Fiera te lu Porcu Meu

Fiera te lu Porcu Meu: the pork festival in the heart of Salento

The Fiera te lu Porcu Meu is one of the most deep-rooted and cherished festivals in Lower Salento. Every year, around the third Sunday of October, the small village of Muro Leccese — in the province of Lecce, in the Puglia region — transforms into a large gastronomic village dedicated to pork and the ancient recipes of rural charcuterie. The name, in the Salento dialect, literally means «my pig»: an affectionate and ironic way to describe the bond between the community and pig farming, which for generations was a precious resource for local families.

A tradition born in 1984

The event has its roots in 1984, when it was launched by the La Pastorella association as a livestock fair, linked to the town's ancient market tradition. Over the years, the livestock aspect gave way to the culinary dimension, evolving into the major pork festival that now attracts thousands of visitors from across Salento. Popular tradition also adds a small legend: it is said that a farmer, caught in a storm, locked his pigs in an oven, cooking them slowly and thus discovering the deliciousness of meat cooked with such patience.

The flavors: Salento charcuterie in the square

The heart of the festival lies in the stalls where association volunteers, starting in the early afternoon, cook pork according to traditional Salento peasant recipes. Specialties include:

• Grilled sausages and meat skewers
• Smoked capocollo and local cured meats
• Pork stew and boiled meats
• Porchetta sandwiches
• Liver, sautéed chicory with pork cheek, and other traditional rural dishes

Music, pizzica, and the Cuccagna

Alongside the food stalls, the Fiera te lu Porcu Meu offers evenings of folk music with pizzica concerts and local Salento bands, as well as craft and local product markets. The most anticipated moment is the Cuccagna on Sunday afternoon, an ancient collective game that draws a large crowd to the town center every year, amidst applause and cheer. On Sunday morning, the traditional market fair also comes to life, a direct descendant of the ancient livestock fair from which the event originated.

When and where

The festival takes place in the historic center and the Market Area of Muro Leccese, usually on the weekend of the third Sunday of October. Admission is free, and the event is an ideal opportunity to discover an authentic corner of inland Salento, far from the more touristy coastal routes. The Municipality of Muro Leccese supports the event with its patronage.