Pasta e Fagioli Festival

A mountain festival in the Alto Casertano

The Pasta e Fagioli Festival takes place in Santa Croce, a hamlet of the municipality of Roccaromana, in the Province of Caserta, in the green heart of inland Campania. The village overlooks the slopes of Monte Maggiore, the massif that separates the Volturno plain from the Matese: a landscape of woods, dry-stone walls, and small villages that come to life in summer thanks to community festivals. The event is organized by the Santa Croce Festival Committee, a group of volunteers who have managed the hamlet's religious and secular celebrations for years.

The star dish: traditional pasta and beans

At the heart of the festival is a humble, identity-defining dish, perhaps the most Neapolitan of all traditional first courses: pasta e fagioli. Here, it is prepared "according to the age-old recipe," using simple, genuine ingredients, cooked in large quantities by volunteers, and served piping hot in steaming bowls under the square's lights. It is more than just a food service; it is a recreation of a domestic ritual, reflecting how farming families once created a complete meal with just a few ingredients.

Alongside the main dish, the stalls offer other local specialties, both sweet and savory, that define the cuisine of this part of the Alto Casertano:

• cured meats and cheeses from the area;
• local wine served on tap;
• homemade desserts prepared by the committee's women;
• stalls selling artisanal products and small handmade souvenirs.

Two evenings of music and conviviality

The festival follows the classic format of Campanian village feasts: eating and dancing. Each evening, a band or artist enlivens the square with free concerts, typically featuring folk music, ballroom dancing, and Latin American rhythms that get even the most reserved guests on their feet. The evening continues late into the night, with local families, vacationers, and visitors from neighboring towns—Pietramelara, Riardo, Baia e Latina, Teano—all sharing the same tables.

A festival for the whole family

The festival is designed to be accessible to everyone: admission is free, you only pay for what you consume, and there are games and activities for children in the event area. It is an appointment that unites those who live in the village year-round with those returning in summer from abroad or from cities in the North, described by the organizers as "a moment of unity, identity, and belonging."

Why it's worth the trip

Visitors arriving from Naples or Caserta will find a different side of Campania here: no coast, no tourist crowds, just a mountain village opening up its squares. The festival is also a great excuse to explore the Monte Maggiore area, with its hiking trails, the ruins of the Roccaromana castle, and the rural hamlets scattered along the road. An evening at the festival and a morning in the mountains make for the perfect mid-June weekend combination.