Festa te lu Contadinu

A celebration of Salento's farming heritage

The Festa te lu Contadinu (Farmer's Festival) is one of the most cherished and traditional summer events in Salento. It takes place in the small village of Serrano, part of the municipality of Carpignano Salentino, in the province of Lecce, in the heart of Puglia. For a few summer evenings, the village streets and squares turn into a large open-air banquet, featuring long communal tables, the aroma of traditional peasant cuisine, and folk music playing late into the night.

Origins: from 1995 to today

The event was established in 1995 by the local Pro Loco of Serrano with the aim of preserving and passing down the memory of Salento's rural world. Over the years, it has become one of the most well-known and popular festivals in the province of Lecce, attracting visitors from across Salento as well as tourists vacationing on the Adriatic and Ionian coasts. The figure of the farmer, with his hard work and wisdom, remains the central theme of every edition.

Salento's peasant cuisine on the table

The true heart of the festival is its traditional gastronomy, served at the tables with the warmth of ancient rural hospitality. Typical dishes on offer include:

• Ciceri e tria, the famous fresh pasta, partly boiled and partly fried, served with chickpeas;
• Lu granu stumpatu, traditional pounded wheat;
• The farmer's appetizer, featuring seasonal vegetables prepared in various ways (zucchini, peppers, eggplant);
• Pittule, bruschetta with anchovies or spicy ricotta, wild chicory, grilled meats, and potato pie (pitta di patate);
• Homemade desserts such as tarts, mustaccioli, and marzipan, accompanied by plenty of local wine.

Folk music, pizzica, and traditions

The gastronomic evenings are accompanied by performances of Salento folk music, featuring folk groups, pizzica, tarantella, and dance rhythms that involve both young and old. There is also an exhibition of antique agricultural tools and period costumes, as well as parades and re-enactments of traditional crafts, offering a portrait of a community deeply connected to the land and the olive tree.

Serrano and Carpignano Salentino

Serrano is a village within the municipality of Carpignano Salentino, a town in the Lecce hinterland also known for its historic Festa te lu Mieru and its rural heritage. Visiting the Festa te lu Contadinu means discovering an authentic Salento far from mass tourism, characterized by dry-stone walls, fields of ancient olive trees, and genuine hospitality in a charming corner of Puglia.

2026 Edition

As of July 24, 2026, the Pro Loco of Serrano has not announced the dates for the 2026 edition, and we have found no public source confirming that it will take place. The 2025 edition was held in August. We will update this page as soon as the organizers publish the dates and program; the most up-to-date information is usually shared on the Pro Loco di Serrano Facebook page.