In Sant’Angelo del Pesco, August 13 is no ordinary date. It’s the day the entire village comes together to celebrate the Polenta Festival, better known as the Fascarllata. For forty-five years, this event has brought together friends, relatives, and visitors, turning the main square into a stage for tradition, togetherness, and community pride.
From the early hours of the afternoon, preparations come to life. The square fills with colors, sounds, and scents that carry echoes of the past. From the open-air kitchens, the aroma of polenta drifts through the streets, while volunteers — true guardians of this tradition since 1980 — move with practiced ease, each absorbed in their task. It is thanks to them that, year after year, the Fascarllata continues to thrive with the same passion.
So, what exactly are fascarelli?
It is an ancient dish, a symbol of the humble cuisine of the past. The recipe, passed down from generation to generation, begins with potatoes simmered in salted water, to which cornmeal is slowly added to create a soft, creamy mixture. Then, over a gentle heat, beans, pork rind, and the essential touch of chili pepper are folded in. In the large pot, the ingredients meld together into a harmony of flavors that recalls the tables of our grandparents.
At 8 p.m., everyone gathers in the main square. Wooden benches and tables welcome families and groups of friends, ready to enjoy steaming polenta served with cheeses, desserts, and other local specialties — all paired with a good glass of wine. Around them, live music and entertainment fill the night, while laughter mingles with the clinking of glasses.
Since 1980, Sant’Angelo del Pesco has celebrated its Polenta Festival in the spirit of authenticity and tradition. – Photography & Design: Oreste Di Cristino
The Fascarllata is more than just a food festival — it is a ritual of sharing. Young and old, locals and visitors alike come together, side by side, rediscovering the joy of simply being together. It is a moment when the village recognizes and renews itself, where the younger generations learn from their elders the importance of preserving their roots, in an age when technology all too easily pulls people apart.
The celebration carries on late into the night. When the music fades and the moon watches over Sant’Angelo del Pesco, what remains is the awareness that this is not just a tradition, but a living bond with the community’s identity. Already, thoughts turn to the next August 13, when the square will once again fill with voices, aromas, and smiles.
The Fascarllata is all of this: memory and future, flavors and community — a page of history that is rewritten each year with the same enduring enthusiasm.