Sagra Sansilvestrese
Peasant cuisine, fresh pasta, and the magic of grain in the village of San Silvestro, Sant'Agata de' Goti
About Sagra Sansilvestrese
A peasant food festival in the heart of Sannio
The Sagra Sansilvestrese is the gastronomic festival of the San Silvestro hamlet, a small village nestled in the agricultural hills of Sant'Agata de' Goti, in the province of Benevento, Campania. Originally a local feast centered around the parish of San Silvestro Papa, it reaches its 28th edition in 2026, making it one of the longest-running festivals in the Sannio region. The event celebrates a traditional way of dining: the way families used to cook until two generations ago, using fresh ingredients from the garden and the farmyard.
Three nights, three types of handmade fresh pasta
The highlight of the festival is the fresh daily pasta, hand-rolled by the committee and served on a rotating schedule, with a different shape each night.
- Friday — cavatelli, the most iconic shape of Campanian peasant cuisine, served with tomato sauce.
- Saturday — pacche e fagioli, hand-broken paccheri pasta cooked with beans, a classic peasant one-pot meal.
- Sunday — tagliatelle «cu l'ove», egg tagliatelle rolled with a rolling pin, the quintessential festive dish.
The menu remains faithful to home-cooked traditions: local cured meats, frittata, bruschetta, stuffed peppers, priest-style stew in red wine, grilled local meats, porchetta, seasonal sides, and homemade desserts. For 2026, organizers are introducing the Special Sandwich with stew and fried peppers. Vegetarian options are available. Wines from Cantine Ciervo, including Aglianico and Falanghina, are served. Stands open every evening at 8:00 PM.
TrebbiArt and the threshing re-enactment
For several years, the festival has hosted TrebbiArt, an event curated by the San Silvestro APS Association dedicated to the "magic of grain." Now in its second edition as of 2025, it transforms agricultural knowledge into creative expression through installations, educational exhibits on sustainability, poetry, and theater.
The most anticipated moment is the threshing re-enactment: on Sunday, a vintage threshing machine is brought back to life in the village square, demonstrating how grain was once separated from straw. In the days leading up to it, the "casaccia" (a large traditional haystack) is built, while the Workers' Mutual Aid Society of Sant'Agata de' Goti creates a live artistic carpet. The experience is completed by an exhibition of vintage agricultural tools and machinery, a local market, a petting zoo, a straw theater, and the "Mani in pasta" (Hands in dough) workshop, perfect for families with children.
Live music every night
Each evening concludes with live music on an outdoor stage, featuring bands and orchestras from the Campanian folk scene: liscio, traditional folk music, covers, and local dialect cabaret. It is the moment the festival becomes a true village celebration, with families gathering at long tables under the marquee.
A festival supporting the parish
The Sagra Sansilvestrese is not a commercial event: admission is free, and all proceeds from the food stands are donated to the Parish of San Silvestro Papa. Behind the kitchen, dozens of local volunteers work for three days, alternating between pasta, grilling, and table service. This community spirit explains the affordable prices and the authentic atmosphere of the village.
Sant'Agata de' Goti, the village on the tuff
The festival is also a great opportunity to discover Sant'Agata de' Goti, one of the most scenic towns in the province of Benevento. The historic center is perched on a tuff spur about 159 meters above sea level, between the Martorano and Riello streams. The silhouette of the houses overhanging the rock is one of the most photographed images in Sannio, and since 2004, the town has been awarded the Orange Flag by the Italian Touring Club. A visit to the Cathedral, the Ducal Castle, and the historic churches, followed by an evening in San Silvestro, is the best way to understand this corner of inland Campania: hills, vineyards, grain, and hospitality.
Sagra Sansilvestrese — edition 2026
28th edition
The 2026 edition of the Sagra Sansilvestrese—the twenty-eighth—occupies the first full weekend of August, from Friday, August 7 to Sunday, August 9, 2026, in the San Silvestro hamlet of Sant'Agata de' Goti (Benevento). Food stands open every evening at 8:00 PM and admission is free.
