Bomminella Fair

One of the oldest fairs in Puglia

The Bomminella Fair is an event lost in the mists of time: local sources trace it back to the 13th century, when Norman-Swabian policies encouraged the Kingdom's economy by granting fairs to towns. It has been held for centuries on September 8th in the historic center of Cisternino, in the province of Brindisi, and is now one of the most authentic symbols of Cistranese identity and the Itria Valley.

Why is it called "Bomminella"?

In the local dialect, the name stands for "Baby Madonna": the fair was born alongside the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which the Church celebrates on September 8th. "Bomminella" is the Cistranese form of "bambinella," the newborn baby Mary. Thus, popular faith and commerce intertwine in a single day of celebration.

From eight days to one

The fair was designed to attract outsiders, encourage trade, and spread new techniques and tools of the era's crafts and industry. A plaque on the city walls recalls its prestige in the 18th century: in 1770, a minister from Naples authorized it to last eight days, with a "fair master" elected by the city government to ensure public order. Later reduced to three days, the fair itself now lasts for one full day, September 8th, enlivening the alleys and squares of the village.

The flavors: 'a cupptèdd

The Bomminella is also a celebration of taste. The signature dish is 'a cupptèdd cistranese, a boiled meat and vegetable stew, accompanied by mutton broth, tripe rolls, braciole, bread meatballs, and roasts: recipes passed down from generation to generation. In recent years, a digital map has been created, accessible via QR code, guiding visitors to restaurants serving this traditional dish.

"Intorno alla Bomminella"

Surrounding the fair day, the Municipality of Cisternino, the Pro Loco, the Culture Council, and local associations organize the "Intorno alla Bomminella" program, which extends the festivities over several days. Street musicians, actors, dialect poets, pizzica lessons and games, and photographic exhibitions in the Civic Tower and the Clock Tower fill the streets of the historic center, among strolls and taverns, leading up to the final gathering of the "Liberi Suonatori."

In the white village of the Itria Valley

Cisternino is one of Italy's most beautiful villages, a maze of white houses, arches, and stairways overlooking the Itria Valley, a land of trulli between Brindisi, Bari, and Taranto. Experiencing the Bomminella Fair means discovering the town at its most authentic, when popular tradition becomes a collective celebration.