Li Ucci Festival
The week of Salento folk music in Cutrofiano, in the heart of Grecìa Salentina and the tarantism tradition
Edition 2026 not confirmed to date
This edition has not been confirmed by the organiser to date. We recommend checking before going.
About Li Ucci Festival
A festival to preserve the memory of Salento's singers
The Li Ucci Festival is one of the most iconic events dedicated to the folk music of Salento. It takes place every year at the end of summer in Cutrofiano, a small town in the province of Lecce known for its pottery tradition and the Parco dei Fossili pine forest. The festival was born in 2011, a year after the passing of Uccio Aloisi, with the aim of honoring the historic group "Gli Ucci" and all the great Salento singers who have passed down the songs, stories, and dances of their land from generation to generation.
The memory of the Ucci and tarantism
The festival's name pays homage to those folk singers who kept the oral culture of Salento alive through the tambourine, guitar, accordion, and voice. The festival weaves together pizzica, polyphonic singing, research into tarantism, and the transmission of peasant wisdom. Each edition revolves around a theme and an image that tell the story of the bond between work, celebration, and music in this part of Puglia.
A week of concerts, meetings, and traditions
The program spans several days and involves various locations in and around Cutrofiano: town squares, Palazzo Filomarini, Parco Sant'Antonio, and the farmhouses and oil mills of the surrounding countryside. Alongside the evening concerts, the festival offers:
- photographic exhibitions dedicated to Salento and Grecìa Salentina;
- book presentations and meetings on folk culture;
- pizzica-pizzica and traditional dance workshops;
- tastings of local products through the AssaggiUcci project;
- the inclusive "Li Ucci by bicycle" tour.
National recognition
In 2013, the festival received the award for best Italian folk music festival from the MEI in Faenza, and in 2018, it obtained the patronage of the Ministry of Culture. Organized by Sud Ethnic APS with artistic direction by Antonio Melegari and the collaboration of the Municipality of Cutrofiano, the Province of Lecce, and the Puglia Region, the Li Ucci Festival is now an essential appointment for anyone wanting to discover the music and folk traditions of Salento, always with free admission.
Li Ucci Festival — edition 2026
The dates for the 2026 edition of the Li Ucci Festival have not yet been officially announced. The festival is usually held in Cutrofiano (LE) between late August and early September, featuring a week of events dedicated to the folk music of Salento.
The detailed program, including artist names, times, and concert locations, will be published by the organization Sud Ethnic APS in the weeks leading up to the event. We invite you to check the official website for updates.
Prices Li Ucci Festival 2026
Practical information — Li Ucci Festival
Where it takes place
The festival is held in Cutrofiano (LE), in Salento, with events spread across the town's squares, Palazzo Filomarini, Parco Sant'Antonio, the Parco dei Fossili pine forest, and local farmhouses.
How to get there
By car: from Lecce, you can reach Cutrofiano in about 30 minutes via the SP362. The nearest airports are Brindisi and Bari; the reference train station is Lecce, from where you can continue with Ferrovie del Sud Est buses.
Admission
All events are free to attend. For some workshops and tastings, booking via the official organization contacts may be required.
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Where does it take place — Li Ucci Festival
Pineta del Parco dei Fossili