Sagra del Ceppone Festival

The bonfire that opens the Christmas season on the Sorrento Peninsula

In Piano di Sorrento, within the Metropolitan City of Naples, Christmas doesn't begin with a tree, but with fire. The Sagra del Ceppone takes place in early December at Largo dell'Annunziata, where a massive log is set ablaze, burning throughout the evening in the center of the square. Surrounding the flames are the festival stalls, tables, and a stage: it is the first event on the municipality's Christmas calendar and is considered by the locals—known as carottesi—to be the official start of the holiday season.

A tradition of the San Michele Arcangelo community

The event was born and continues to grow around the San Michele Arcangelo Parish, which organizes it with the help of its groups and neighborhood volunteers. The 2025 edition marked its eighteenth year; the first took place in 2008, making the festival one of the most established Christmas traditions on the coast. Parish priest Father Antonino d'Esposito has often reiterated that all proceeds are destined for charitable and solidarity initiatives: the festival is not just a celebration, but a fundraiser that benefits the local area.

What to eat around the bonfire

The cuisine is typical of the Sorrento Peninsula, served hot while the fire warms the square. The menu in recent editions has included:

• Cuzzetiello with soffritto: hollowed-out bread filled with spicy Neapolitan ragù, the festival's signature dish;
• Freshly fried zeppole, served piping hot from the stall;
• Sausage sandwiches, accompanied by broccoli or fries;
• Mulled wine and hot beverages;
• Traditional Christmas sweets from the Campania region.

The food stalls are also managed with the collaboration of local chefs from the Sorrento Peninsula, who work alongside the volunteers.

Markets, music, and nativity art

Alongside the fire and food stalls, the festival hosts Christmas markets featuring local crafts, live music on the stage set up in the square, and an exhibition of nativity art showcasing works by masters from the Sorrento Peninsula. It is the most direct way to enter the world of the Neapolitan nativity scene, which remains one of the most iconic artisanal expressions of the Christmas period in Campania.

Part of the “Napul' è Natale” program

The Sagra del Ceppone kicks off the Christmas program of the Municipality of Piano di Sorrento, titled “Napul' è Natale”. In the 2025 edition, it ran from December 5th to January 6th with free events in squares, churches, schools, and cultural venues. During the same weekend as the festival, the tree lighting in Piazza Cota and the “Pink Christmas” fair at Villa Fondi took place; the following weeks featured concerts in the basilicas, Santa's House, the nativity scene trail, and the Epiphany celebration.

Why it's worth an evening out

The Sagra del Ceppone is a grassroots event, free to enter, and deeply local: there is nothing staged for tourists, and that is precisely its charm. In a region like Campania, where Christmas is a collective ritual, the Piano di Sorrento bonfire showcases the village version of that liturgy: the fire in the square, shared food, the parish opening its doors, and the neighborhood coming together. Those staying in Sorrento, Sant'Agnello, or Meta will find here, just minutes away, the most authentic celebration of early December.