San Donato Festival

An August festival in the heart of the Sannio region

Every year, in early August, Campoli del Monte Taburno gathers around the figure of Saint Donatus of Arezzo, the town's co-patron saint alongside Saint Nicholas of Bari. This small municipality in the province of Benevento, in Campania, has just over 1,600 inhabitants and is perched at an altitude of 439 meters on the slopes of the Taburno-Camposauro massif: during the festival days, its narrow streets and the square in front of the mother church become the center of community life.

The event is organized by the San Nicola parish, which belongs to the Archdiocese of Benevento, and takes place during a particularly lively period: August is the month when emigrants and vacationers return, and the San Donato festival effectively kicks off the most intense week of the Campoli summer, which continues with the 'Calici di Stelle' wine and food event and appointments dedicated to local produce.

Saint Donatus of Arezzo, co-patron of Campoli

Saint Donatus, bishop and martyr of Arezzo, is commemorated by the liturgy on August 7th: this date has always marked the Campoli festival, traditionally spread over the period of August 5th-7th according to the town's religious calendar. In the Sannio region, devotion to Saint Donatus is widespread and associated with protection from physical ailments and the bad weather that can damage crops: a patronage that is easily understood in an agricultural territory like the Colli del Taburno, where the wheat harvest concludes right between July and August.

Liturgy, procession, and popular devotion

The religious heart of the festival is the Church of San Nicola, a building of ancient origin remodeled in the 18th century and home to a 15th-century fresco, around which the historic core of the town developed. The festival days usually include:

• the triduum or novena of preparation, with evening celebrations;
• the solemn mass on the liturgical day of Saint Donatus;
• the procession with the statue of the saint along the streets of the historic center, accompanied by the faithful and the brass band;
• moments of public celebration, with illuminations, stalls, and music.

The detailed program is prepared by the parish and published on the Archdiocese of Benevento website and local association channels, usually a few weeks before the event: it is therefore not uncommon for the final dates to be known only at the end of July.

Wheat wagons and the Threshing Festival

The most characteristic feature of the Campoli devotion is its link to wheat. In the past, the San Donato festival was accompanied by the Threshing and Ancient Crafts Festival, promoted by the Colli del Taburno association, featuring a parade of wheat wagons offered in honor of Saint Donatus and a competition between the town's districts — including the Marzano district — for the most beautiful wagon. Alongside the wagons, there were demonstrations of farming crafts, from threshing with vintage machines to straw and basket weaving. It is an agricultural interpretation of the religious festival that tells the story of the identity of the Colli del Taburno, where village life has followed the rhythm of wheat, vineyards, and olive groves for centuries.

The village and the territory

Campoli del Monte Taburno is a great starting point for exploring the Taburno-Camposauro Regional Natural Park, with its hiking trails, and for tasting the typical products of the area: Aglianico del Taburno and Falanghina wines, oil from the hills descending towards the Ierino stream, cherries of local varieties celebrated in spring, and the Taburno bean, the star of the autumn food festival. Also worth seeing is the 16th-century Marchional Palace, which houses the museum dedicated to the territory, and the Pietra di Tocco, with traces of ancient Samnite-Caudine fortifications.

2026 Edition

The Archdiocese of Benevento has announced that the San Nicola parish will celebrate Saint Donatus of Arezzo in 2026 as well, but the official calendar and the full program have not yet been published online. Those wishing to attend can contact the parish directly or follow the notices posted in town and the channels of local associations. The dates indicated in this entry are provisional and will be updated as soon as the parish releases the program.