Parmigiana Festival

Eggplant parmigiana takes center stage in Velina

In the heart of the Cilento region, in mid-August, the village of Velina in the municipality of Castelnuovo Cilento (Salerno province, Campania) dedicates five consecutive evenings to one of the most beloved dishes of Southern Italian cuisine: eggplant parmigiana. The Parmigiana Festival is organized by the Pro Loco of Castelnuovo Cilento and in 2025 it marked its 36th edition, confirming its status as one of the longest-running and most popular gastronomic events in the Alento area.

The covered market, the heart of the festival

The event takes place in the Velina covered market area, a spacious and sheltered venue that transforms into a gastronomic village for the occasion: kitchens and counters on one side, long shared tables on the other, and a stage for live music. The formula is the classic Cilento village festival style: no reservations, no restaurant-style seating. You arrive in the evening, choose at the counter, pay for what you consume, and sit wherever you find a spot, often next to people you don't know. It is precisely this collective atmosphere that makes the festival a meeting point for both locals and tourists vacationing on the Cilento coast.

What to eat

The signature dish is, of course, the parmigiana, prepared according to the traditional recipe with genuine local ingredients, and also offered in creative variations—such as with zucchini or peppers. Alongside it, the evening menu features the great classics of Cilento folk cuisine:

• Traditional eggplant parmigiana and its variations;
• fusilli and cavatelli with tomato sauce, the local homemade pasta;
• roast sausage, roast chicken, and french fries;
• sandwiches with parmigiana, bacon and eggplant, or capocollo and eggplant;
• Cilento wine and craft beer on tap;
• traditional local desserts.

Folk music and festive evenings

Every evening, the festival is accompanied by live music: local bands, cover bands, and folk music and dance performances liven up the area until late at night. Over the years, the event has also hosted the election of Miss Parmigiana Festival, a moment much followed by the local audience. The atmosphere is that of the convivial and lively summer festivals of the South: noisy tables, people dancing in front of the stage, queues at the stalls, and a constant coming and going of families, young people, and vacationers.

A festival that tells the story of Cilento

The choice of parmigiana is no coincidence. Eggplant, tomato, and basil are the foundation of the Cilento peasant garden, and parmigiana is, in many families, the dish for special occasions: the one prepared in large trays the day before, brought to the table on Ferragosto, and eaten cold the next day. Bringing it to the center of a festival means showcasing a food identity, that of the Mediterranean diet of which Cilento is a recognized land of origin. The work is entrusted to the Pro Loco volunteers, who for days slice, fry, and bake industrial quantities of eggplant: this, too, is one of the reasons for the event's success every year.

When it takes place

The event is traditionally held during the week of Ferragosto. The 2025 edition, the 36th, took place from August 14th to 18th, exactly as it had in the previous two years. As of the writing of this guide, the official dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been announced: it is therefore advisable to check the Pro Loco of Castelnuovo Cilento channels and the local press before traveling.

In the surroundings

Velina is just a few minutes from the coast and the main centers of Cilento: Vallo della Lucania, Casal Velino, Ascea with the archaeological site of Velia, and the beaches of lower Cilento. All around lies the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which offers trails, hilltop villages, and sanctuaries within a short distance. A stay of a few days allows you to combine sea, archaeology, and village festivals, which follow one another almost every evening in a different municipality in August.