The Pumpkin Village

An orange autumn on the Laceno Plateau

Every October, as the beech forests of the Picentini Mountains turn shades of red and gold, the Laceno Plateau becomes the stage for The Pumpkin Village, one of the most anticipated autumn events for families in Irpinia. The festival takes place in the mountain hamlet of Laceno, about eight kilometers from the center of Bagnoli Irpino, in the province of Avellino, in the heart of inland Campania.

This is neither a carnival nor a traditional food festival; it is a themed celebration that takes the autumnal imagery of Halloween and adapts it to a mountain setting, with pumpkins, creative workshops, and outdoor games designed primarily for children.

The «La Botte» Playground, the heart of the event

The event is hosted at the «La Botte» Playground, a recreational facility overlooking Lake Laceno at an altitude of over 1,000 meters. The organizers decorate the area with themed displays, photo spots, and gaming stations, making full use of the park's expansive green spaces. The event typically runs from late morning to late afternoon, allowing families to combine their visit with a walk across the plateau.

Activities for children

The program of past editions revolves around a core set of recognizable activities:

• Paint your own pumpkin, the most popular workshop, allowing every child to take home their own decorated pumpkin;
• Ghost hunts and pumpkin hunts, group search games held throughout the park;
• Skill games such as ring toss, can toss, and pumpkin toss;
• Classic village fair games: sack races, hot potato, and the mummy game;
• The costume party, traditionally held on the second day;
• Themed photo corners and prize games.

The tone is intentionally simple and participatory: no large-scale shows, but a series of games led by entertainers, with parents closely following their little ones.

A young but well-established event

The Pumpkin Village debuted in October 2023 and quickly gained a following. The 3rd edition, held in October 2025, spanned two weekends and attracted numerous children from across the province of Avellino and beyond. The event is part of the Bagnoli Irpino municipal calendar and is promoted by the Sistema Irpinia portal of the Province of Avellino, which supports seasonal tourism in the area.

Bagnoli Irpino and the Laceno area

Bagnoli Irpino is a town of just over 3,000 inhabitants at an altitude of 654 meters, known for its black truffle and the beech forests of the Picentini Mountains. Its only hamlet, Laceno, is a small mountain resort with ski lifts, hiking trails, and a high-altitude lake. The Pumpkin Village fits into the shoulder season—between the summer hiking months and the snowy winter—which the region is learning to promote with family-oriented events.

Why visit

It is a day designed for the little ones, but the setting is equally appealing to adults: mountain air, autumn colors, and the chance to round off the trip with a gastronomic stop at the restaurants in Laceno or the historic center of Bagnoli Irpino. Those arriving from Avellino, Salerno, or Naples can easily plan everything as a day trip.