festival in the truest sense of the word: run by volunteers, built on local family recipes, and free from grand stages or the pretenses of a major event.

Massese specialties: the true reason for the journey

The heart of the event is the food. The food stalls offer dishes rarely found elsewhere, passed down through the village homes and brought to the table every September by the Pro Loco. The names are in the local dialect and are worth the trip alone:

• Pallottl — potato-based meatballs, the festival's most iconic dish;
• Carne e p'paur — pork cooked with peppers;
• P'parul 'mbuttit — stuffed peppers;
• Scarrafun — rustic pasta from the Massese tradition;
• Tagliaregl' e cic'r — tagliolini with chickpeas;
• Tripe, grilled meats, and bruschetta topped with local extra virgin olive oil.

This is not a menu designed for tourists: it is the repertoire of an agricultural community, which is evident in the simplicity of the portions and the care taken by the volunteers who prepare them.

The Three Barrels Fountain

The symbol of the festival is the Fontana delle Tre Botti (Three Barrels Fountain), a stone fountain with three barrels donated by the Pro Loco to the village. During the festival evenings, instead of water, Massa wine flows from it, which visitors can drink directly from the fountain. It is the image most often associated with the festival in the local press and the moment when the celebration becomes truly collective, with groups of people stopping to chat, glass in hand.

Cellars carved into the tuff

Another unique feature of Massa is the cellars carved into the tuff beneath the village houses, which open for tastings during the festival nights. Here, you can sample local wines alongside dishes from the stalls, in cool, naturally humid environments that have served as pantries and winemaking spaces for generations. Wandering through the narrow village streets from one cellar to the next is, in fact, the best way to experience the festival.

Folk music and the rhythm of the evenings

The format of the three evenings is well-established: stalls and cellars open around 8:30 PM and live music starts around 9:00 PM. In past editions, groups have alternated between traditional Campanian folk music—tammurriate and drums—and cover bands playing Italian and international pop music. It is local square entertainment, designed to accompany dinner and get people dancing, rather than a concert lineup.

Faicchio, the Sannio, and the Matese

Faicchio is located in the northwestern part of the Province of Benevento, between the Titerno Valley and the Campanian side of the Matese massif, in an area of the Sannio known for its wine and oil. Massa is one of its hillside hamlets: few inhabitants, a network of stone houses, and a strong sense of belonging, which the September festival showcases without filters. For those visiting inland Campania, it is a useful opportunity to understand the difference between the more famous coastal cuisine and the rustic cooking of the Benevento hinterland.

The 2026 edition

At the time of writing, the Pro Loco Massa di Faicchio has not yet released the dates for the next edition. However, the event is historically stable in the second half of September, spanning three consecutive evenings. Those wishing to plan ahead can follow the Pro Loco channels, where the program is usually published a few weeks in advance.