La Festa Contadina - Customs and Traditions

The La Festa Contadina in Santeramo in Colle

Every year, at the end of summer, the historic center of Santeramo in Colle transforms into a vast open-air museum dedicated to the rural civilization of the Murgia. La Festa Contadina - Customs and Traditions is one of the defining events of this town in the province of Bari, in the heart of Puglia. It was born from a desire to recover, promote, and pass down the agricultural and artisanal traditions that have shaped the life of this Murgia village for centuries.

A dive into Murgia's rural civilization

For a few days, the streets and squares of the historic center, with Piazza Garibaldi as its beating heart, fill with carefully reconstructed scenes of rural life: ancient crafts, agricultural tools, ovens, looms, and local produce tell the story of a world at risk of being forgotten. The event blends historical re-enactment, entertainment, gastronomy, and folk culture, offering residents and visitors an immersive journey through the flavors, sounds, and customs of the past.

The historical pageant and parades

Among the most anticipated moments is the "Discesa dei Marchesi", a historical pageant where ladies, knights, and participants in Bourbon-era costumes re-enact the symbolic arrival of the nobility in the village, turning the center into a stage set of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The re-enactments are accompanied by evocative vintage carriage parades pulled by horses, recreating the atmosphere of Santeramo in days gone by.

Flavors and products of the Murgia

The festival is also an opportunity to discover the food and wine excellence of the region: bread, olive oil, wine, and typical Murgia products take center stage in stalls, tastings, and themed exhibitions. Each edition often chooses a common thread linked to rural material culture, highlighting a symbolic product of the Murgia land and its supply chains each time.

An event that promotes the territory

The event is organized by the Pro Loco "G. Tritto" UNPLI with the patronage of the Municipality of Santeramo in Colle, the Puglia Region, the GAL Terre di Murgia, and the Alta Murgia National Park. The program usually includes guided tours to the area's landmarks, such as the evocative Grotta di Sant'Angelo, experiential workshops, musical performances, and cultural events dedicated to the memory of the rural world.

Why attend

• Relive the rural and artisanal traditions of the Alta Murgia
• Witness the "Discesa dei Marchesi" historical pageant in Bourbon costumes
• Admire the vintage carriage parades in the historic center
• Taste bread, olive oil, wine, and typical Murgia products
• Discover Santeramo in Colle and its cultural and landscape heritage