Salami Festival

A festival returning after years of absence

Some events are never forgotten by a town, even when they go on hiatus. The Salami Festival in Caselle in Pittari, located in the Cilento hinterland in the province of Salerno, is one of them. Originally launched as a Pro Loco event, it grew to become one of the most recognizable gastronomic gatherings in the Vallo di Diano and Bussento areas before being interrupted for several years. In the summer of 2026, the festival reopens its doors for its 32nd edition, scheduled for August 13th and 14th in the historic setting of Piazza Olmo, the town's beating heart.

This return is more than just a date on the calendar: organizers have presented it as a homecoming, with the ambition of blending tradition and modernity. On one hand, it honors a collective ritual deeply rooted in the memory of generations of locals; on the other, it seeks to reinterpret it with a contemporary lens, making it accessible to visitors from afar.

The Caselle salami, a niche product

The undisputed star is the Caselle in Pittari salami, a sausage that owes its fame to two elements: traditional processing techniques passed down through local homes and small workshops, and the quality of the meat used. The result is a niche product, rarely found in large-scale retail, which can only truly be discovered by visiting the village and joining the festivities.

During the festival evenings, the salami is served at the Pro Loco stands in the square in the simplest and most effective way: on bread, accompanied by other flavors of Cilento's rural cuisine. It is unpretentious gastronomy that focuses entirely on raw materials and craftsmanship, naturally paired with local wines.

Piazza Olmo, the village's living room

The choice of Piazza Olmo is no coincidence. It is the space where the community of Caselle in Pittari has always gathered, the meeting point between the narrow streets of the historic center. During the festival, the square transforms into a large open-air dining room, with long tables, food stands, and the bustle of volunteers bringing the two evenings to life. The atmosphere is typical of mountain festivals in Cilento: informal, familiar, and highly popular, with a crowd that blends residents, emigrants returning for the August holidays, and tourists vacationing on the coast.

Caselle in Pittari, the unexpected side of Cilento

With just under two thousand inhabitants at an altitude of 444 meters, Caselle in Pittari is a Campania municipality nestled in the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, far from the crowded beaches and close to the Bussento gorges. It is a town that has built its identity on agriculture, grain, and the processing of land products: it is no coincidence that the famous Palio del Grano (Grain Joust), a re-enactment of ancient agricultural practices involving the entire community, takes place here.

Those who choose to head up to Caselle in August will find much more than just a festival: an authentic village, trails and views of the Bussento, and a concept of hospitality that starts at the table.

A summer full of events

The Salami Festival is part of a particularly dense summer calendar, which in 2026 includes, among others:

• the Caselle Film Festival, now in its 11th edition, an international short film festival dedicated to environmental themes and the relationship between cinema and nature, from August 7th to 19th;
• the collective photography exhibition Obiettivo Caselle, hosted at the Castle, featuring a selection of shots dedicated to the landscapes, traditions, and faces of the village;
• the patronal feast and other events organized by local associations throughout the summer.

For those visiting Cilento around mid-August, the combination of the short film festival and the two evenings of the Salami Festival is an excellent reason to spend a few days in the Salerno hinterland.

Why it is worth attending

Because it is a genuine festival, managed by Pro Loco volunteers rather than an event agency; because the product it celebrates cannot be found in supermarkets; and because the return after years of absence makes the 2026 edition a particularly heartfelt event for the whole town. Those looking for the most authentic Cilento—the one of mountains rather than postcards—know where to go in mid-August.