Pontelandolfo Eco-Folkloric Week

A historic festival reinvents itself

The Eco-Folkloric Week is the new name for one of the longest-running summer events in the Sannio Beneventano area: the Folkloric Week of Pontelandolfo, in the province of Benevento (Campania), which reaches its 63rd edition in 2026. The Municipality, the Pro Loco, and local associations have chosen to reinterpret the festival through the lens of environmental sustainability, without sacrificing the elements that have made it iconic over the years: dance, music, color, culture, folklore, and popular traditions.

The guiding theme announced by the Municipal Administration is clear: "dance, music, colors, culture, folklore, traditions, joy, and lightheartedness in a bio-eco-sustainable context." Mayor Valerio Testa summarized it in a formula that has already become the edition's slogan: bringing "the culture of sustainability and sustainability to culture," in a self-sustaining virtuous circle. In this new light, the event is no longer just a village festival but also a tool for information and reflection on environmental respect and territory protection.

From 1964 to today: the birth of the Folkloric Week

The first Folkloric Week dates back to 1964 and was the brainchild of Father Emilio Matarazzo, then parish priest of Pontelandolfo. He envisioned concentrating the village's various religious celebrations into a single week, uniting faith and tradition while breaking the artistic monotony of provincial summers. That year's program alternated between the sacred drama of Santa Giocondina, folkloric variety evenings, a brass band concert, and performances by well-known Neapolitan singers.

Over the following decades, the festival grew to become a prominent fixture among the summer events of inland Campania. Past editions have featured folkloric groups from all over Italy and abroad, the Palio delle Contrade with its cheese-rolling competition, concerts in the square, and the "Landolfo d'Oro" award, presented to figures from cinema, theater, and journalism. These are the traits that built the identity of the Week and explain its longevity.

The 2026 edition: dates and approach

The 2026 calendar runs from July 30 to August 16, with events distributed throughout the historic center of Pontelandolfo and its squares. The festival is promoted by the Municipality of Pontelandolfo with the participation of all local associations and the patronage of the Campania Region, the Province of Benevento, the Matese Regional Park, and Coldiretti. There are four declared pillars: environmental sustainability, international folkloric culture, historical memory, and live music.

• Saturday, August 1, 5:00 PM, Largo San Pietro: A meeting dedicated to Elda Rubbo, organized by "Sannio Che Legge," featuring a presentation by Professor Rossella Del Prete and a reading by Michele Albini titled "Elda Rubbo: the woman who wove work, love, and faith."
• "Tutta la vita d'avanzi" artisanal bookbinding workshop: A hands-on session for adults and children (accompanied by parents) to create handmade notebooks using production scraps, printed paper, cardboard, leather remnants, stamps, and thread.

The complete day-by-day program is released by the Municipality and the Pro Loco in the weeks immediately preceding the event: it is advisable to check for updates on official channels before traveling.

The village and its territory

Pontelandolfo is a town of just under two thousand inhabitants, located at an altitude of 510 meters between the Sannio region and the slopes of the Matese mountains. Its most recognizable landmark is the castle tower, a powerful medieval structure over twenty meters high with a diameter of fourteen, dating back to at least the 14th century. Nearby, one can visit the parish church of SS. Salvatore, the Annunziata temple, and the San Rocco chapel. The town also preserves a deeply felt popular tradition, the cheese rolling (ruzzola del formaggio), associated with the Carnival period.

Why it's worth the trip

For those visiting inland Campania in the summer, the Eco-Folkloric Week is the perfect opportunity to see a Sannio village at its most vibrant: squares animated until late at night, local cuisine, cultural meetings, and the choral dimension of a festival built by the town's own associations. The eco-sustainable choice for 2026 adds an extra layer of interest, as it places the relationship between the community and the Matese landscape they inhabit at the center of the experience.