Sannio between Flavors and Folklore
The Provincial Festival of the Pro Loco of Sannio
About Sannio between Flavors and Folklore
A festival that tells the story of Sannio in two days
Sannio between Flavors and Folklore is the major Provincial Festival of the Pro Loco in the province of Benevento: a summer event where dozens of local associations gather in the same town to showcase the identity of a territory defined by rolling hills, wheat, wine, and rural traditions. The event is coordinated by the UNPLI Provincial Committee of Benevento, led by president Renzo Mazzeo, who each year entrusts the operational organization to the Pro Loco of the host town in collaboration with the local administration.
This is not a festival dedicated to a single product, but a true collective showcase: each Pro Loco brings its own signature dish, traditional costume, folklore group, and historical pageant. The result is a short walk of just a few hundred meters that takes you through the heart of inland Campania, from the Telesina Valley to the Fortore, and from the Taburno to the Caudina Valley.
From 2003 to the 2025 revival
The event was founded in 2003 and accompanied Sannio summers for over a decade until it was interrupted in 2014. The relaunch took place in 2025, when the festival returned to Paduli on July 12th and 13th, coinciding with the National Day of the Pro Loco. The two-day event brought together around forty Pro Loco associations from Sannio and thousands of visitors, under the theme "In the Footsteps of the Via Appia Traiana." Since then, the event has resumed on an annual basis with a renewed format.
An itinerant event: a different town every year
The itinerant nature of the festival is its hallmark: the venue changes with each edition, ensuring that tourism promotion reaches different towns across the province. After Paduli in 2025, the 2026 edition moved to Foglianise, in Piazza Fiamme Gialle, with the theme "In the Footsteps of the Wheat Road"—a tribute to wheat, the most authentic symbol of Sannio's history and a raw material that already has a famous expression in Foglianise through its elaborate woven straw artworks.
The Gastronomic Village
The delicious heart of the festival is the Gastronomic Village, which generally opens at 8:00 PM and features a row of Pro Loco stalls. Recurring offerings include:
- traditional Sannio first courses
- local meats, cured meats, and cheeses
- artisanal pizzas and bruschetta with local olive oil
- typical desserts and artisanal liqueurs
- wines from the province of Benevento and organic products
- cocktail areas and craft products, from ceramics to straw weaving
Folk music, folklore, and re-enactments
The stage hosts alternating folklore groups from the Pro Loco, featuring tarantellas, quadrilles, and accordions, alongside folk music bands that keep the square lively until late at night, often followed by a DJ set. Alongside the performances, there are historical pageants in costume, exhibitions, book presentations, conferences on the role of the Pro Loco, and educational workshops for children and families: from straw weaving to Kamishibai storytelling, and from underground potato harvesting to the Taburno cherry.
A recognition reaching the Senate
In March 2026, the event received a special mention as a "Quality Festival" as part of the UNPLI recognition, presented at the Senate of the Republic: a testament to the cultural, social, and promotional value of the initiative and the voluntary work of the Sannio Pro Loco associations.
Why it's worth the trip
For those visiting Campania who only know the coast, Sannio between Flavors and Folklore is a quick and sincere gateway to the hinterland: in one evening, you can hear the Benevento dialect, taste dishes that rarely appear in city restaurants, and understand what a Pro Loco is—the associative fabric that keeps the traditions of small Italian towns alive. Admission is free, and the atmosphere is that of a village festival: familiar and authentic.
Sannio between Flavors and Folklore — edition 2026
Foglianise, capital of Sannio for two days
For 2026, the Provincial Festival of the Pro Loco chose Foglianise, a town in the Taburno area known for its tradition of wheat and woven straw. The title of the edition, "In the Footsteps of the Wheat Road," is not just a poetic reference: wheat is the element that for centuries has meant work, culture, and a bond with the land in this part of Campania.
How it went
Everything was concentrated in Piazza Fiamme Gialle, starting at 6:00 PM on both days. The ribbon-cutting on July 10th opened a conference dedicated to the role of the Pro Loco as guardians of local knowledge and the "Stregarti" exhibition; then the rhythm shifted to folklore groups, historical pageants in costume, and folk music, ending with DJ sets past midnight. The gastronomic village opened both evenings at 8:00 PM.
