From 16 to 18 October 2026, the historic centre of Cassano Irpino hosts the Festa del Raccolto, the 48th edition of the town's Sagra della Castagna.
The chestnut is the thread running through the whole edition. The festival brings together Irpinian producers, restaurant owners, artisans and the local community around the harvest, with food stands, music, performances, children's activities, cooking workshops and themed games.
A village festival built around the chestnut
Continuity is part of the story here. The Municipality of Cassano Irpino presented the 47th edition in 2025 as an established celebration of tradition, food, music and discovery of the village, normally held on the second weekend of October. The 48th edition keeps that identity while putting the relationship between harvest and community at the centre.
The event is organised by Irpinia Mood with the Municipality of Cassano Irpino and other local partners.
Participating restaurant owners are asked to offer at least one dish in which chestnut, chestnut flour or a chestnut-derived ingredient is the defining element. For visitors, that rule is a practical guarantee: chestnut will not be decoration only, but something to taste across the stalls and menus.
Local context adds interest. Cassano Irpino lies in the area associated with Castagna di Montella IGP, and sources also mention the local Palummina variety. Expect the festival to foreground Irpinian production rather than generic autumn food.
The Palazzo Baronale pop-up restaurant
A separate, more structured dining experience takes place at the Palazzo Baronale, which hosts a pop-up restaurant during the festival.
According to the published programme outline, the format is:
- Friday 16 October, dinner: four-hands kitchen
- Saturday 17 October, lunch and dinner: appointments with Vincenzo Vazza
- Sunday 18 October, lunch: four-hands kitchen
Seats are limited and access is by reservation through EventFlow. Availability and operating details can change, so check the reservation page directly before travelling.
Planning your visit
Opening hours give the weekend a clear shape. The festival opens on Friday from 6:00 p.m., while Saturday and Sunday start from 10:30 a.m. That makes Friday an evening tasting visit and Saturday and Sunday full daytime visits to the historic centre, with producers, artisans and family activities.
Two practical points are worth keeping in mind. First, the full detailed programme had not yet been published in the sources available for this article, so confirm times for concerts, workshops and children's events closer to the dates. Second, sources do not provide prices, parking, public transport or updated accessibility information, and there was no dedicated municipal page for the 48th edition at the time of research.
If the pop-up dinner is your priority, book first and build the rest of the visit around it. If you are coming for the village atmosphere, choose Saturday or Sunday morning to combine food stalls, artisans and a walk through Cassano Irpino's historic centre.
