San Gerardo Maiella Feast and Pork, Cecatielli and Beans Festival
Faith, brass bands, and cecatielli: three days of patronal festivities in Cesinali, Irpinia
Edition 2026 not confirmed to date
This edition has not been confirmed by the organiser to date. We recommend checking before going.
About San Gerardo Maiella Feast
A patronal feast in the heart of Irpinia
Cesinali is a small town in the province of Avellino, in Campania, nestled in the Irpinian valley just a few kilometers from the provincial capital. Like many towns in the area, it marks the year with a calendar full of religious and popular traditions: Saint Anthony Abbot in January, the Zeza carnival, the Good Friday Crucifixion, the Holy Saturday Rosamarina, and Saint Roch in August. Above all, the San Gerardo Maiella Feast in September closes the summer season and brings the entire community together in the town square.
San Gerardo Maiella, the patron saint of mothers
Gerardo Maiella, a Redemptorist from Muro Lucano, is one of the most beloved saints in Southern Italy. Invoked as the protector of mothers and children, his cult is widespread across Irpinia, Basilicata, and the Sele Valley. In Cesinali, this devotion is expressed through a three-day preparation period with rosary recitations and Eucharistic celebrations, followed by a solemn day featuring a morning mass, a panegyric of the saint, and an evening procession through the town, illuminated by festive lights and concluding with fireworks.
The Pork, Cecatielli and Beans Festival
Running alongside the religious program is the secular one, centered on the food festival held in Piazza Saverio Urciuoli, typically on Saturday evening. The food stalls offer traditional Irpinian peasant dishes: sausages, steaks, and cotechini grilled over charcoal, and especially cecatielli—a handmade fresh pasta typical of inland Campania—served here with beans according to a local family recipe.
- Grilled pork in various preparations
- Cecatielli and beans, the festival's signature dish
- Wines and local products from the Irpinia area
- Open-air communal tables in the square, open to residents and visitors
Music in the square and brass band concerts
The evenings are accompanied by live music: recent editions have featured local bands, DJ sets, and traditional Irpinian folk groups. Sunday morning is reserved for the grand brass band concert, with musicians marching through the town streets—a ritual that in Irpinia is as significant as the procession and marks the awakening of the feast day.
Why it's worth the trip
It is not a massive commercial event, and that is precisely its value: the San Gerardo Maiella Feast is an authentic village festival where the devotional and the social aspects coexist without tourist filters. Visitors will find affordable prices, dishes prepared by local committees, and the chance to experience a patronal celebration in contemporary Irpinia firsthand.
In the surroundings
Cesinali is a great base for exploring more of Irpinia: Avellino is just a few minutes away by car, while the surrounding area is home to the renowned wine regions of Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo, and Taurasi. During the same season, neighboring towns host various other festivals and patronal feasts, making September one of the busiest months in the provincial calendar.
The 2026 edition
The dates for 2026 have not yet been announced by the organizers. Traditionally, the festivities take place in September over three days between Friday and Sunday. The detailed program is released in the weeks leading up to the event through the channels of the Municipality of Cesinali, the Pro Loco, and local Irpinian press.
San Gerardo Maiella Feast — edition 2026
2026 Edition: dates not yet announced
For the 2026 edition of the San Gerardo Maiella Feast in Cesinali, province of Avellino, no official dates have been published yet. The event traditionally takes place in September and spans three days, with the religious portion managed by the parish and the secular portion organized by the festival committee together with the Pro Loco.
The established structure includes the preparation triduum, solemn mass with the saint's panegyric, the evening procession accompanied by illuminations and fireworks, the Sunday morning brass band concert, and the Pork, Cecatielli and Beans Festival in Piazza Saverio Urciuoli, featuring grilled meat and handmade fresh pasta.
To stay updated on dates, times, and artists for the 2026 edition, it is recommended to follow the channels of the Municipality of Cesinali, the Pro Loco, and the local Irpinian press, which publish the detailed program a few weeks before the event.
Prices San Gerardo Maiella Feast 2026
Practical information — San Gerardo Maiella Feast
Getting there
By car: Cesinali can be reached from the Avellino Est exit of the Avellino-Salerno highway, continuing for about 5 km on the provincial roads of the Irpinian valley. The town center is compact, and some streets are closed to traffic during the festival: it is best to leave your car in the designated parking areas outside the center and proceed on foot.
By train and bus: the reference station is Avellino, connected to Cesinali by the AIR Campania provincial bus lines. From Naples, the fastest connection remains the bus to Avellino, with frequent departures.
Location
The heart of the festival is Piazza Saverio Urciuoli, which hosts the food festival and evening performances. Religious celebrations are held in the parish church, while the procession and the band parade travel through the town center.
Costs
Access to the square, religious celebrations, and performances is free. Festival dishes can be purchased directly at the food stalls at typical village festival prices.
Tips
- September evenings in Irpinia can be cool: it is best to bring a light jacket.
- Stalls generally open in the evening, around 8:30 PM: arriving early helps avoid the longest queues.
- For accommodation, the widest range of hotels and bed and breakfasts can be found in Avellino and the surrounding towns.
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Where does it take place — San Gerardo Maiella Feast
Piazza Saverio Urciuoli
Piazza Saverio Urciuoli, 83020 Cesinali