Sponz Viern

Sponz Viern: The winter soul of Sponz Fest

Sponz Viern is the winter iteration of Sponz Fest, the acclaimed event conceived and directed by singer-songwriter Vinicio Capossela, which has been bringing Calitri—a town in the Alta Irpinia area of the Avellino province, Campania—to life for over a decade. The inaugural winter edition took place from January 3rd to 6th, 2025, coinciding with the festival's twelfth anniversary: a number the organizers linked to the Twelve Nights, the suspended time in European folk tradition that separates Christmas from Epiphany. As Capossela himself noted, the desire for a winter edition had been smoldering like hearth embers for years.

Tuff caves, circus tents, and town squares

The festival's geography mirrors that of the town itself. By afternoon, music retreats into the tuff-carved caves of the historic center—intimate spaces where acoustic sounds feel almost domestic and the audience wanders on foot from one concert to the next. The Casa della Musica, housed in the former Rossini cinema, hosts workshops, film screenings, and talks, while the Area Circo, set up in the Madonnelle district under a heated tent, hosts the major evening events. Churches, crypts, squares, and alleys complete a map that invites you to explore Calitri at a slow pace, embracing the January chill while enjoying the warmth of the venues.

Music, theater, and the rituals of the Twelve Nights

The program of the first edition featured a diverse range of performances, all unified by Capossela’s unique perspective on Southern folk culture:

• Swing Night featuring the Sorelle Marinetti, the Patagarri, the Rekkiabilly Swing Punk Orchestra, and special guest Tonino Carotone;
• All Local Star, an evening dedicated to traditional Irpinian quadrilles, sonnets, and songs with Makardìa, A Cunv'rsazion, and Tonuccio Corona & Pink Folk;
• The Twelfth Night, a ritual concert by Vinicio Capossela featuring special guests, tightrope walkers, and magicians;
• Concerts in the caves, theater, readings, and storytelling, including sessions with writer Fabio Genovesi;
• Children's workshops, juggling, film screenings, and Christmas markets in the historic center.

A nativity scene that speaks to the present

One of the most defining moments is the talking nativity scene, a living pageant reinterpreted through a contemporary lens: the traditional Nativity figures blend with modern civic themes, transforming ancient devotion into a collective narrative about the town and its inhabitants. This is the same spirit that defines the summer Sponz Fest, where tradition is not kept behind glass but actively put back into circulation.

A festival built by the community

Sponz Viern is organized by the Sponziamoci Association in collaboration with the Municipality of Calitri and a network of local entities—including L'Isola che non c'è, I Teatranti del Sipario, the Pro Loco Calitri, and Aletrium—with the direct involvement of local residents. This community dimension is central to the experience: visitors to Calitri don't just find a schedule of events, but a town that opens its doors, cooks, guides, and shares its stories.

Calitri and Alta Irpinia in winter

Calitri stretches across a hill overlooking the Ofanto valley, with its ancient village clustered around the castle and houses tiered like steps. It is a land of ceramics, grain, and Irpinian wines—an inland area that reveals its most authentic face in winter: mists, lit fireplaces, and bountiful tables. Bringing a festival here in the heart of January means overturning the seasonal logic of tourism and showing that the inland areas of Campania have plenty to say even in the off-season.

The return of the winter edition

As of the latest update to this guide, no new winter edition of Sponz Viern has been publicly announced; the inaugural edition remains the one from January 2025. The summer Sponz Fest continues to take place regularly in Calitri at the end of August. Those wishing to track a potential return of the Viern can check the official website and the festival's social media channels, where announcements are typically published a few weeks in advance.