Village Festival

Four nights of celebration in the alleys of San Giovanni

Every year, in mid-August, the hamlet of San Giovanni—the oldest core of the Municipality of Stella Cilento, in the Province of Salerno—sets aside the quiet of the hinterland and lights up for four consecutive evenings. The Village Festival does not take place in a single square: it unfolds along the stone alleys, underpasses, and small squares of the historic center, where food stalls, artisan benches, and live music follow one another like stops on an itinerary. It is a simple and proven formula that has made the festival one of the most popular events of the Cilento summer.

The village of barons and brigands

According to local tradition, San Giovanni was founded around 1225 and retains a medieval layout that has remained substantially intact. It is dominated by Castello Vassallo, a ducal palace of the ancient Vassallo family, which has been remodeled several times over the centuries and is still called simply "the Castle" by everyone today due to its commanding position over the town. It is no coincidence that the festival is presented with the theme of the "village of barons and brigands": the landscape of clustered houses, arches, and stairways carved into the stone is the true stage designer of the event, and at night, with the lights glowing along the alleys, it restores the atmosphere of an ancient Cilento.

Cilento on the table, dish after dish

The gastronomic heart of the festival is the peasant cuisine of Cilento, prepared according to home recipes. Among the offerings that have accompanied the evenings over the years:

• cavatielli with wild boar sauce and fusilli with mutton ragù, the handmade pastas of the hinterland;
• 'mbuttunate (stuffed) eggplants and potatoes, eggplant parmigiana, and soffritto;
• stuffed anchovies, which remind us how close the Cilento sea is;
• acqua sale, stale bread seasoned with oil, tomato, and oregano;
• fried pizzas, San Nicola meatballs, and polenta with sausage;
• local wine, served at the stands along the route.

Everything is prepared by the volunteers of the Pro Loco Stella Cilento, which organizes the event under the patronage of the municipal administration.

Live music and craftsmanship

Every night, a different group enlivens the village: the musical programming favors the popular repertoire of the South, tarantella, and dance music, with bands that keep the audience engaged until late at night. Alongside the music, there is space for an area dedicated to craftsmanship and local excellence, set up in collaboration with Castello Vassallo: here, you can meet local producers and observe traditional trades, from woodworking to textiles.

A festival that has lasted for over twenty years

The Village Festival has a long history: in 2018, the sixteenth edition was already being celebrated, placing the first one around 2003. Since then, the event has not changed its nature—it remains a village festival built on the unpaid work of volunteers—but it has seen the number of visitors grow, arriving from neighboring municipalities and the Cilento coast during the week of Ferragosto. Those who return every year do so mainly for the atmosphere: no massive stages, but an entire village opening its doors.

Where to find Stella Cilento

Stella Cilento is a small municipality in Campania nestled at about 380 meters above sea level on the slopes of Monte Stella, in the heart of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. Until the end of the 19th century, it was called Porcili; the current name recalls the mountain that dominates its territory. From the hamlet of San Giovanni, it only takes a few kilometers to reach the beaches of the Cilento coast, making the festival a natural stop for those spending their holidays in the area who want to get to know the most authentic Cilento, that of the inland hills.