The Befana's Descent from the Civic Bell Tower

A Befana descending from the Civic Bell Tower

In Villamaina, a village of less than a thousand inhabitants in the heart of Irpinia, in the Province of Avellino, the evening of Epiphany is not spent indoors. On January 6th, the Befana appears at the top of the Civic Bell Tower and, secured to a rope, slowly descends from a height of about twenty meters to the crowd waiting for her in Piazza Risorgimento. It is a simple yet highly effective image, which in just a few years has become the town's most recognizable winter event and one of the most talked-about by the local Irpinian press.

The formula is that of an old-fashioned town square festival, where the whole village gathers in the same place at the same time: there is no stage, there is a bell tower, and those looking up are simply waiting for the old lady to start moving.

How the festival unfolds

The afternoon begins around 5:00 PM, when Piazza Risorgimento fills with families, children, and curious onlookers who have arrived from neighboring towns. The recurring elements every year are:

• The Befana's rope descent from the Civic Bell Tower, with gifts and sweets brought down along with her;
• Street performers and fire-eaters, who entertain the square before and after the descent;
• The distribution of sweets to all the children present in the square;
• The award ceremony of the literary contest «La Befana delle Valli d'Ansanto»;
• Food stalls with typical products and local specialties.

The «La Befana delle Valli d'Ansanto» literary contest

The most original part of the event is not seen on the bell tower: it is the literary contest named after the Valli d'Ansanto, which rewards the best written works inspired by the figure of the Befana. The award ceremony takes place in the square during the same evening, linking the festival for the little ones to a writing project that involves schools and enthusiasts. In the 2025 edition, the proposed theme was that of the "missing chimneys" in war zones, from Ukraine to Gaza: a way to give the Epiphany nursery rhyme a very current interpretation.

A festival with a spirit of solidarity

The Befana's descent in Villamaina is also an event of welcome. The Municipality organizes it together with the APS Domenico Caracciolo and the SAI (Reception and Integration System): in 2025, gifts were delivered to fifty children hosted in the reception centers of Villamaina, Teora, Guardia Lombardi, and Torella dei Lombardi. That evening, the square thus brings together the village children and those of the refugee families welcomed in the area.

Villamaina, the thermal baths, and the Valli d'Ansanto

Villamaina is located at an altitude of about 570 meters, on a hilly ridge in eastern Irpinia, in Campania. It is a town known for its thermal water springs in the Fonte Formulano area, where ancient structures have been identified, and for its connection to the 19th-century botanist Giovanni Gussone. Vineyards and woods extend around the village, and the local cuisine plays on the area's wild products, from wild asparagus to chestnuts. Those arriving for the Befana will therefore also find a territory to explore at leisure, among thermal baths, trails, and wineries.

Who organizes it

The event is promoted by the Municipal Administration of Villamaina in collaboration with the APS Domenico Caracciolo and the Reception and Integration System (SAI). Official information is disseminated by the Municipality of Villamaina and picked up by Irpinian newspapers, which include the appointment in the provincial Epiphany calendar every year.

When to go and what to expect

The date is fixed: January 6th, in the late afternoon, when the light has already faded and the descent from the bell tower stands out even more. It is advisable to arrive a little early to find a spot in front of the bell tower and dress very warmly, because in January, at this altitude, the temperature in the square is biting. It is a festival designed for children, but the sight of the Befana suspended in the air above Piazza Risorgimento works perfectly for adults as well.