San Sebastiano Festival

A neighborhood festival at the foot of the Lattari Mountains

The San Sebastiano Festival is the signature event of the Franche district, one of the residential hubs that make up Pimonte, a town in the Metropolitan City of Naples, Campania. Located between the Lattari Mountains and Monte Pendolo along the road connecting Gragnano to Agerola and the Amalfi Coast, this is not a large-scale commercial event with stages, barriers, and ticketed entry. It is a village festival in the truest sense, born from the residents' desire to gather around their local church and open their doors to visitors.

A week of events

The format, well-established by the 2025 edition, spans an entire week of activities distributed throughout the alleys of the district and the square in front of the church of San Sebastiano. It kicks off on Monday with a community dinner offered by local businesses and restaurateurs, set up along the narrow streets with the help of volunteers. The following evenings feature music and theatrical performances, culminating in a grand finale on Saturday night in the square. Everything is strictly free: you arrive, you taste, you listen, and you stay in the square until late.

The taste of Pimonte, locally sourced

The common thread of the tastings is the Pimonte food and wine basket: locally sourced products from the Lattari Mountains, brought to the table by local businesses that support the festival every year. There is no price list and no tickets to buy: the offering is free, and the quality is that of local producers who are not tourist attractions, but the neighbors of those organizing the event.

• Free tastings of typical local products;
• Opening dinner offered by local businesses and restaurants along the district's alleys;
• Music throughout the week's evenings;
• Theatrical and comedy shows in the church square;
• Alleys and small squares decorated by neighborhood volunteers.

Who is behind the festival

The event is organized by the Franche Neighborhood Committee, chaired by Gioacchino Avitabile, in collaboration with the parish—led by Father Leo—and the Faro Teatro Macco APS association, which manages the entertainment. It is held under the patronage of the Municipality of Pimonte, represented by the municipal councilor for neighborhood committees, Maria Donnarumma. Volunteers from the Civil Protection and the Municipal Police also contribute to the success of the week by overseeing the spaces during evening events. In May 2026, the Franche Neighborhood Committee inaugurated its new headquarters, presented as "a place open to citizens": a sign of the associative vitality behind the festival.

What atmosphere to expect

In the Lattari Mountains, September is the month when summer bids farewell with evenings that are still warm yet increasingly crisp. During these days, the Franche district changes its look: lights along the alleys, tables set in front of houses, chatter in the local dialect, and children running in the square while the stage is being set up. It is a festival without tourist ambitions, and for this very reason, it is more authentic than many more famous events: those who arrive from outside are not customers, but simply an extra guest at the table.

Pimonte, a town that thrives on festivals

The San Sebastiano Festival is one of many events that mark the Pimonte calendar. The municipal program, gathered under the "Pimonte Oasi Verde" brand, offers various events between spring and summer, such as the Spina Santa Fair, the "Music at Sunset" evenings on Monte Croce, courtyard theater curated by local young actors, the "Valle del Gusto" festival, and the "Sentieri del Gusto" festival in August. At the end of September, it is time for the patronal feast of Saint Michael the Archangel. In this busy calendar, the Franche festival is the voice of the neighborhood: smaller, more intimate, and more familiar.

Good to know

Participation is free and open to everyone every evening. As this is a festival organized by a neighborhood committee, the detailed program—dates, times, and guests—is released only a few weeks in advance through the channels of the Franche Neighborhood Committee, the parish, and the social media pages of the Municipality of Pimonte. It is always best to check before traveling, as dates may shift by a few days from one year to the next.