Spezzatino Festival - Feast of Santa Maria dei Martiri and Santo Stefano

The festival of the signature dish of the 'City of the Three Hills'

At the end of July, the Martiri district of Ariano Irpino, in the province of Avellino, transforms into a vibrant festival square. The Spezzatino Festival accompanies the solemn celebrations in honor of Santa Maria dei Martiri and Santo Stefano, organized annually by the parish and the district festival committee together with local residents. It is one of those neighborhood feasts where the line between devotion and conviviality blurs: the procession winds through the same streets where, just hours later, the lights are switched on and food stalls line the way.

Spezzatino arianese, the undisputed star

The dish that gives the festival its name is the spezzatino arianese, a specialty of Ariano Irpino's gastronomy prepared with meat, vegetables, tomato, and oregano, slow-cooked until tender and fragrant. It is a humble, rustic dish that originated in home kitchens and has since become an identity-defining symbol of the city: eating it at the tables set up in the church square, while the band tunes their instruments, is the most authentic way to understand what the word 'sagra' means here.

Alongside the stew, the stalls have long offered a small anthology of popular flavors:

• Sausage sandwiches cooked over charcoal
• Fried pizzas and savory fried snacks served hot
• Hot dog sandwiches, a favorite among children
• Seafood fries served in a paper cone (cuoppo)

The religious program

The festival is not just about food. In the days leading up to the solemnity, the district churches—Santa Maria dei Martiri, Santo Stefano, Sacro Cuore, and San Michele—host a seven-day period of celebrations, catechesis, and prayer. The highlight arrives on Saturday with the solemn mass in honor of Santa Maria dei Martiri, presided over in recent years by the Bishop of the Diocese of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia, followed by the procession that travels along Via Martiri, Via Vinciguerra, and the district streets, accompanied by the local marching band. On Sunday, the liturgical calendar concludes with masses at the church of Santo Stefano.

Music, shows, and the District Fair

The secular program is hosted every evening on a stage set up in the heart of the district. Recent editions have featured a variety of groups and artists from the Campania region and beyond—from concerts by MusicOn and the Moja Band from Cava de' Tirreni to Michelle Hanea's rock show, as well as 90s-themed nights and Neapolitan cabaret—with DJ sets and comedy shows keeping the square buzzing until late at night. Sunday morning is dedicated to the District Fair, a traditional event with stalls selling local products, handicrafts, sweets, and trinkets that fill the neighborhood streets. In the evening, the lottery draw is a must, being one of the most anticipated moments for residents.

Ariano Irpino, the heart of Irpinia

Ariano Irpino is one of the largest municipalities in Campania and a key center of inland Irpinia, in the Province of Avellino. Perched on three hills—earning it the nickname 'City of the Three Hills'—it overlooks the Ufita Valley and the Apennine passes that have historically connected Puglia to Campania. It is a city with strong popular traditions, which in summer also hosts the Ariano Folkfestival, a historic world music event, and various district feasts that mark the calendar in July and August. Among these, the Spezzatino Festival is the one that best captures the bond between the table, the neighborhood, and faith.

When it takes place

The event traditionally falls on the last weekend of July, from Friday to Sunday: July 28-30 in 2023, July 26-28 in 2024, and July 25-27 in 2025. Dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been officially announced; it is advisable to follow the parish and festival committee channels, which publish the poster with the full program a few weeks before the event each year.