Festival in Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Elijah the Prophet

A local district festival in the heart of the Itria Valley

The Festival in Honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Elijah the Prophet is one of the most cherished events in the countryside of Locorotondo, a circular village in the Itria Valley famous for its trulli and sloping-roofed cummerse. The festivities take place in Contrada Sant'Elia, along the S.P. 162, around the small rural church dedicated to the Prophet Elijah. They are organized by the San Giorgio Martire Parish together with the Sant'Elia "Carlo Palmisano" Association, with the patronage of the Municipality of Locorotondo, the Pro Loco, and the "Uomo 2000" Association.

Faith and devotion

The religious heart of the festival is marked by the traditional Chanting of Vespers, which gathers the faithful at the Church of Sant'Elia in the evenings leading up to the solemnity. The highlight is the solemn procession: the statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Prophet Elijah are carried on shoulders from the district to the town center of Locorotondo, in a journey that symbolically unites the countryside with the town, concluding with Holy Mass on the square in front of the church.

The food festival and social program

Alongside the religious dimension, the festival offers a lively social program. The absolute star is the Local Food Festival, curated by "Ape d'Itria," which brings the flavors of the Murgia and Itria Valley traditions to the table. The evenings are enlivened by musical shows with traveling bands and entertainment groups, while there is no shortage of sporting and recreational events:

• The Sant'Elia Scopa Tournament, involving the community in the weeks leading up to the festival;
• The Sant'Elia Cup, a memorial dedicated to figures from the district;
• The cycling tour through the countryside and dry-stone walls of the Itria Valley;
• The spectacular nighttime fireworks display that closes the festivities.

A heritage of the Locorotondo community

The Sant'Elia Festival represents a living fragment of Apulian folk traditions: a district festival born from the devotion of the residents of the Locorotondo countryside, in the Province of Bari, who gather every summer to renew faith, friendship, and a sense of belonging. For visitors, it is an opportunity to discover an authentic and rural side of the Itria Valley, far from the tourist circuits but rich in warmth and genuine flavors.