Epiphany Festival (Arrival of the Three Wise Men and the Befana)

The festival that concludes the Christmas season in Carpino

In the small village of Carpino, nestled among the olive groves and forests of the Gargano, in the province of Foggia, Epiphany is much more than just a date on the calendar: it is the festival that marks the end of the long Christmas season and brings the entire community together in the heart of the town. On January 6th, organized by the Pro Loco of Carpino together with the Municipality of Carpino, the day intertwines the religious significance of the Christian holiday with the popular tradition of the Befana, in an event designed especially for children and families.

The Three Wise Men set off from the Church of San Nicola

The most solemn moment of the day is the procession of the Three Wise Men. Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar depart in costume from the Church of San Nicola and walk through the streets of the historic center until they reach Piazza del Popolo, where an act of adoration takes place at the nativity scene set up at the Sacrario dei Caduti. The re-enactment recalls the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus, the heart of the Gospel story of the Epiphany, and is accompanied by the blessing of the gifts, a gesture that unites the spiritual dimension with the festive spirit of the day.

The arrival of the Befana in Piazza del Popolo

In the afternoon, the focus shifts to the figure most beloved by the little ones: the Befana. Her arrival in Piazza del Popolo is the highlight for the children of Carpino, who wait for her to receive sweets and candies distributed to everyone. Amidst smiles, hanging stockings, and the magical atmosphere of the final holiday lights, the old woman riding her broomstick bids farewell to the Christmas season and provides one last moment of collective joy.

An event for Gargano families

The Epiphany Festival is a free, open-air event experienced in the squares and streets of the village. It is not a show for tourists, but an authentically communal celebration, where the Pro Loco and local associations involve volunteers, performers, and families. It is the ideal opportunity to discover Gargano hospitality and the soul of a town known throughout Puglia for its folk traditions.

Carpino, a village in the Gargano, province of Foggia

Located in the hinterland of the Gargano, overlooking Lake Varano, Carpino is a municipality in the province of Foggia, in Puglia, famous for its tarantella carpinese and for the heritage of songs and folk traditions showcased every summer by the Carpino Folk Festival. The Epiphany Festival represents the winter and domestic side of this same vocation: a community that gathers around its own rituals, passing on the warmth of Gargano festivities from generation to generation.