Old-Fashioned Sausage Festival (San Castrese)

A village festival in the heart of the Aurunco region

In San Castrese, a small hamlet in the municipality of Sessa Aurunca in the province of Caserta, summer has a distinct aroma: that of sausage sizzling on the grill on August evenings. The Old-Fashioned Sausage Festival is the event that brings together the village and visitors from neighboring towns every year, in a corner of Campania where the Aurunci hills slope down toward the Garigliano plain.

The event is promoted by the Pro Loco San Castrese, the association that has kept the hamlet's identity alive for decades. This is no manufactured tourist trap; it is a classic Italian village festival, run by volunteers, featuring long outdoor tables, field kitchens, and families taking turns at the stove.

Sausage "the old-fashioned way"

The name of the festival says it all. "The old-fashioned way" refers to the ancient method of preparing sausage, passed down orally in the farming households of the Caserta hinterland: hand-processed pork, seasoned with salt, pepper, and fennel seeds according to family tradition, stuffed, and then slowly cooked over a charcoal grill.

It is a product that tells a specific story—the culture of the pig-rearing tradition that for centuries dictated the calendar of the Apennine and foothill villages: nothing was wasted, everything was preserved, and the sausage was the flavor reserve that accompanied the agricultural year. Bringing that tradition to the town square on an August evening is a way of restoring its collective value.

A tradition with over thirty editions

The festival is not a recent initiative. Local chronicles and the records of the Municipality of Sessa Aurunca document a long history: in 2019, the 33rd edition took place, while in 2023, the Municipality issued a traffic ordinance for the 35th edition, scheduled over two days in August. A journey of over thirty years that places the San Castrese festival among the most stable in the Caserta province's festival scene.

Over the years, the festival has also consolidated its logistics: the Via Castagna area and the hamlet's common spaces are equipped to welcome the public, with municipal measures dedicated to parking and traffic during the event days.

What to expect

• Cuisine managed by Pro Loco volunteers, with sausage as the signature dish
• Open-air dining and evening service, following the classic formula of a Campanian summer festival
• Predominantly local audience, with visitors from the Alto Casertano and lower Lazio municipalities
• Family-friendly atmosphere, suitable for those traveling with children

Those arriving from outside the region will find the less touristy side of Campania here: no crowded coasts, just a community that opens its streets and serves what it does best.

San Castrese and Sessa Aurunca

Sessa Aurunca is one of the largest municipalities in the province of Caserta and includes numerous hamlets scattered between the extinct Roccamonfina volcano and the Domitian coast. The historic center preserves the Romanesque Cathedral with its famous mosaic pulpit, the Ronaco Bridge from the Roman era, and the remains of the ancient theater: a visit to the main town naturally combines with an evening at the festival.

Surrounding the area, the territory offers the olive groves and vineyards of the Aurunca region, the Falerno del Massico DOC wine just a few kilometers away, and the possibility of reaching the beaches of Baia Domizia in a short time. San Castrese, with its intimate size, is the ideal starting point for discovering this still-unexplored northern Campania.

2026 Edition: What we know

As of the writing of this guide, the organization has not yet released the official calendar for the 2026 edition or the evening program. The festival is traditionally held in August, as confirmed by previous editions. Before setting off, it is advisable to check dates and times with the Pro Loco San Castrese or via the notices from the Municipality of Sessa Aurunca.