Pork Festival

A rural feast at the foot of the Picentini Mountains

The Pork Festival in Senerchia, a small town in the province of Avellino overlooking the Upper Sele Valley, was founded in 1989 by the Pro Loco and has become over the years one of the most recognizable culinary events in Irpinia and the entire Campania region. The village, perched at an altitude of 600 meters within the Picentini Mountains Regional Park, opens its squares—Piazza Umberto I and Piazza Francesco De Sanctis—to visitors arriving from across the region and neighboring provinces.

The event is more than just a food and wine festival; it is a collective re-enactment of a domestic ritual still practiced by many local families today. After the slaughter of the pig came the processing of the meat, preparing lard, pork rinds, sausages, and everything that could be preserved for the winter. That practice, once essential for the survival of farming families, has become in Senerchia an occasion for celebration and a homecoming for those who have emigrated.

Pork as the star: the festival's dishes

At the food stalls set up in the square, visitors eat according to recipes handed down through time, without gourmet pretension. The menu revolves around a few well-executed dishes:

• Grilled pork sausages and ribs, cooked in plain sight on the square's grills;
• Pork soffritto with peppers, one of the signature dishes of Irpinian cuisine;
• Black-eyed peas with peppers, a historic side dish of the rural table;
• Sandwiches and portions for those who want to wander the village while eating;
• Local red wine from the Upper Sele Valley as the common thread.

The service follows the rhythm of the festival: on Friday it starts with dinner only, while on Saturday and Sunday the stalls are open for lunch as well.

Folk music, tarantellas, and conviviality

Each evening features musical accompaniment by local folk groups: accordions, tambourines, and tarantellas mark the celebration until late, with the long tables in the square filling up and dances breaking out spontaneously between glasses of wine. In past editions, the festival has also been accompanied by traditional evening bonfires, which restore the rustic atmosphere of village feasts.

The ancient village and the Picentini Mountains Park

Those who arrive in Senerchia find much more than a banquet. The program includes guided tours of the Ancient Village, the historic core marked by the 1980 earthquake and now partially restored as a place of memory, and trips to the Villa d'Ayala Gardens in Valva, not far away. All around, the trails of the Picentini Mountains Regional Park unfold, featuring the Valle della Caccia WWF Oasis and its springs: during the festival, it is possible to explore them freely, turning the day into a complete excursion between nature and gastronomy.

A non-profit event

The festival is organized by the Pro Loco Senerchia on a non-profit basis: the proceeds are allocated to charitable initiatives and to support community activities. This is one of the aspects that explains its longevity and strong local roots, with dozens of volunteers busy at the grills, in the kitchens, and welcoming guests.

When it takes place

The event is traditionally held around April 25th, taking advantage of the spring long weekend and the already mild climate of Irpinia. In 2026, the 32nd edition was held from Friday, April 24th to Sunday, April 26th, confirming the long weekend format. Admission to the village and the festival area is free: you only pay for what you consume.