Saint Anthony of Padua Feast

A patronal feast at the foot of Mount Vesuvius

The Saint Anthony of Padua Feast is the most anticipated event of the year in Trecase, a small town in the Metropolitan City of Naples nestled on the southern slopes of Mount Vesuvius, in Campania. Everything revolves around the parish named after the Saint, which, in the days surrounding June 13th, transforms the area next to the church and the town streets into a shared space where popular devotion intertwines with music, Neapolitan comedy, and the conviviality of the table.

Three days between church and square

The structure of the festival follows the classic tradition of Southern patronal feasts: on one hand, religious celebrations and the visit of the statue of Saint Anthony to different points of the town in the days preceding the anniversary; on the other, open-air evening shows. The highlight is the solemn procession, which in the last documented edition concluded the festivities on Sunday, with the statue of the Saint carried through the streets of Trecase among the faithful.

The program is curated by the parish community led by the parish priest Father Francesco Pinto, with the declared intent of involving all ages: from children in local dance schools to the elderly who follow the procession, and the youth, drawn by the well-known names of the Neapolitan comedy scene who take the stage.

The program of the last documented edition

The edition held from June 13th to 15th, 2025, perfectly illustrates the nature of the event:

• Friday — an evening dedicated to dance and local talent, featuring the “Lady Carol” and “Lisa Dance” schools and the young singer Kimele.
• Saturday — performance by the musical group “Quattro Quarti” followed by the show of the comedy trio “I Ditelo Voi”.
• Sunday — solemn procession and, in the evening, the “A tutto Pep” show by Peppe Iodice together with Francesco Mastrandrea.

The shows are held in the open-air space behind the Church of Saint Anthony, equipped with several hundred seats: a solution that allows for hosting popular acts while maintaining the intimate atmosphere of a village festival.

The food stalls

As in any respectable Campanian patronal feast, there is no shortage of food stalls run by volunteers next to the stage: sandwiches, beer, and pizza accompany the evenings and help support the parish's activities. This is not a secondary detail, as the festival is also the main fundraising moment for a community committed to projects aimed at the town's children and teenagers.

Trecase, a Vesuvian town

Trecase is a small town in the Vesuvian belt, the so-called “Boschese” area, located near Boscotrecase and Torre Annunziata and at the gates of the Vesuvius National Park. It is an agricultural and volcanic territory, where houses climb the slopes of the volcano and the view opens up over the gulf: a setting that gives the evening procession, with its lights glowing along the streets, a truly unique charm.

Why it is worth attending

Those looking for the Campania of major tourist events will not find it here. The Saint Anthony of Padua Feast in Trecase is instead an authentic, free, community-based celebration where the line between the public and the organizers is thin, and where you can witness, in the same evening, a dance recital by local children and a show by a comedian known throughout the region. It is also an excellent opportunity to discover a lesser-known corner of the Vesuvian area, just a few kilometers from Pompeii and Herculaneum.

2026 Edition

At the moment, no official dates or program have been published for the 2026 edition of the feast. The liturgical anniversary of Saint Anthony of Padua falls on June 13th, and the festivities traditionally take place in the days surrounding that date: it is therefore advisable to follow the channels of the Saint Anthony of Padua parish in Trecase to stay updated on the calendar.