Bitetto Tèrmite Sweet Olive Festival

The festival celebrating Bitetto's signature olive

Every year, during the final weekends of September, the small town of Bitetto, in the province of Bari, becomes the capital of Apulian table olives. The Tèrmite Sweet Olive Festival is one of the longest-running and most cherished food and wine events in the Bari hinterland: for over thirty years, it has brought together producers, farms, associations, and thousands of visitors around a product that defines the identity of this corner of Puglia.

The Tèrmite olive, a PDO candidate

The absolute star is the Tèrmite olive of Bitetto, a Bari-area table olive variety with sweet, delicate flesh, grown in the olive groves surrounding the town. The festival was created specifically to promote this local cultivar, which is currently undergoing the process for Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) recognition. Along the streets of the center, stalls from farms in the area west of the Metropolitan City of Bari offer brined olives, extra virgin olive oil, and high-quality local products, providing the public with a tasting journey that is both a celebration and a cultural landmark.

Taste, culture, and major concerts

The Tèrmite Sweet Olive Festival is more than just a gastronomic showcase: the program combines tastings, guided tours of the village, recreational workshops for families, book presentations, popular tournaments like the olive competition, and sporting events such as the city run. The evenings come alive with major live concerts in the town squares, which over the years have featured well-known names from the Italian music scene, followed by shows and DJ sets that keep the center buzzing until late at night.

The squares of the festival

The heart of the event beats between Piazza Aldo Moro and Piazza Umberto I, where stages, stalls, and entertainment alternate, while other activities take place in the historic center and at the municipal sports field. Admission to the festival is free, with tastings and menus offered by the participating farm stalls.

Bitetto and the Puglia of oil

Nestled among the ancient olive groves of the Bari hinterland, Bitetto is a small town in the Metropolitan City of Bari, Puglia, also known for the Sanctuary of Blessed Giacomo and its preserved medieval center. Visiting the Tèrmite Sweet Olive Festival means discovering a living peasant tradition, an authentic product, and the genuine hospitality of a community that takes pride in its olive heritage.