Pomo Fest

The first Italian festival dedicated to the San Marzano tomato

Pomo Fest is the first Italian event entirely dedicated to the San Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino PDO tomato, the red gold of the region. The festival takes place in Nocera Inferiore, in the province of Salerno, in the heart of Campania. It debuted in September 2025 with four days of tastings, meetings, and performances that drew tens of thousands of visitors from across the region.

The idea behind the festival is simple yet ambitious: to tell the story of the tomato not just as an ingredient, but as the cultural and economic identity of a territory. In the Sarno Valley, the cultivation and processing of tomatoes have been the engine of the local economy for over a century, and Pomo Fest was created to give this supply chain the visibility it deserves.

A culinary trail in the city center

For four days, the urban heart of Nocera Inferiore transforms into a long gastronomic itinerary. Stalls are distributed between Piazza Armando Diaz, Piazza Giovanni Amendola, Via Giacomo Matteotti, and Via Lanzara, forming a pedestrian loop that visitors can explore on foot.

• Pizzerias and master pizza makers offering classic and contemporary doughs
• Stalls featuring fried pizza, focaccia, and cuzzetiello, the great classics of Campanian street food
• Restaurants, seafood sandwich shops, and pastry shops with tomato-based creations
• A dedicated gluten-free and lactose-free stand
• Bar and coffee stations distributed along the route

Chefs, pizza makers, and stars of Campanian cuisine

Pomo Fest brings together some of the most recognizable names in Campanian pizza and dining. The first edition featured master pizza makers such as Gino Sorbillo and Errico Porzio, alongside Fabio Di Giovanni, the Neapolitan pastry chef Poppella, and the fishmonger-chef Peppe Di Napoli, supported by food creators and popular web personalities from Campania.

The Pomo School: masterclasses, showcooking, and talks

Alongside the culinary offerings, the festival features a full cultural program. The Pomo School hosts public showcooking and masterclasses, while the lounge area features thematic talks on product quality, supply chain sustainability, and the relationship between agriculture and the canning industry. A local radio station covers the event live with interviews and evening DJ sets, giving the route a festive city atmosphere.

Canning companies in the spotlight

The productive heart of Pomo Fest is represented by the exhibition stands of canning companies from the region and beyond: Solania, Ciao, De Clemente, Nobile, Petti, D'Acunzi, Fifinella, Fontanella, Italiana Vera, La Rinascita, and Pomilia animated the first edition, offering the public the chance to learn about the journey of the tomato from field to jar.

The “Omaggio a Raffaele Vitale” Award

One of the most heartfelt moments of the event is the presentation of the award dedicated to the memory of Raffaele Vitale, a famous chef from Nocera and a passionate promoter of Campanian gastronomy: a recognition that ties the festival to the city's culinary history.

Who organizes the festival

Pomo Fest is promoted and organized by the Pomo Fest Association, with the patronage and support of the Municipality of Nocera Inferiore, the Salerno Chamber of Commerce, the Campania Region, and the Province of Salerno, in collaboration with Anicav, the San Marzano Tomato Protection Consortium, Coldiretti Salerno, and the Banco Alimentare Campania.

When it takes place

The first edition was held from Thursday, September 18 to Sunday, September 21, 2025. The timing is no coincidence: September is the month when the San Marzano harvest season concludes, when the product is at its peak ripeness. The organizers have announced their intention to continue the event with a second edition, but dates have not yet been made public; it is advisable to check the festival's official channels before planning your visit.