The peasant cuisine formula is confirmed, with fresh pasta hand-rolled daily and a different shape each night. The novelty announced for this year is the Special Sandwich, filled with stew and fried peppers. The menu still includes local cured meats, frittata, bruschetta, stuffed peppers, priest-style stew in red wine, grilled meats, porchetta, seasonal sides, and homemade desserts, with vegetarian options and Aglianico and Falanghina wines from Cantine Ciervo.
Alongside the dining, TrebbiArt returns, the event by the San Silvestro APS Association dedicated to the magic of grain: live artistic carpet creation, construction of the "casaccia," exhibition of vintage agricultural tools and machinery, local market, petting zoo, straw theater, and the "Mani in pasta" workshop. The highlight is the threshing re-enactment on Sunday, with the historic thresher in action in the courtyard. Live music every night.
Programme Sagra Sansilvestrese 2026
Friday, August 7, 2026
- 8:00 PM — Opening of food stands. Pasta of the night: cavatelli.
- 8:00 PM — Live creation of the artistic carpet by the Workers' Mutual Aid Society of Sant'Agata de' Goti.
- 9:00 PM — Positioning of the vintage threshing machine in the village courtyard.
- 9:00 PM — Live music with Orchestra Pentagramma and cabaret with Albertuccio & Ciruzzo.
Saturday, August 8, 2026
- 8:00 PM — Opening of food stands. Pasta of the night: pacche e fagioli.
- 9:00 PM — Preparation of the "casaccia", the traditional haystack for threshing.
- 9:00 PM — Performance by hair stylist Claudio Iannotta, creating grain-themed hairstyles, with a fashion show.
- Live folk music with Janua Musica Popolare.
Sunday, August 9, 2026
- 7:00 PM — Grain threshing re-enactment with vintage agricultural machinery in operation.
- 8:00 PM — Opening of food stands. Pasta of the night: tagliatelle «cu l'ove».
- Live music with The Evergreen Band and Bema.
Every night
- TrebbiArt festival: art exhibition, artists and artisans, sustainability installations.
- Exhibition of vintage agricultural tools and machinery.
- Local market, petting zoo, straw theater, "Mani in pasta" workshop.
Program announced by the organizers: times and guests may be subject to change.
Highlights Sagra Sansilvestrese 2026
- 28th edition of the festival, August 7-9, 2026.
- Fresh handmade pasta daily, with a different shape each night: cavatelli, pacche e fagioli, tagliatelle cu l'ove.
- 2026 novelty: Special Sandwich with stew and fried peppers.
- Threshing re-enactment Sunday, August 9 at 7:00 PM, with vintage thresher.
- TrebbiArt: live artistic carpet, grain hairstyles by Claudio Iannotta, "Mani in pasta" workshop.
- Live music every night: Orchestra Pentagramma, Janua Musica Popolare, The Evergreen Band.
- Aglianico and Falanghina wines from Cantine Ciervo; vegetarian options available.
- Proceeds entirely donated to the Parish of San Silvestro Papa.
Prices Sagra Sansilvestrese 2026
Practical information — Sagra Sansilvestrese
How to get there
The hamlet of San Silvestro is easily accessible by car: from the Fondo Valle Isclero road, take the exit for Dugenta and follow the signs for the festival. On GPS, simply search for "Sagra Sansilvestrese." The town of Sant'Agata de' Goti is just a few minutes away. The event area has parking available. As the hamlet is not served by public transport in the evening, a car is the most practical solution.
Hours and admission
Admission is free. The food stands open at 8:00 PM each evening; live music typically begins around 9:00 PM. You only pay for what you consume, with typical local festival pricing.
Dining
The festival takes place under a large covered marquee with tables and benches, so the event continues even in case of uncertain weather. Vegetarian options are available; please mention this at the cash register when ordering.
Tips
Arriving early (shortly after 8:00 PM) allows you to find a seat and avoid queues for the fresh pasta, which can sell out on peak nights. For those wishing to see the threshing re-enactment, it takes place on Sunday during the first part of the evening: it is best to arrive in advance. As it is a hilly area, a light sweater is useful even in August.
Contacts
Phone and WhatsApp: +39 389 022 8957 — email: [email protected] — official website: www.sagrasansilvestrese.com — Facebook page: Sagra Sansilvestrese.
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Where does it take place — Sagra Sansilvestrese
Frazione San Silvestro
Via San Silvestro, 82019 Sant'Agata de' Goti