Focareddha te Sant'Antoni

The Focareddha te Sant'Antoni in Taviano

Every year, on the evening of January 17th, Taviano celebrates Saint Anthony Abbot with the Focareddha te Sant'Antoni, an ancient bonfire tradition that marks the beginning of the Carnival period in Salento. In the town of Taviano, in the province of Lecce, fires are lit in various districts: the community gathers around the flames to socialize, warm up, and renew a ritual rooted in the local farming culture.

The tradition of fire in Salento

The focara—or focareddha in the Salento dialect—is much more than just a bonfire. In the past, people would gather around the fire to pray and then take embers home to warm their cold winter dwellings. Saint Anthony Abbot, an Egyptian hermit venerated as the protector of domestic animals, is at the heart of this festival celebrated throughout Puglia: from the great bonfire of Novoli to the small focare of towns like Taviano, the fire symbolizes the closing of one cycle and the beginning of a new one.

The 2026 edition by the Taviano Demons

In 2026, the tradition was enriched with a new event: the Taviano Demons, the group linked to the city's yellow and red colors, organized their own Giallo Rossa Focareddha in the market area. The evening combined fire with Salento folk music, featuring a concert by the group Tammurria and the pizzica sounds of the duo Quelli della Taranta.

Rituals and highlights of the evening

• Blessing of the animals, a typical ritual of the feast of Saint Anthony Abbot, protector of domestic and stable animals.
• Lighting of the focara on Via Castelforte, the traditional bonfire around which the neighborhood gathers.
• Live music with pizzica groups and Salento folk music.
• Food and wine stalls with local products and specialties of Salento cuisine.

A community event

The Focareddha te Sant'Antoni is a free, open-air festival, welcoming to families, children, and visitors. It represents one of the most heartfelt moments of the Taviano winter and testifies to the vitality of the popular traditions of Salento, a land of fire, music, and conviviality in the heart of Puglia.