Lampioni and Cuturusciu Festival

A festival of light in the heart of Grecìa Salentina

The Lampioni and Cuturusciu Festival is the signature event of Calimera, a small town in the Grecìa Salentina area of the Lecce province, in the heart of the Apulian Salento. Calimera—whose name in Griko, the ancient Greco-Salentine language still spoken in these parts, means "good morning"—dedicates one of the most poetic and heartfelt events in Puglia to this tradition every mid-June: a festival made entirely of light, color, folk music, and community spirit.

The festival marks the official start of the Salento summer. It revolves around two recurrences: the feast of Saint Anthony on June 13th and that of Saint Louis Gonzaga on June 21st, which coincides with the summer solstice. For about nine days, the village is transformed: alleys, courtyards, and squares fill with sounds, scents, and light installations.

The lanterns, the heart of the tradition

The absolute stars are the lampioni (lanterns), handcrafted structures made entirely by hand. Built throughout the year by volunteers from the Pro Loco of Calimera, they are constructed with dried reeds, twine, and wire, then covered in colored tissue paper and illuminated from within. They take on the most imaginative shapes—Viking ships, fantastic animals, geometric figures, dancers, stars—and draw a magical path through the darkness of the historic center that culminates in Piazza del Sole.

Among the most anticipated moments of the festival are the Lantern Relay and the Luminous Caravan, the procession that parades through the streets carrying the large lit lanterns, involving residents and visitors in a multisensory experience of lights, sounds, scents, and flavors.

Folk music, pizzica, and taranta

The soundtrack of the festival is Salento folk music: pizzica, taranta, and traditional songs resonate in the town squares every evening. Over the years, the event has hosted some of the most important names on the Salento music scene, with free concerts that attract audiences from all over Puglia.

Lu cuturusciu and the flavors of Salento

Alongside the lights and music, the festival is also a journey into local flavors. The signature dish is lu cuturusciu, the typical soft tarallo of Calimera, recognized as a Traditional Agri-food Product (PAT) of the Puglia Region. Along the streets of the center, you will find food stands with typical local products and a local craft market.

A community festival

The Lampioni Festival is above all an expression of community identity: entire families, associations, and local schools participate in the preparation of the lanterns and side events, passing down an intangible heritage from generation to generation that makes Calimera, for a few days, one of the most evocative places in all of Puglia.