MARU – The Chili Pepper Festival

MARU 2025 – 12th edition

The twelfth edition of MARU – The Chili Pepper Festival was held in Ruffano (Lecce) on September 6 and 7, 2025, enlivening the historic center from 6:00 PM until late at night with a route spread across the village squares.

The program combined gastronomy and culture: stalls with chili plants from all over the world, tastings of typical products curated with AIS Lecce, the famous spicy endurance contest (with the participation of Ruffano Calcio players), author meet-and-greets — photographer Rocco Casaluci with "Il giardino delle erbacce" and Walter Spennato — and numerous concerts: the Misto Street Band, Trevize with his electro-world project, Fuoco Nomade, the balfolk of the group Furàha with Tommaso Massarelli, and the Khaossia Ensemble Salentina.

Great emphasis was placed on MaruLab workshops: pottery, botanical watercolor, suminagashi, basket weaving, cyanotype, and the handmade pasta workshop "Orecchiette Mare." The event, organized by Made in Soap and Idee in Movimento with the Municipality of Ruffano, confirmed MARU as one of the most original events of the Salento summer.

Saturday, September 6, 2025

• 7:00 PM — Piazzetta Ruffo: author meet-and-greet, photographer Rocco Casaluci presents "Il giardino delle erbacce"
• 7:00 PM — Piazza IV Novembre: performance by students of Officine Musicali
• 8:00 PM — Misto Street Band parade through the historic center
• 8:00 PM — Piazzetta Giangreco: Alessandro Ferrari, guitar and dance
• 9:00 PM — Piazza Nazario Sauro: Trevize, electro-world project
• 10:00 PM — Piazza del Popolo: Fuoco Nomade concert

Sunday, September 7, 2025

• 6:30 PM — Author meet-and-greet with Walter Spennato, "Nella casa delle nuvole rovesciate"
• Eleonora Carbone (harp) and Giovanni Bisanti
• 8:30 PM — Piazza IV Novembre: spicy endurance contest with Ruffano Calcio players
• 8:30 PM — Piazza Nazario Sauro: balfolk with the group Furàha and Tommaso Massarelli
• Khaossia Ensemble Salentina, Mediterranean melodies

Throughout the event

• Food stalls in Piazza Nazario Sauro and Piazza San Francesco
• Sale of chili plants from around the world
• Tastings with AIS Lecce sommeliers
• MaruLab: pottery, botanical watercolor, suminagashi, basket weaving, cyanotype, "Orecchiette Mare" workshop
• Art exhibitions, installations, and face painting