Santa Maria delle Grazie Bean Festival

A village festival in the heart of the Amalfi Coast

The Fagiolata is one of the most anticipated gastronomic events of the summer in Maiori, in the province of Salerno, Campania. It does not take place on the seafront or in the town center, but in the hamlet of Santa Maria delle Grazie, where the church square is transformed for one night into a large open-air dining room. It is the celebration of a small community that, for over twenty years, has opened its doors to visitors from Maiori and neighboring towns along the Coast.

Over twenty years of history

The event is organized by the Parish of Santa Maria delle Grazie, supported over the years by the local ANSPI Circle. In 2025, the festival reached its 22nd edition, a sign of rare continuity for an event entirely managed by local volunteers. The formula has never changed: a few dishes, all centered on beans and the local peasant cuisine, served at long, shared tables.

What to eat

The absolute star is the bean, prepared according to traditional Campanian peasant recipes. In recent editions, the menu has included:

• pasta e fagioli, the signature dish of the evening;
• pumpkin and beans, a home-style recipe rarely found in restaurants;
• caponata, with toasted bread soaked and seasoned in the coastal style;
• sausage and broccoli sandwiches, for those who prefer to eat on the go;
• watermelon, homemade desserts, and limoncello to finish.

In some editions, the parish has also offered appetizers with local products, farro and beans, grilled sausage with sides, and a children's menu. Local wine accompanies the entire evening.

Folk music and atmosphere

The Fagiolata is more than just a meal: the square hosts live traditional folk music. In 2025, entertainment was provided by the group La Paranza dell'Agro, a band dedicated to Campanian folk songs, with tammurriate and traditional tunes accompanying the courses until late in the evening. The crowd is typical of village festivals: entire families, children, local elders, and vacationers coming up from the marina.

A charity event

The Fagiolata has a clear and declared purpose: all proceeds are donated to the extraordinary maintenance of the parish church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Eating at the festival means contributing concretely to the care of a building that is the heart of the hamlet's community life. This is a common model throughout the Amalfi Coast, where summer festivals fund restorations, patronal feasts, and parish works.

Part of Maiori's summer calendar

The Fagiolata is part of the official summer calendar of the Municipality of Maiori, which for 2026 includes over sixty events spread between the center and the hamlets, from June to autumn. Alongside major festivals (Maiori Jazz, Maiori Danza, concerts at the Tourist Port), the program highlights identity-focused festivals of the hamlets, of which the Fagiolata is one of the most successful examples, along with the Notte dei Sapori in San Pietro and the De.Co. Chocolate Eggplant Festival.

Why it's worth the trip

Those visiting the Amalfi Coast in August often find crowded venues and tourist prices. The Fagiolata offers the opposite experience: home-cooked food, direct contact with the locals, folk songs, and an evening outdoors away from the crowds of the seafront. It is an opportunity to discover the less postcard-perfect side of Maiori—the one of the hamlets and parishes that keep traditions alive.