Talanico "Riccia" Hazelnut Festival

A festival dedicated to the Riccia hazelnut

The Talanico "Riccia" Hazelnut Festival is the annual September event that brings together the entire community of this small hillside hamlet in the municipality of San Felice a Cancello, in the province of Caserta, Campania. The event was created to showcase the product that has made the village famous far beyond the borders of Caserta: the Talanico Riccia hazelnut, a local cultivar of Corylus avellana with a thin, light shell, an elongated shape, and a medium-small kernel, prized for its intense aroma and excellent performance in pastry making.

A signature product

The Riccia hazelnut is grown on the slopes of Monte Sant'Angelo, where the agricultural landscape is defined by hazelnut groves interspersed with small farms. Harvesting begins around mid-August and continues over the following weeks; the hazelnuts are then dried and stored in ventilated areas before being roasted, peeled, and graded. It is a product that the Campania Region has included among its traditional specialties and which, over the years, has been promoted outside the region as an ambassador of the territory.

Hazelnuts on the menu

The heart of the festival is the food. The gastronomic stands, open every evening, offer a menu built around the hazelnut, featured in both savory and sweet dishes. Signature dishes from past editions include:

• hazelnut fusilli, the festival's iconic first course;
• breaded chicken wings with crushed hazelnuts;
• sausage and potatoes, bean soup with pork rinds, and other traditional Caserta peasant dishes;
• artisanal nougat and brittle, creams, baked desserts, and hazelnut biscuits;
• local wines, liqueurs, and flavored spirits.

Alongside prepared dishes, local producers set up direct sales stalls: shelled, roasted, and processed hazelnuts can be purchased on-site, often directly from the farmers themselves.

Music, shows, and markets

The "Riccia" Hazelnut Festival is more than just a food and wine event: it is a true village celebration. The evening program traditionally alternates live music, cabaret shows, performances by local dance schools, and events hosted by local presenters. There are also craft markets, displays of agricultural machinery and local products, and areas dedicated to children, making the event suitable for the whole family. The atmosphere is warm and informal, typical of late-summer Campania festivals, with the streets and the municipal park illuminated until late at night.

Organizers

The event is managed by the Pro Loco of Talanico, with the patronage of the Municipality of San Felice a Cancello and the support of UNPLI. By 2016, the festival had already reached its sixth edition, a sign of its established continuity; since then, the event has been held regularly on weekends in September, immediately following the harvest.

Talanico and the surrounding area

Talanico is located a few kilometers south of the municipal capital, in a border area between the provinces of Caserta, Avellino, and Benevento. Unlike the rest of San Felice a Cancello, which stretches across the Campania plain, the hamlet has a predominantly hilly landscape and serves as one of the gateways to the Partenio Regional Park. The Church of San Pietro Apostolo and the patronal feast dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul complete the local calendar of traditions. For those visiting the province of Caserta, the festival is an opportunity to discover a lesser-known side of the territory, far from the classic circuits of the Royal Palace and the Aversa area.

When it takes place

The event usually falls in the first half of September and spans several consecutive evenings: in 2025, the festival was held from September 5th to 7th. The dates for the new edition are generally announced at the end of the summer on the Pro Loco of Talanico's social media channels.