Peasant Flavors Festival
Five evenings of traditional rustic cuisine, music, and community gatherings in Costa di Mercato San Severino
About Peasant Flavors
A festival born from the Environmental Festival
The Peasant Flavors Festival is the 2026 summer newcomer in Costa, a village within the Municipality of Mercato San Severino, in the province of Salerno, Campania. The inaugural edition took place from July 22 to 26, 2026, in the San Luigi Gonzaga square. It was created by splitting the long-standing Environmental Festival, which has enlivened the village for nearly twenty years: this festival focuses on country flavors, while the second part remains scheduled for August with the traditional Lasagna and Costesi Meatballs Festival, held from the 19th to the 23rd.
Rustic cuisine of the Salerno hinterland
The menu is intentionally different from other local food events: no postcard-perfect dishes, but the genuine peasant cooking once found in the valley's homes. Stalls open in the late evening, around 8:30 PM, offering:
- rigatoni with mutton sauce, the festival's signature dish;
- ox tongue sandwiches, stewed tripe, beef soffritto, and spleen;
- “farmhouse” meatballs and lamb skewers;
- for less adventurous palates, pasta alla Norma with eggplant, ’o per’ e ’o musso (traditional tripe salad), sausage sandwiches, and caciocavallo impiccato (melted cheese).
The pasta comes exclusively from the renowned Vicidomini artisan pasta factory in Castel San Giorgio, while desserts are freshly prepared by the local Biasucci shop and the village cooks. This is an identity-driven choice: to promote the short supply chains of the Irno and Sarno Valleys and bring back cuts and preparations that modern dining has almost forgotten.
Music, street games, and karaoke
The evenings are not just about food. From July 22 to 24, the square is animated by Natale “Noel” Bisogno, featuring the energetic dances of the “Rdi” group. On July 25 and 26, it is time for the first Costa karaoke contest, a singing challenge open to residents and visitors, with entries collected directly by the organizers. For children and families, there is also a classic treasure hunt, scheduled for the afternoon of July 25.
Conferences and talk shows
True to the spirit of the Environmental Festival from which it descends, the event pairs dining with a program of public meetings. The talk show “Environment. Common Good” opens the evening of Saturday the 25th, while Sunday the 26th closes with the debate “Italy. In which direction?”, hosted alongside the sixth national festival of the civic movement “Lega per l'Italia” and the “Pensioners, Consumers, Freedom” movement. The organizers emphasize the cross-party nature of the invitations, extended to mayors and political figures from all local parties.
Who organizes it
Behind the festival is the Astrambiente association, with thirty years of sociocultural initiatives including poetry awards, beauty contests, cycling and running races, and environmental conferences. The historical point of reference is Luigi Pergamo, while the national presidency is currently held by Pietro Romano. Collaborating groups include San Luigi Gonzaga and Amici Granata, the Asd Salerno Rugby, and the Santissima Annunziata parish of Costa; the event is sponsored by the municipal administration of Mercato San Severino and is powered by about sixty volunteers, cooks, and local youth. A declared hallmark of the 2026 edition is inclusion, with the direct involvement of disabled youth and adults from Costa and surrounding areas.
Why it's worth the trip
Visitors from outside will find a truly “local” festival, far from the tourist circuits of the coast: affordable prices, outdoor communal tables, dishes that tell the story of recovery cuisine, and a self-managed community. It is also a great starting point to discover Mercato San Severino, its imposing Norman castle, and the Irno Valley, just a few kilometers from Salerno and less than an hour from Naples.
Peasant Flavors — edition 2026
The first edition
Presented on July 21, 2026, in the council chamber of the Municipality of Mercato San Severino in the presence of Deputy Mayor Enza Cavaliere, journalist Rita Occidente Lupo, and organizer Luigi Pergamo, the first Peasant Flavors Festival occupied the San Luigi Gonzaga square in the village of Costa for five evenings.
