Villa San Nicola Festival

A festival in the heart of Irpinia

The Villa San Nicola Festival takes place every summer in Piazzetta San Nicola, the small square that gives its name to the hamlet of Cesinali, a town of just over two thousand inhabitants in the province of Avellino, in Campania. This grassroots event grew out of the popular festivities dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Bari and has quickly become one of the most recognizable fixtures of the Irpinian summer. The formula is simple and successful: a few evenings at the end of July, a stage in the square, food stalls, and an audience arriving from all over the Sabato Valley and the Avellino hinterland.

Authorial music and the new Italian scene

The musical side of the festival, curated over the years by the collective behind the Wonderwall Experience project, has built the event's reputation. The concert evenings have brought names from the Italian indie and singer-songwriter scene to Cesinali even before their national breakthrough: in 2022, the fourth edition featured Mobrici, Evandro, and Boycardo; 2023 saw Giuse The Lizia, Mavica, and Bais; the following edition hosted Legno and Postino, while in 2025 the stage was shared by Dutch Nazari and Giuse The Lizia. Local press has repeatedly called the festival a key reference point in Campania for independent music—a remarkable achievement for a village of this size.

Alongside the concerts, depending on the year, there is an exhibition area dedicated to local designers, artists, and artisans, as well as evenings of folk music and dancing, with traditional groups and DJ sets keeping the square alive until late at night.

The town's historic food festivals

The festival wouldn't be the same without its gastronomic soul. The Ancient Festival of Cecatielli and Beans and Grilled Pork is one of the longest-running in Irpinia, now exceeding forty editions: the cecatielli, handmade pasta shaped with a wire, are served with beans and grilled pork. In recent years, the Maccaronissima – Irpinian Maccaronara Festival has been added, dedicated to the other great local fresh pasta variety. In the square, you will also find 'caciocavallo impiccato' (hanging cheese), sandwiches, montanare, graffe, and local wines, in an area that brings together the best of Irpinia's Fiano, Greco, and Taurasi wines.

A free, open-air event

Admission to the festival is free and open every night: you only pay for what you consume at the food stalls. The event is promoted by the Saint Nicholas of Bari Festival Committee with the patronage of the Municipality of Cesinali and the collaboration of the Pro Loco Cesinali, and takes place entirely outdoors, between the square and the adjacent streets.

Cesinali and the province of Avellino

Cesinali is located just a few kilometers from Avellino, along the route leading towards Serino and the Picentini Mountains. It is a convenient starting point for those wishing to discover the lesser-known side of Irpinia: the chestnut groves of the Sabato Valley, the Fiano di Avellino wineries, and the villages of Santo Stefano del Sole, Aiello del Sabato, and Santa Lucia di Serino. Visitors to the festival find an authentic village atmosphere, where the celebration is still organized by local volunteers and the square remains the true center of community life.

Why go

• Free concerts by artists from the Italian independent scene in an intimate, informal setting.
• One of the oldest food festivals in Irpinia, featuring handmade cecatielli and grilled pork.
• Typical products, Irpinian wines, and traditional street food at affordable prices.
• Authentic village atmosphere, suitable for families and children.
• An ideal base for visiting Avellino and the Sabato Valley on a summer evening.