Stuffed Pepper and Tocchese Bean Festival

An August festival in the heart of Sannio

The Stuffed Pepper and Tocchese Bean Festival is the most anticipated summer event in Tocco Caudio, a small town of just over 1,500 residents in the Province of Benevento, Campania. Every year on August 11th and 12th, Piazza Municipio transforms into a massive open-air kitchen with long tables, food stalls, local product displays, and a stage for folk music. It is a village festival in the most authentic sense, born from the parish oratory's initiative and grown through the hard work of local volunteers, remaining faithful to its two protagonists: the stuffed pepper and the bean grown on the slopes of Mount Taburno.

The peparuolo 'mbuttinato

In the local dialect, 'mbuttinato means «stuffed»: the peparuolo 'mbuttinato is the traditional Sannio stuffed pepper, prepared according to home recipes passed down through generations. It is a dish that knows no season in Tocco Caudio; it is enjoyed regardless of the temperature, which is why it has become the symbol of a festival held in the height of summer. The organizers consider it one of the most typical local products, and the event was created specifically to showcase it.

The Tocchese bean

The second star is the Tocchese bean, a local variety linked to the volcanic soils of the Taburno Massif, known for its distinct flavor and thin skin. Cultivated in local gardens and small fields, it is an ancient legume that residents consider part of their cultural heritage. In an area that the Regional Park defines as a monument to the history of Mediterranean agriculture, its survival is a triumph in itself. At the festival, it is served in simple preparations that highlight its quality without masking it.

How it works

The festival comes alive at night. Stalls open around 8:00 PM and remain active until late, while the square fills with residents, emigrants returning for the August holidays, and visitors from the nearby Valle Vitulanese and Valle Caudina. Alongside the tastings, there are displays of local products and entertainment. Past editions have featured folk music groups and Neapolitan singers, including bottari ensembles with their traditional percussion. Admission to the area is free; you only pay for what you consume at the stalls.

The village and the Terra Vecchia

Visitors should set aside an hour to explore the town. Tocco Caudio sits at about 540 meters above sea level on the eastern slope of Mount Taburno, within the Taburno-Camposauro Regional Park. The old town, perched on a rocky ridge and abandoned after the 1980 earthquake, is now a hauntingly beautiful «ghost town» that can be explored on foot, featuring the ruins of the Church of San Vincenzo and an 18th-century chapel. The population has since moved to the new center of Friuni. Nearby, you can visit the Saints Cosma and Damiano sanctuary and the so-called Pietra di Tocco, a limestone block with a Roman bucranium carving; a settlement dating back to the Samnites has been identified in the La Pietra area.

Who organizes it

The event is organized by the «Spitaletto Tontoli Filippo» Oratory, which manages the entire operation with its volunteers, alongside the group known as «Il Peparuolo 'Mbuttinato», with the support of the Municipality of Tocco Caudio. The festival has been held since the mid-2010s, always on the same two August evenings, and in 2026 it reaches its tenth edition. Beyond the gastronomy, the event serves a vital purpose in a depopulated town: keeping the community together and providing the local youth with a shared project.

Why visit

• Two specialties rarely found elsewhere: the Tocchese stuffed pepper and the Taburno bean.
• Village-style prices and free admission in an intimate, human-scale square.
• Live folk music and Neapolitan songs without massive stages or crowds.
• The chance to combine dinner with a visit to the Terra Vecchia and the Taburno-Camposauro Park.
• An opportunity to discover the inland Sannio region, just half an hour from Benevento.