Melizzano Trunk Fair

A market born from the car trunk

The Trunk Fair is based on a simple idea, borrowed from Anglo-Saxon car boot sales: there are no stalls to set up, because the car itself is the stall. Exhibitors park along the designated streets, open their trunks wide, and display what they have brought. The result is an informal and curious second-hand market, where you can wander from one tailgate to the next without knowing what you might find.

Melizzano, the village where it all began

The event was born right here in Melizzano, a small town in the Province of Benevento, in Campania, overlooking the Telesina Valley. The association that bears the fair's name still has its headquarters here on Via Laurito, and the first editions were held here: the fair's first birthday was celebrated in the village on September 1st, 2024. In Melizzano, the route winds through the historic center, starting from Via Tiglio or Piazza Municipio, with its heart in Piazza Tiglio, which transforms for a day into an open-air museum of discarded and rediscovered objects.

What you can find in the trunks

• Vintage and second-hand clothing, accessories, and bags;
• Rare books, comics, vinyl records, and collectibles;
• Antique toys, board games, and curiosities for collectors;
• Small restored furniture, home decor, and household items;
• Crafts and creative recycling projects;
• Typical products from the Sannio territory.

More than just buying and selling

Those who arrive without the intention of buying will still find plenty to fill their day. The Melizzano editions have featured creative workshops, live music, and food stalls dedicated to home-style cooking—the kind "our grandmothers" made, with recipes passed down through families in the Sannio region. The long hours—in 2025, the May event ran from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM—mean the fair changes its face from morning to evening, when the center lights up and the atmosphere becomes that of a village festival.

A traveling fair between Sannio and Irpinia

After the first editions in Melizzano, the format hit the road and became itinerant: each stop is hosted by a different village, involving local municipalities and Pro Loco associations. In 2025, the calendar touched Solopaca, Rocca San Felice, Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, San Giorgio del Sannio, Melizzano, and Apice Vecchia, moving between the Sannio and Irpinia regions; in 2026, the tour continued with events in places like Fontanavecchia di Faicchio, Gesualdo, and Pontelandolfo. The event is held under the patronage of the Campania Region and the Province of Benevento and combines the sale of second-hand goods with a stated goal of rediscovering villages and promoting local tourism.

How to become an exhibitor

Participation as a seller is free but reserved for members of the Trunk Fair Association: you must fill out the application form downloadable from the official website and pay the membership fee, set by the organizers at 30.00 euros. You don't need to be a professional merchant: the fair is designed for private exhibitors who want to give a second life to what they no longer use. For visitors, however, admission is always free.

Why it's worth the trip

The Trunk Fair is one of those events that is worth visiting more for how it is done than for what is sold. You go to rummage, haggle, chat with the person behind the tailgate, and in the meantime, you visit a village you might never have passed through otherwise. In Melizzano, where it all began, this double pleasure—the rediscovered object and the discovered village—remains more evident than anywhere else.