Tagliariegli e Ciceri Festival

Two nights of celebration in the heart of the Upper Caserta area

The Tagliariegli e Ciceri Festival is the most anticipated summer event in Roccaromana, a town of just a few hundred inhabitants in the province of Caserta, in inland Campania. In early August, Piazza San Cataldo and the streets of the historic center turn into a large open-air dining room: people eat side-by-side, chat late into the night, and dance to the rhythm of folk music. The 2026 edition marks the fourteenth year, confirming a formula that remains intentionally simple, without frills or large stages.

The signature dish: tagliariegli e ciceri

Tagliariegli are egg-free tagliolini made from water and flour, hand-rolled with a rolling pin and cut thin. In the cuisine of the Upper Caserta area—a borderland between the Ciociaria region of Lazio and Molise—they are traditionally paired with ciceri (chickpeas) in a thick, fragrant soup rooted in rural legume-based cooking. It is a humble dish in terms of ingredients, but rich in time and tradition: this is precisely why the festival puts it center stage, serving it in the classic version that has been prepared in local homes for generations.

What to find in the square

• Food stalls run by Pro Loco volunteers, featuring tagliariegli e ciceri as the main course;
• Other local specialties from the Caserta and Campania regions, from cheeses to cured meats, accompanied by local wine;
• Music and dancing throughout both evenings, right in the square;
• Stalls selling local products and handicrafts along the village streets.

The village of Roccaromana

Those who arrive early can spend the afternoon exploring the village. On the hill overlooking the town, you can find the remains of the Lombard castle and the Roccaromana Tower, accessible via a marked path that offers a sweeping view of the Middle Volturno area. In the historic center, you will find Palazzo De Ponte, overlooking Piazza San Cataldo, the bell tower from 1824, and the 15th-century Cappella del Purgatorio, featuring frescoes from the Caiatina school. The hamlet of Statigliano is known for cacioforte, an aged goat cheese still produced today by a few families: another piece of the mountain food culture that the festival celebrates at the table.

A tradition built by the Pro Loco

The event is organized by the Pro Loco of Roccaromana, which over the years has turned a home-cooked dish into a gathering point for locals and those returning to the village for the summer. The editions have taken place every August—the twelfth in 2019, the thirteenth on August 2nd and 3rd, 2025—and each time the square fills with residents, returning emigrants, and visitors from neighboring towns. Roccaromana is not an isolated case; the town's summer calendar also includes the Sagra degli Gnocchi al Tegamino, a sign of a small but very active community when it comes to popular traditions.

When to go and what to expect

The event takes place in the evening. In past editions, food stalls opened in the early evening, around 7:30 PM, and the festivities continued until late at night, when temperatures in the inland Campania region become more pleasant. This is not a festival for thousands of people: it is a village feast where you can eat well and mingle with the locals. Those looking for an authentic, non-touristy experience in the Upper Caserta area will find this to be one of the best spots of the Campanian summer.