Focareddha de Sant'Andrea (Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle)

The 2025 edition of the Focareddha de Sant'Andrea will long be remembered in Presicce-Acquarica. A few days before the lighting, the large pyre erected on Via Molise was destroyed by an act of vandalism that set it ablaze ahead of time. The community's response was immediate: citizens and volunteers, with the spirit of solidarity that drives the festival, rebuilt the bonfire in record time, allowing the tradition to continue.

On the evening of the eve, November 29th, after the religious rite in honor of the patron Saint Andrew the Apostle, the pyre was lit with the participation of the parish Schola Cantorum and live musical accompaniment. On the day of the feast, November 30th, festivities continued in Piazzetta Villani with the traditional fried fish festival and a concert by the group Celentarock. The lighting was followed, as per tradition, by a live stream on the official Focareddha channels, a testament to how deeply rooted this fire ritual is in the identity of Lower Salento and the Municipality of Presicce-Acquarica.