Fera 'Mpessima (Mule and Crosses Fair)

The 2025 edition of the Fera 'Mpessima confirmed the vitality of this centuries-old tradition in Sternatia, in the province of Lecce. As every year, the fair was divided into two Lenten events: the Mule Fair, heir to the ancient livestock market, and the Covered Crosses Fair (or Heifer Fair), linked to the final Sundays of Lent.

The streets and squares of the historic center were filled with stalls, agricultural tools, household goods, and sweets, while food stands offered specialties of local peasant cuisine. Between rides for the little ones and the typical struscio among the stalls, the 'Mpessima confirmed itself as a moment of collective gathering for the entire Grecìa Salentina, guardian of the territory's Grico identity.