Sagra d'ò Sciurill Festival

A festival that speaks the Olevano dialect

The name says it all: «sciurill» is the word used in Olevano sul Tusciano, in the heart of the Picentini Mountains in the province of Salerno, to refer to the zucchini flower. Not just any ingredient, but one of those products harvested in the Piana del Sele countryside early in the morning and brought to the table the same evening, as it waits for no one. Around this delicate, golden flower, the Associazione Borgo Monticello APS has built a festival that, within just a few editions, has become one of the most anticipated events of the Olevano summer.

The event takes place in the Monticelli district, in Piazza Palatucci, a square that for two evenings fills with long tables, fairy lights, and queues in front of the stalls. The formula is the classic Campanian festival style: you eat standing up or at shared tables, pay per dish, and stay late to enjoy the music. However, the philosophy declared by the organizers is more precise, revolving around zero-kilometer local products: the zucchini flowers come from local gardens and are processed entirely by the association's volunteers.

The zucchini flower in every course

The tasting path is designed as a small gastronomic monograph: the same ingredient runs through the entire menu, from appetizers to dessert. Proposed dishes include:

• Breaded and fried Sciurilli, the most traditional and popular version, served piping hot;
• Pizzelle with sciurilli, the traditional Campanian fried dough;
• Bruschetta with zucchini flower cream and smoked caciocavallo cheese;
• Casarecce pasta with zucchini flowers, bacon, saffron, and pecorino cheese;
• Pizza in various versions, including themed ones, and French fries;
• Artisanal gelato created for the occasion by local gelato makers, with flavors designed specifically for the festival — banana, kiwi, and lime.

A detail that celiac visitors appreciate: the organization sets up a dedicated gluten-free station so that no one is excluded from the tasting. The level of cooking, after all, is not improvised: a dish signed by the association placed second in a regional gastronomic competition judged by Chef Ruben.

The evenings: live music, comedy, and street performers

The gastronomic aspect is intertwined with an evening entertainment program designed for audiences of all ages. Piazza Palatucci hosts street performers, animation, and live concerts, with a particular focus on Campanian folk music — the sound of tammorre, tarantellas, and songs that still belong to the collective memory of Olevano. There is also space for comedy and country dancing evenings, which have found a loyal following in the Salerno area in recent years.

Olevano sul Tusciano, between the Picentini Mountains and Piana del Sele

The Municipality of Olevano sul Tusciano has just over seven thousand inhabitants and stretches along the southern slopes of the Picentini Mountains, in the province of Salerno, in the Campania region. It is a territory of districts — Monticelli, Salitto, Ariano, Borgo — each with its own identity and festivals. Its most famous treasure is the Grotto of Saint Michael the Archangel, a Lombard rock sanctuary carved into the mountain and recognized as one of the most important Michaelic complexes in Southern Italy, a destination for pilgrimages for over a thousand years.

Those arriving for the festival can therefore plan a full day: a visit to the grotto and the old village in the afternoon, followed by dinner in Monticelli. Its location, just a few kilometers from Battipaglia and the Piana del Sele, makes Olevano a convenient base even for those staying on the coast between Salerno and Paestum.

Why it's worth the trip

• A single-themed and coherent festival that explores one product rather than scattering into a generic menu;
• Affordable costs and free admission: you only pay for what you consume;
• Free parking nearby, a significant advantage for summer festivals;
• An authentic village atmosphere, far from the more touristy events of the Amalfi Coast;
• The opportunity to combine the evening with a visit to the rock sanctuary of Saint Michael.