Onion Festival

A festival born from the land of the «cipollari»

The Onion Festival takes place in Aiello-Campomanfoli, two agricultural hamlets in the municipality of Castel San Giorgio, in the province of Salerno, Campania. We are in the Sarno Valley, on the edge of the Agro Nocerino-Sarnese: a fertile plain where onion cultivation has been a family trade for generations, to the point that the local farmers were nicknamed «cipollari» or «cepàri» in the local dialect. The festival was established in 2022 to showcase this agricultural heritage and, in just a few editions, has already become one of the most anticipated summer events in the area.

Four nights centered on a single ingredient

The format is that of a classic village festival, but with a distinct identity: everything revolves around locally grown onions. The food stalls open in the evening, offering a wide menu designed to show how versatile this vegetable can be, often relegated to a supporting role in the kitchen.

• Genovese, the Neapolitan sauce made with meat and onions «slow-cooked» for hours, served over pasta;
• Onion fritters and mini-omelets, among the most popular items on the menu;
• Traditional sauces and side dishes from local rural cuisine;
• Mascuotti, the typical hard bread biscuits of the area, to be soaked and seasoned;
• Desserts, beer, and local wines to round off the evening.

Live music and entertainment

Every night, the festival is accompanied by a musical program featuring mainly bands and artists from Campania: piano bars, folk music groups, comedy shows, and dance nights. Over the years, the stage has hosted names such as Gerardo Amarante and Spaccapaese, La Paranza dell'Agro, Fabio Sarno, Alfonso D'Amora, the Pako Sasso Band, and Nunzio Cuomo. The atmosphere is that of a community celebration: long tables, families, children running between the stalls, and visitors arriving from the neighboring towns of Roccapiemonte, Siano, Mercato San Severino, and Nocera Inferiore.

Where it takes place

After the first edition hosted in the square in front of the SS. Salvatore church, the event moved to the Aiello-Campomanfoli community center, along Via Valesana: a well-equipped area that allows for better management of queues, tables, and the stage. Admission to the festival area is free, and you only pay for what you consume using tickets purchased at the cash desks.

An association-led project

The festival is organized by the A.C. Sport e Eventi association, a local volunteer group that also manages other sports and recreational initiatives in the area, with the patronage of the Municipality of Castel San Giorgio. The organizers have frequently distributed evaluation forms to visitors to collect feedback on the dishes and suggestions for the organization: a detail that speaks volumes about the spirit with which the event is built, year after year.

When to go

The Onion Festival is traditionally held between the end of July and the beginning of August, over four consecutive evenings. It is a great starting point for discovering the rest of the summer calendar in Castel San Giorgio, which culminates on August 16th with the patronal feast of San Rocco, and for exploring a rich gastronomic area, just a stone's throw from the famous Montoro copper onion and the tomatoes of the Agro.