Torrone and Croccantino Festival

The sweet that made San Marco dei Cavoti famous

In the upper Sannio area, in the province of Benevento, the town of San Marco dei Cavoti is renowned throughout Campania for a small, unmistakable treat: the croccantino, a crunchy nougat made of almonds, hazelnuts, honey, and sugar, coated in dark chocolate. The recipe is attributed to Cavalier Innocenzo Borrillo, who perfected it in 1891. Since then, it has sparked a thriving artisan industry; today, about a dozen confectionery companies operate in the town, forming the backbone of the local economy alongside agriculture.

A festival born in 2001

The Torrone and Croccantino Festival was established in 2001 to showcase this confectionery heritage, reaching its twenty-third edition in December 2025. The event traditionally takes place around the Immaculate Conception holiday, when the Fortore village fills with visitors from Sannio, Naples, Molise, and Puglia: four days during which the historic center transforms into a continuous path of shop windows, workshops, and lively squares.

The historic center as a path of taste

The heart of the event is Piazza Risorgimento, featuring the info point, street performers, and refreshment areas; the gastronomic area is set up in Piazza Meomartini, in front of the Palacrock, while the town streets—starting with Via Giuseppe Mazzini—host producers' stands. Recurring highlights include:

• tasting and direct sales of torrone, croccantini, and chocolate specialties from local workshops;
• guided tours of confectionery companies to witness the nougat-making process firsthand;
• refreshment points with hot chocolate, mulled wine, and roasted chestnuts;
• a Christmas market, exhibitions, and installations throughout the village;
• workshops for children, such as the "Baby Pasticcioni" sessions organized by the Pro Loco.

The Megacroccantino, a collective ritual

The festival's iconic image is the Megacroccantino: on Sunday, in Piazza Risorgimento, master confectioners prepare and distribute meters upon meters of croccantino to the public. It is the moment when the square truly comes alive, showcasing the festival's popular spirit—a community celebrating its own craft.

Music, street arts, and culture

The program goes beyond taste. The Palacrock stage and the squares host a rotation of concerts, tribute bands, local dance school performances, traditional Sannio folk groups, and street bands blending funk, jazz, Balkan rhythms, reggae, and ska. Alongside the performances, there are book presentations, conferences, and award ceremonies for literary and artistic competitions held in the town's historic buildings, such as Palazzo Colarusso and Palazzo Jelardi.

Museums and urban trekking

During the festival, the two museums that tell the story of the village's identity remain open: the Tower Clock Collection and the Museo Modern, dedicated to advertising, packaging, and commerce, located in Palazzo Jelardi. Guided tours of the historic center are also organized, and in recent editions, the Crocco TreK, an urban and extra-urban trekking route through the panoramas of the Fortore valley.

A village to discover

San Marco dei Cavoti has ancient origins and a name that tells a story of migration: the community settled in its current location around the mid-14th century with the arrival of Provençal colonists, the "gavots," from which the name "Cavoti" derives. Visiting the festival in December means combining the indulgence of torrone with the discovery of a Sannio village, with its alleys, churches, and views over the hills.

The 2026 edition

At the moment, the organizers have not yet released the dates for the next edition, which traditionally falls during the Immaculate Conception holiday in early December. It is worth keeping an eye on the official website and the festival's Facebook page, where dates and the full program are announced each year.