Millenaria Fiera di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria

A tradition renewed since the Middle Ages

The Millenaria Fiera di Santa Caterina d'Alessandria is the most anticipated autumn event in Montecalvo Irpino, a village in the Irpinia region of Avellino, in the heart of inland Campania. Its origins date back to the Middle Ages: as early as the 13th century, a hospital named after Saint Catherine of Alexandria existed within the town walls. The cult of the saint likely arrived in Irpinia with pilgrims and crusaders returning from the Holy Land, where they had encountered hospitals dedicated to her. The Knights of Malta were initially in charge of managing the fair; in 1518, the task passed to the Augustinians, who formally committed to keeping the tradition alive, and later to the Franciscans.

For centuries, the fair was held on November 25th, the saint's feast day, and was later moved to November 21st to avoid overlapping with the major fair in Foggia. Originally held in Piazza Vecchia, next to the ancient church, it was moved to the Piano—a larger space capable of accommodating merchants, livestock, and visitors from neighboring towns—as business grew. Today, the event takes place over a weekend in mid-November, yet it retains its character as a great village fair: a ritual that, as they say around here, has been renewing itself since the 1300s.

Over a hundred stalls featuring local products and crafts

The heart of the event remains the market. More than a hundred exhibitors occupy Corso Vittorio Emanuele and the streets of the historic center, transforming the village into a long path of stalls to be explored on foot, at a leisurely pace, from early morning until evening. It is a generalist fair in the oldest sense of the term, the kind where one used to buy everything needed for the winter.

• Typical Irpinian products: cheeses, cured meats, chestnuts, honey, preserves, and new wine
• Local handicrafts and traditional trades of the Ufita Valley
• Agricultural equipment, tools, hardware, and household goods
• Clothing, footwear, and workwear for the fields

The farmers' market and Ravece oil

Alongside the traditional stalls, the fair features a farmers' market set up in Piazza Vittoria, where local producers sell their excellent zero-mile products directly. Among these, the Ravece extra virgin olive oil stands out—a cultivar that is a symbol of eastern Irpinia and the star of tastings promoted in collaboration with the agricultural department: bread and Ravece oil have always been the simplest and most authentic way to tell the story of this land.

Food and music area, illuminations, and families

The evening portion of the fair is concentrated in the food and music area set up at the "N. Pappano" complex, featuring local cuisine, live music, and performances. In recent years, the event has also taken on the role of a symbolic opening to the Christmas season: during the weekend, Christmas lights are switched on throughout the village, and the Municipality hosts the "Imagine and Illuminate Christmas" contest, which rewards the most beautiful displays created by citizens.

There is no shortage of activities for children, with inflatables and entertainment in Piazza Vittoria, and street food events accompanying the two days. Admission is free: you can stroll, taste, shop, and meet half of Irpinia.

Montecalvo Irpino and the Ufita Valley

Montecalvo Irpino stands on a ridge at an altitude of about 600 meters, between the Miscano Valley and the Ufita Valley, in an area of ancient sheep tracks and transit between Campania and Puglia. It is this pivotal position that made the fair a true commercial hub between the two sides of the Apennines for centuries. The village preserves a medieval historic center, the Sanctuary of the Madonna dell'Abbondanza, and the memory of Pompilio Maria Pirrotti, a saint from Montecalvo.

Visiting the fair is therefore also an opportunity to discover an Irpinian village far from mass tourism circuits, during a time of year when the countryside smells of chestnuts, new oil, and firewood. The Municipality of Montecalvo Irpino organizes and coordinates the event, which remains one of the most deeply felt identity-defining events in the province of Avellino.

When it takes place

The fair is traditionally held on a weekend in November, near the feast of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The 2024 edition took place on November 16th and 17th, and the 2025 edition on November 15th and 16th. The dates for the next edition are usually published by the Municipality and on the official Facebook page in the preceding weeks.