Ritorno al Borgo – Organetto Festival

The organetto returns to the village

Ritorno al Borgo – Organetto Festival is the summer event that brings folk music back to the alleys of the historic center of Castelnuovo Cilento, a town in the province of Salerno, Campania, every year. For three nights in July, the small medieval village, perched at about 280 meters above sea level on a hill overlooking the Alento plain, transforms into a sprawling stage: food and wine stands managed by local residents, a market of typical and artisanal products, and the songs and dances of the Cilento tradition.

The name of the festival speaks to its spirit: "return to the village" is an invitation to those who have left and those who have yet to discover it, a call to roots that renews itself every summer around the iconic instrument of Southern festivals, the organetto. The event is one of the longest-running in the Cilento calendar: the 2025 edition marked its twenty-ninth year.

Folk music, songs, and traditional dances

The subtitle "Organetto Festival" refers to the diatonic accordion that has accompanied tarantellas, tammurriatas, and town square festivals in Southern Italy for generations. In Cilento, this instrument is an integral part of the rural musical memory, and in Castelnuovo, it becomes the common thread of evenings where music doesn't stay on stage but moves among the people, through the alleys of the village.

The musical program changes from year to year, alternating between folk music groups, dance nights, and more contemporary entertainment. In the 2025 edition, for example, the folk music evening featuring the group Tammorasìa was accompanied by an opening DJ set, showcasing a formula that balances tradition with summer lightheartedness.

Food and wine stands and the market

Every evening, starting at 7:00 PM, the food and wine stands set up in the village and the market of typical and artisanal products open their doors. It is the convivial heart of the festival: the dishes are prepared by volunteers and local families, in a formula that is both a food festival and a community gathering.

• Stands with Cilento culinary specialties;
• Stalls featuring local products;
• Exhibitions of local crafts;
• Outdoor dining tables throughout the historic center.

The setting is no coincidence: Cilento is the land where the Mediterranean diet was recognized and studied, and its products—extra virgin olive oil, legumes, cheeses, handmade pasta, figs—have always been the true gastronomic heritage of these inland villages.

Beyond music: fashion, motors, and Miss Borgo

Over the years, the event has expanded its program beyond music. The 2025 edition hosted a fashion show featuring collections from a boutique in the nearby hamlet of Velina and the selection of Miss Borgo, alongside the presence of a Harley Davidson motorcycle club and the Roadmaster Garage, with vehicles displayed in the town streets. Music, gastronomy, and fashion have thus become the three souls of "Ritorno al Borgo".

The Pro Loco, the soul of the event

The organization is handled by the Pro Loco of Castelnuovo Cilento, an association founded in 1974 and among the longest-running and most active in the area: in 2024, it celebrated its fifty-year history. In addition to "Ritorno al Borgo", the Pro Loco is responsible for the town's other signature event, the Parmigiana Festival, and numerous initiatives dedicated to enhancing the local cultural, natural, and gastronomic heritage.

Castelnuovo Cilento, the village and its castle

With just under three thousand inhabitants, Castelnuovo Cilento preserves a medieval core that was once a fiefdom of the Agnello family and is still dominated by the Castello Talamo Atenolfi, one of the town's landmarks, also used as a backdrop for summer theater festivals. The municipality includes the hamlets of Velina, Vallo Scalo, and the rural area of Salicuneta, and is located a few kilometers from Vallo della Lucania and the archaeological site of Velia, the ancient Elea of the Eleatic philosophers, in the heart of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park.

Climbing up to the village during the festival means traversing narrow alleys and overlooks of the valley, with the Cilento sea just a short distance away: a position that makes the event a pleasant stop even for those spending their holidays on the coast between Ascea, Casal Velino, and Marina di Pisciotta.

When it takes place

"Ritorno al Borgo" is traditionally held at the end of July, over three consecutive evenings. The 2025 edition, the twenty-ninth, took place from July 24th to 26th. The dates for the following edition are usually announced by the Pro Loco in the weeks preceding the event, along with the evening program.