Mountain Festival

A festival that climbs to the heights

The Mountain Festival is one of the most characteristic events of the summer in Chiusano di San Domenico, a small town in the Province of Avellino, Campania, nestled at an altitude of about 700 meters on the slopes of Monte Tuoro. The event is not confined to the village square: it literally climbs to the heights, as its protagonists are the trails of Monte Tuoro and Monte Luceto, winding through beech and chestnut forests that overlook the middle Calore Valley.

Hiking, tastings, and music

The festival's formula is repeated year after year, combining three simple ingredients: a series of hikes along the mountain trails of Chiusano, tastings of typical local products, and music to accompany the day. It is a popular and accessible format, designed both for experienced hikers and for families who want to spend a few hours in the open air without tackling demanding routes. The result is a day of community where the village moves up to its mountain.

In the heart of the Monti Picentini Regional Park

The territory of Chiusano is part of the Monti Picentini Regional Park and is recognized as a Site of Community Importance. Monte Tuoro reaches 1,432 meters and offers a view that, on clear days, stretches far; all around are places dear to Irpinian hikers, such as the Vena dei Corvi, the Piano Sant'Agata spring, the Monte Luceto spring, and the ridges of Carvarosa and Toppo del Monaco. The forest of beech and chestnut trees is not just a backdrop: it is the very reason for the festival, which was born as a celebration of the bond between the village and its mountain.

The flavors of the Chiusano mountains

The tastings showcase a high-altitude gastronomy that is robust and rooted in pastoral traditions and the forest. Among the excellences of the municipal territory and Irpinia are:

• Caciocavallo Podolico and Caciocavallo Silano PDO;
• Serino Chestnut PGI, the queen of local chestnut groves;
• Tabacchini Beans and Iurmano Bread, traditional agri-food products;
• Podolica beef and Irpinian cured meats;
• Acacia, chestnut, sulla, and wildflower honeys.

Part of the municipal summer program

The Mountain Festival is not an isolated event: it is part of the summer program that the Municipality of Chiusano di San Domenico organizes every year with the Department of Culture and Entertainment and the local Pro Loco. In the 2025 edition, titled "The Return (R)estate in Chiusano" and running from July 2 to September 20, the Mountain Festival was placed at the end of August, following events like the Beer and Podolico Festival and musical evenings in the square. Visitors arriving in the village during those days find a rich calendar of sports, tradition, gastronomy, and music.

Chiusano di San Domenico, beyond the festival

The village is worth a visit even outside the event. In the old town, you can find 17th-century noble palaces, such as Palazzo Carafa and Palazzo Buono, the Confraternity of the Rosary, and the church of Santa Maria degli Angeli; higher up, the church of San Domenico crowns the town with its panorama, while not far away are the ruins of the medieval castle. Nestled in the chestnut groves is the hermitage of Santa Maria della Valle. The patron saint of the town is Saint Michael the Archangel, and the traditional local calendar also includes the "Capture of the Bear," a carnival ritual that takes place on February 2.

When it takes place

The Mountain Festival is traditionally an August event: provincial tourist guides place it in the first days of the month, while in 2025 the Municipality scheduled it for Saturday, August 30, as the concluding event of the Chiusano summer. For the 2026 edition, the date has not yet been announced: it is advisable to check the municipal summer calendar, which is usually published between June and July.