Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca
The carrot meatball of San Valentino Torio, a blend of rural heritage and charity
About Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca
A carrot meatball that became a town's symbol
Some festivals tell the story of a product, while others tell the story of an entire community: the Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca in San Valentino Torio, in the province of Salerno, belongs to the latter. The dish that gives the festival its name is a meatball that contains no meat, but rather pastenaca—a variety of carrot with a thick root and a color ranging from white to cream and hazelnut, cultivated here for generations. Until seventy years ago, before the San Marzano tomato conquered the fields of the Agro Nocerino-Sarnese, the pastenaca was the iconic crop of the region and a staple on rural tables.
The recipe comes from domestic memory: it was Ida Rosa Buono who donated it to the Catholic Action so it could become a tool for solidarity. Since then, that meatball has stepped out of home kitchens to become the hallmark of the Municipality of San Valentino Torio throughout Campania.
Since 1981, part of the patron saint's feast
The festival was born in 1981 during the celebrations in honor of Saint Valentine, the town's patron and protector of lovers, and has been repeated year after year, surpassing its fortieth edition. Today, it takes place within the broader framework of Saint Valentine in Love, the mid-February event that fills the center with artistic illuminations, giant hearts, food and wine trails, and shows. However, the festival retains its own identity, its own edition numbering, and its own headquarters: Piazza Spera.
What to eat
The heart of the offering remains the purpetta, prepared according to the traditional mix:
- Pastenaca (local carrot), boiled and processed
- Crumb of Neapolitan 'cafone' bread
- Eggs and Pecorino Romano
- Parsley, salt, and pepper
As the volunteers explain, the secret lies in the consistency: the mixture must be neither too soft nor too firm. Alongside the meatballs, the food trails set up along Corso Umberto I, Viale Unità d'Italia, and the town squares offer other specialties of Campanian cuisine, desserts, and typical products of the Agro region.
Solidarity as the driving force
The festival is non-profit. The three words the organizers repeat every year are tradition, solidarity, and passion: all proceeds are donated to charity, specifically to support the population of Veyula, a small village in Tanzania supported for years by the S. Giacomo Maggiore Apostolo parish. Behind the counters, dozens of Catholic Action volunteers of all ages work for days, mixing and frying thousands of meatballs.
The atmosphere
Visitors arriving in San Valentino Torio during these days find a town of about ten thousand inhabitants transformed: romantic-themed illuminations, folk groups crossing the streets with traditional songs and dances, the marching band opening Saturday's events, and the pageant of flag-wavers, trumpeters, and archers that takes the center back to the year 1394 on Sunday morning. It is a deeply popular festival, accessible to everyone, where the queue in front of the stalls is part of the experience.
Why it's worth the trip
In a region like Campania, which is incredibly rich in food festivals, the one dedicated to the purpetta e' pastenaca has a distinctive trait: it promotes a humble, almost forgotten vegetable instead of an already famous product, and it does so by giving everything back to the community. It is an excellent reason to discover a corner of the Agro Nocerino-Sarnese that is usually passed through quickly on the way to Pompeii or the Amalfi Coast, and to taste something that simply cannot be found elsewhere.
Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca — edition 2026
The 43rd edition, within Saint Valentine in Love
In 2026, the Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca reached its 43rd edition, confirming the usual mid-February appointment in Piazza Spera, San Valentino Torio. The stalls opened on Saturday, February 14, and Sunday, February 15, 2026, starting at 6 PM, with the carrot meatball prepared according to the traditional recipe by Catholic Action volunteers.
The festival served as the gastronomic heart of Saint Valentine in Love, now in its tenth edition and spread over five days, from February 11 to 15, featuring artistic illuminations, giant hearts, photo installations, book presentations, and shows spread across Piazza Spera, Piazza Amendola, Corso Umberto I, and Viale Unità d'Italia.
Folk music and historical pageant
The two days of the festival were accompanied by performances from folk music groups, with traditional songs and dances through the streets and squares of the town. On Saturday morning, the Città di Sarno Marching Band paraded through the center from 9 AM to 12 PM; on Sunday morning, at 9:30 AM, the procession of flag-wavers, trumpeters, and archers in historical costumes crossed the town, before the evening procession and the fireworks display that closed the event.
Solidarity
As per tradition, the entire proceeds of the 2026 edition were donated to charity, with the main destination being the village of Veyula, in Tanzania.
Programme Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca 2026
Wednesday, February 11 - Opening of Saint Valentine in Love
- 7 PM: Inauguration in Piazza Spera with authorities, DJ set by Augusto Strianese, and fireworks
- 7 PM: Opening of food and wine trails in the center
- 7:30 PM: Procession of the statue of Saint Valentine
- 8 PM: Enthronement of the statue on the giant heart in Piazza Amendola
- From 10 PM: Folk music groups with traditional songs and dances
Thursday, February 12 and Friday, February 13
- 6 PM: Opening of food and wine trails
- 6:30 PM: Guided tours on local history and traditions by Pro Loco
- 8 PM: Performances by folk music groups
Saturday, February 14 - 43rd Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca
- 9 AM - 12 PM: Parade of the Città di Sarno Marching Band through the town
- 6 PM: Opening of the 43rd Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca in Piazza Spera and food trails
- From 7 PM: Folk music groups with traditional songs and dances
Sunday, February 15 - 43rd Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca
- 9:30 AM: Historical pageant of flag-wavers, trumpeters, and archers (re-enactment of the year 1394)
- 6 PM: 43rd Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca in Piazza Spera, with opening of food trail stalls
- From 8 PM: Performances by folk music groups
- Evening: Procession of the statue of Saint Valentine and closing fireworks
Highlights Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca 2026
- 43rd edition of the festival dedicated to the carrot meatball, prepared according to the recipe donated by Ida Rosa Buono
- Stalls in Piazza Spera on Feb 14-15 from 6 PM
- Città di Sarno Marching Band through the town on Saturday morning
- Historical pageant of flag-wavers, trumpeters, and archers on Sunday morning
- Folk groups with traditional music and dance every evening
- Food and wine trails throughout the center as part of Saint Valentine in Love (Feb 11-15, 10th edition)
- Proceeds entirely donated to the village of Veyula, Tanzania
Prices Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca 2026
Practical information — Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca
Location
Piazza Spera, in the center of San Valentino Torio (SA), with food and wine trails distributed between Corso Umberto I, Viale Unità d'Italia, and Piazza Amendola.
How to get there
- By car: about 40-60 minutes from Naples and 30-40 minutes from Salerno; use the highway exits on the Naples-Salerno axis (A30 / A3) towards Sarno and Nocera. Parking is available in the streets adjacent to the center, which is partially closed to traffic during the festival days.
- By train: the most convenient stations are Sarno and Nocera Inferiore, then continue by bus or taxi.
- By plane: Naples-Capodichino airport, about 45 km away.
Costs
Free admission to the entire event. Tastings at the festival stalls are by voluntary donation, with proceeds going to charity.
Tips
- You eat standing up and outdoors in February: dress warmly.
- Arrive early (stalls open around 6 PM) to avoid the longest queues of the evening.
- Bring small change for donations.
Information
Municipality of San Valentino Torio - tel. +39 081 5187802, [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Sagra d'a Purpetta e' Pastenaca
Piazza Spera
Piazza Spera, 84010 San Valentino Torio