The event is the first of two parts into which the eighteenth Environmental Festival was divided: the second appointment remains the Lasagna and Costesi Meatballs Festival, scheduled from August 19 to 23 in the same square. The formula combined tastings of rustic cuisine, music, street games, and public debates, with participation described by the local press as very high.
On the table
The stars were rigatoni with mutton sauce, ox tongue sandwiches, stewed tripe, beef soffritto, spleen, “farmhouse” meatballs, and lamb skewers, accompanied by pasta alla Norma, ’o per’ e ’o musso, sausage sandwiches, and caciocavallo impiccato. The pasta was provided by the Vicidomini artisan pasta factory in Castel San Giorgio, and desserts by the local Biasucci shop and the village cooks.
Programme Peasant Flavors 2026
Wednesday 22, Thursday 23, and Friday 24 July
- Food stalls open from 8:30 PM/9:00 PM
- Evenings animated by Natale “Noel” Bisogno, with dances by the “Rdi” group
Saturday 25 July
- 5:00 PM — Treasure hunt, street game open to youth and families
- 8:00 PM — Talk show “Environment. Common Good”
- Food stalls and first evening of the Costa karaoke contest
Sunday 26 July
- Sixth national festival of the civic movement “Lega per l'Italia”, together with the “Pensioners, Consumers, Freedom” movement
- In the evening, concluding talk show “Italy. In which direction?”
- Food stalls and final of the Costa karaoke contest
The concluding round table, coordinated by journalist Rita Occidente Lupo, director of dentroSalerno.it, featured speeches by Pietro Romano, national president of Astrambiente, Michele Morese, Mayor of Mercato San Severino Antonio Somma, honorable members Guido Milanese and Andrea De Simone, and councilors Giovanni D'Avenia and Roberto Celano.
Entries for the karaoke contest were collected by contacting the organizers directly.
Highlights Peasant Flavors 2026
- Absolute first edition, from July 22 to 26, 2026
- Rigatoni with mutton sauce, stewed tripe, beef soffritto, spleen, and ox tongue sandwiches
- Lamb skewers, “farmhouse” meatballs, pasta alla Norma, ’o per’ e ’o musso, caciocavallo impiccato
- Pasta from the Vicidomini artisan factory in Castel San Giorgio and desserts from the Biasucci pastry shop
- First Costa karaoke contest on July 25 and 26
- Musical evenings with Natale “Noel” Bisogno and the “Rdi” dance group
- Treasure hunt on July 25 at 5:00 PM
- Talk shows “Environment. Common Good” and “Italy. In which direction?”
- Program designed to be inclusive, involving disabled youth and adults
Prices Peasant Flavors 2026
Practical information — Peasant Flavors
Location
San Luigi Gonzaga square, Costa, 84085 Mercato San Severino (SA), Campania. The village can be reached by car from the center of Mercato San Severino in a few minutes.
How to get there
By car: Take the Mercato San Severino exit from the Salerno-Avellino motorway junction (A2/A16), then follow signs for the village of Costa. By train: Mercato San Severino station, on the regional lines connecting Salerno, Nocera Inferiore, Avellino, and Benevento; from the station, continue to Costa by car or taxi. By plane: Salerno-Costa d'Amalfi Airport and Naples-Capodichino Airport.
Opening hours
Food stalls open in the evening, starting around 8:30 PM/9:00 PM. Afternoon activities, such as the treasure hunt, begin at 5:00 PM.
Information
Basilio Pergamo: 371 4455550 — Francesco: 347 6596584 — Carmine Ingenito: 388 3236296.
Tips
Summer evenings in the valley are warm but breezy: dining is outdoors, so it is best to arrive early to secure a table. Those wishing to extend their visit can combine the festival with the Lasagna and Costesi Meatballs Festival, which the same associations organize in August in the same square.
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Where does it take place — Peasant Flavors
Campetto di piazza San Luigi Gonzaga (frazione Costa)
Piazza San Luigi Gonzaga, frazione Costa, 84085 Mercato San Severino