The Pro Loco as protagonists
The festival was brought to life by the Pro Loco of Foglianise, Cepino Prata, Monte Taburno, Apice, Benevento Samnium, Pago Veiano, Airola, and Casalduni, coordinated by the UNPLI Provincial Committee of Benevento. In addition to the exhibitions, the Fiat 500 Club Italia, ceramic artisans, and local agricultural producers were also present.
An award-winning edition
The edition took place just a few months after the "Quality Festival" special mention was presented to UNPLI Benevento at the Senate of the Republic specifically for this event.
Programme Sannio between Flavors and Folklore 2026
Friday, July 10, 2026
- 6:00 PM — Official inauguration and ribbon-cutting in Piazza Fiamme Gialle
- 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM — Educational workshops: straw weaving, underground potato, Taburno cherry, Kamishibai storytelling
- 6:30 PM — Conference "Textures of Sannio: Pro Loco as guardians of Flavors and Folklore on the Wheat Road", Giovanna Tommaselli Oratory; inauguration of the "Stregarti" exhibition by Pro Loco Benevento Samnium
- 7:30 PM — Quadrille and Tarantella by Pro Loco Pago Veiano; historical pageants of Airola and Mons Militum
- 8:00 PM — Opening of the Gastronomic Village
- 8:15 PM — Folk Group A Funtanella
- 9:15 PM — Folk music show Portetnica
- 11:30 PM — DJ set with Deny
Saturday, July 11, 2026
- 6:30 PM — Book presentation "Nel fango a testa alta" by Assunta Pagnozzi
- 7:00 PM — Folk Group Fontanavecchia (Pro Loco Casalduni)
- 7:30 PM — Historical pageant of Pro Loco Apice
- 8:00 PM — Reopening of the Gastronomic Village
- 8:15 PM — Folk Group Fortuna Folianensis
- 9:30 PM — Concert by Orchestrina Sanamalocchio
- 11:45 PM — Closing DJ set with Darius
Gastronomic Village (both evenings)
- Traditional first courses, Sannio meats, cured meats, and cheeses
- Artisanal pizzas and bruschetta with local olive oil
- Typical desserts, artisanal liqueurs, wines from the province of Benevento, and organic products
- Cocktail areas GaioGin, Alchemist, and Kiosko
- Exhibition by Fiat 500 Club Italia, artisanal ceramics, and agricultural products
Highlights Sannio between Flavors and Folklore 2026
- Theme of the edition: "In the Footsteps of the Wheat Road," dedicated to wheat as a symbol of Sannio's history
- Eight Pro Loco of Sannio gathered in Foglianise with stalls, costumes, and historical pageants
- Four folklore groups: A Funtanella, Fontanavecchia, Fortuna Folianensis, and the Quadrille of Pago Veiano
- Live folk music with Portetnica and Orchestrina Sanamalocchio, DJ sets until late
- Workshops on straw weaving, underground potatoes, and Taburno cherries
- "Stregarti" exhibition and presentation of the book "Nel fango a testa alta" by Assunta Pagnozzi
- UNPLI "Quality Festival" special mention received at the Senate of the Republic
Prices Sannio between Flavors and Folklore 2026
Practical information — Sannio between Flavors and Folklore
How to get there
Sannio can be reached by car via the A16 Naples-Canosa motorway (Benevento exit) or the Benevento-Caianello junction. From Benevento, the host towns can be reached in 15-30 minutes via provincial roads. By train, you can arrive at Benevento Centrale station, which is connected to Naples and Caserta, then continue by bus or taxi. The nearest airport is Naples-Capodichino, about an hour's drive away.
Venue and hours
The festival is itinerant: check the host town each year on the channels of the UNPLI Provincial Committee of Benevento. Performances begin in the late afternoon, around 6:00 PM, and continue until night; the gastronomic village opens in the evening.
Costs
Admission is free. You only pay for what you consume at the Pro Loco stalls, with typical village festival prices.
Tips
Arrive early for the workshops and to find parking in the center; bring cash, as not all stalls accept cards. For accommodation, the most convenient choice is Benevento, with farmhouses and B&Bs spread throughout the province.
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