Mulinìa - Cilento Beer and Flavors Festival

A beer festival among the ancient mills of Cilento

Mulinìa is a craft beer and local food festival that brings the small hamlet of San Nazario to life every summer. Located in the municipality of San Mauro la Bruca, in the heart of the Cilento region within the province of Salerno (Campania), the event takes its name from the water mills that once defined life in the valley. Today, these can be reached via the Sentiero dei Mulini (Mill Trail); it is from this heritage that the idea for a festival combining beer, local food, and live music under the August sky was born.

This is no distant, corporate affair: Mulinìa is a young, grassroots event that has grown with every edition to become one of the most anticipated summer gatherings in the area, cherished by both year-round residents and those returning to the village for their holidays.

San Nazario: the village that lights up in August

San Nazario is a tiny hamlet of stone houses, narrow alleys, and small squares that transform into natural open-air venues during the summer. The festival is spread across these spaces, which remain quiet for the rest of the year. This is a deliberate choice by the organizers: using the event as a tool to revitalize the village and its water-rich landscape—the mills and the stream—in a territory that falls within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park.

Visitors from outside the area discover a side of Cilento far removed from the typical beach scene: although we are just a few kilometers from the sea in Ascea, Pisciotta, and Palinuro, the atmosphere here is that of the hinterland—slower, more authentic, and deeply rooted.

What to drink and eat

The gastronomic heart of the festival is its craft beer selection, paired with a menu that focuses on local products and traditional Cilento recipes. The food stalls open in the early evening and stay active until late, offering dishes designed to celebrate local raw materials and the farm-to-table concept.

• Selection of craft beers on tap
• Cilento cuisine dishes prepared with local ingredients
• Food stalls open from evening until late at night
• Convivial, open-air format, suitable for families

Music: folk, Mediterranean sounds, and DJ sets

Alongside the food and drink, Mulinìa curates a musical program each year that favors folk music and Mediterranean sounds, featuring bands that draw from the repertoire of the South and Cilento culture. Each evening features a live concert; late at night, the stage gives way to DJ sets, turning the square into a dance floor.

It is a winning balance: tarantellas and traditional rhythms for the first part of the evening, and dance music for those who want to stay late.

Who organizes the festival

Mulinìa is promoted by the Associazione Giovento, a local group active in San Mauro la Bruca dedicated to promoting the gastronomy, culture, and traditions of Cilento. The association also organizes other summer events in the area, such as the Cilento aperitif held in the Badia locality along the stream: a small circuit of events that, throughout the summer, works to keep the social life of this inland village vibrant.

When it takes place

The traditional date is mid-August, in the days immediately following Ferragosto. In 2025, the festival took place from August 16th to 18th over three evenings. The dates for the new edition are usually announced shortly before the summer via the association's social media channels and the local Cilento press.