Baccalà Festival

A December 8th tradition in the heart of the Murgia

The Baccalà Festival is one of the most cherished events in Cassano delle Murge, a town in the Bari Metropolitan City nestled within the Alta Murgia National Park. Held every year on December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, it transforms the historic center into a vibrant public celebration: food stalls and cooking stations are concentrated between Largo Immacolata and Via Gentile, where the community gathers at nightfall.

Religious rites and popular festivities

The day blends devotion with conviviality, a hallmark of Puglian festivals. In the afternoon, Holy Mass is celebrated in the Mother Church, and the statue of the Immaculate Madonna is carried in procession through the streets of the old town, amidst illuminations and prayer. Once the religious rites conclude, the festival truly begins, as the salt cod hits the fryers and the streets fill with families, curious onlookers, and visitors from neighboring towns.

The flavors of the festival

The undisputed star is, of course, the fried baccalà (salt cod), served in hot, crispy portions according to traditional recipes. Alongside it, you will find the essential specialties of Murgia winter cuisine:

• Pettole — typical leavened dough fritters, sweet or savory, a symbol of the Christmas season in Puglia;
• Scagliozze (or sgagliozze) — golden triangles of fried cornmeal polenta, a delicious and humble street food;
• Local wine and extra virgin olive oil, expressions of the agricultural heritage of Cassano.

Music, gospel, and Christmas atmosphere

The Baccalà Festival is more than just gastronomy: the evening of the Immaculate Conception is accompanied by musical performances, which in recent years have featured the gospel choir The Joyful Chorus, a historic Cassano choral group directed by Maestro Roberto Angiulo, with concerts held in the Church of San Nicola. The event effectively marks the opening of the Cassano Christmas, a rich calendar of initiatives that enlivens the town from early December until Epiphany.

A community event

The event is promoted by the Associazione Amici di Tutti, with the patronage of the Municipality of Cassano delle Murge and the collaboration of the local parish. It is an authentic celebration, free to attend, and deeply rooted in the town's identity, drawing residents and visitors to the heart of the Bari Murgia on one of the coldest and most evocative nights of the year.