San Gennaro Patronal Feast (with Wine and Tortano Festival)

A patronal feast at the foot of Mount Vesuvius

The San Gennaro Patronal Feast is the most cherished event of the year in Trecase, a town of just over eight thousand residents in the province of Naples, Campania, set between the vineyards of the southern slopes of Vesuvius and the borders of the National Park. For about ten days, between mid and late September, the town gathers around its patron saint with a schedule that weaves together religious celebrations, cultural encounters, and popular festivities, the gastronomic heart of which is the Wine and Tortano Festival in Piazza San Gennaro.

San Gennaro, patron saint of Trecase

The martyr bishop, venerated throughout the Neapolitan area, is the patron saint of Trecase and is celebrated on September 19th, the day of his liturgical solemnity. Local devotion is ancient and deeply rooted: the patron's day begins at dawn with fireworks and continues with a long sequence of masses, while the streets of the town center are adorned with festive lights. It is a community celebration in the truest sense, prepared for months by families, confraternities, and local associations.

The Santa Maria delle Grazie e San Gennaro Diocesan Sanctuary

The center of the celebrations is the Santa Maria delle Grazie e San Gennaro Diocesan Sanctuary, overlooking Piazza San Gennaro. The festive days open with morning prayers, the recitation of the rosary, and the preparatory triduum, presided over by the rector Father Antonio Ascione and guest priests; on the day of the solemnity, masses are held from the early hours of the morning until evening. Every year, the anniversary of the church's elevation to a diocesan sanctuary is also commemorated near the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, with a solemn mass and a floral tribute from the municipal administration.

The Wine and Tortano Festival

The secular side of the festival is symbolized by the Wine and Tortano Festival, which reached its 30th edition in 2025: it is one of the longest-running gastronomic events in the Vesuvian area. In Piazza San Gennaro, stands are set up to serve tortano, the typical Neapolitan ring-shaped savory pastry made with lard, pepper, cheeses, and cured meats, accompanied by Vesuvius wines produced on the volcanic soils surrounding the town. The stands remain open every evening during the final days of the festivities, and the square transforms into a large open-air dining area where generations gather until late at night.

Music, comedy, and fireworks

The evenings in the square alternate between Neapolitan song concerts, comedy shows, and dance nights featuring artists from the Neapolitan scene who are beloved by the local public. There is also a soccer tournament named after the patron saint and fireworks that mark the key moments of the festival, from the dawn volley to the final display. Alongside entertainment, there are cultural moments, such as sacred art exhibitions set up by the Archconfraternity and conferences on civic and environmental themes hosted in the parish library.

The procession and the grand finale

The most emotional moment is the procession with the statue of San Gennaro, which on the final Sunday winds through the streets of Trecase accompanied by confraternities, the town band, and the local population. The saint's return to the sanctuary is greeted by a spectacular pyrotechnic display and the traditional burning of the bell tower, the grand finale that officially closes the festivities and remains etched in the memory of those who witness it for the first time.

Trecase, wine, and the Vesuvius National Park

Those who come to Trecase for the festival discover an agricultural territory of great interest: the town is part of the Vesuvius National Park, and its lava soils host some of the most renowned vineyards and apricot orchards in Campania. A few kilometers away are the ruins of Pompeii, Torre Annunziata with the Villa of Oplontis, and the trails that climb toward the Gran Cono.

2026 Edition

As of the update date of this page, the program for the 2026 festivities has not yet been published. The patron saint's feast remains fixed on September 19th, and the calendar is usually released at the beginning of September by the Sanctuary and the San Gennaro APS Association. We recommend following the organizers' official channels to learn about dates, the religious and secular program, and the opening of the festival stands.