Neighbor's Feast

A village-wide dinner

The Neighbor's Feast is the most iconic summer event in Celle di San Vito, the least populated town in Puglia, perched at 726 meters in the Daunian Mountains, in the Province of Foggia. This is no ordinary food festival: it is a massive collective dinner where the entire village transforms into one long, continuous dining table. Each family cooks for their neighbors, and the whole town gathers to eat in the streets, together, under the stars of San Lorenzo.

How it works

The tradition, which began about twenty years ago as a neighborhood gathering and grew into a community-wide event, follows a simple and generous rule. Tables are set up in the small squares and alleys of the historic center, one for each open space, and everyone brings their own dishes to share. Visitors are never left out: there is always an extra seat at the table for a guest. On the most popular evenings, up to seventy people gather to share food, music, and conviviality.

• Date: Traditionally held on August 10th, in the heart of the local summer season
• Location: Streets and squares of the historic center of Celle di San Vito
• What: Community dinner at long tables, with dishes prepared by the residents
• Admission: Open, participatory community event

A Franco-Provençal village

The Neighbor's Feast takes place in a truly unique setting. Celle di San Vito, along with the nearby village of Faeto, forms the only Franco-Provençal linguistic island in Southern Italy, a minority culture officially recognized by the State since 1999. The narrow streets, low stone houses with crocheted curtains, and street signs in the Franco-Provençal language make this corner of the Daunian Mountains a small, unexpected slice of Provence in Puglia. Dining here, elbow-to-elbow with the locals, means stepping for one evening into a community that proudly defends its identity.

Part of the local summer

The dinner is part of the Agosto Cellese program, a calendar of events that brings the village to life during the mid-August period: book presentations, events dedicated to traditional Franco-Provençal flavors, patronal festivities, and concerts that have brought historic names of Italian music to these alleys over the years. However, the Neighbor's Feast remains its most authentic and heartfelt moment, where the town tells its story simply by sitting down to eat.

Why it's worth the trip

In an era where small inland villages risk depopulation, Celle di San Vito responds with its greatest asset: hospitality. The Neighbor's Feast is the perfect opportunity to discover the Daunian Mountains away from mass tourism, taste home-cooked food, and experience a level of hospitality that still feels like a true community.