Bread and Oil at the Mill

Bread and Oil at the Mill, the festival of green gold in Cassano delle Murge

Bread and Oil at the Mill is the autumn event that brings Cassano delle Murge to life every November in the heart of the Bari Province, in Apulia. The event is dedicated to rural life and was created to highlight two iconic products of Apulian agriculture and gastronomic tradition: freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil and bread made according to ancient peasant recipes. Now in its thirteenth edition in 2025, the festival takes place over an entire week, when the countryside and mills fill with life, aromas, flavors, and anticipation for the new harvest.

A community tied to the olive tree

Cassano delle Murge sits at the foot of the upper Murge plateau, less than thirty kilometers from the regional capital, and has always been a land dedicated to olive growing. The municipality is one of the historic members of the National Association of Oil Cities, and its territory falls within the production areas of Olio di Puglia IGP and Terra di Bari DOP. It is no coincidence that the event revolves around the town's mills, which open to the public to showcase the milling process and offer tastings of the new oil on a simple slice of bread—an essential gesture that tells the story of centuries of Mediterranean culture.

The week's program

The calendar alternates between gastronomic, cultural, and educational moments designed to engage children, teenagers, and adults:

• Guided tours of local mills, with demonstrations of olive processing and tastings of the new oil;
• Competition for the best oil, with a jury of expert tasters called to award the best local productions;
• Folk dances and traditional folk dances that recall the traditions of the Murgia peasant civilization;
• Oil painting exhibition created by local primary and secondary school students, set up in Piazza Aldo Moro;
• Entertainment and workshops for children, with themed games and activities in the square;
• Excursions and nature experiences, with trekking towards caves and guided environmental visits in the Alta Murgia National Park and the nearby Foresta Mercadante;
• Musical performances, also hosted in the spaces of the Cinema Vittoria.

Between the Murge, forests, and flavors

Participating in Bread and Oil at the Mill means discovering not just a product, but an entire landscape: that of the Bari Murge with their karst reliefs, ravines, and the great Foresta Mercadante, an ideal destination for hiking enthusiasts. The tastings allow you to appreciate the local extra virgin oil in its most authentic expression, while visits to the historical sites of the center, from the medieval tower-houses to the Sanctuary of the Madonna degli Angeli, complete the experience. The event, promoted by the Municipality of Cassano delle Murge, is a free-admission appointment that combines slow tourism, environmental education, and the promotion of Apulia's food and wine excellence.

Information on the 2026 edition

The dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been officially announced. The festival is traditionally held in November, coinciding with the olive harvest: it is recommended to check the channels of the Municipality of Cassano delle Murge to find out the updated program as soon as it is published.