Orecchiette and Salento-Style Maccheroni Festival

The Salento fresh pasta festival in Diso

The Orecchiette and Salento-Style Maccheroni Festival is one of the most beloved gastronomic events of the summer in Diso, a small town in the Province of Lecce located in the heart of Lower Salento, Puglia. For over forty years, the event has brought the town's historic center to life with two evenings dedicated to handmade fresh pasta, the heart of Salento's peasant cuisine.

Traditional orecchiette and maccheroni

The undisputed stars are the orecchiette and Salento-style maccheroni, pasta shapes crafted by hand according to ancient tradition, rolled and hollowed one by one by the local women. Served with the classic Salento sauce, enriched with tomato, grated cacioricotta, and a drizzle of local extra virgin olive oil, they represent an iconic dish that tells the gastronomic history of this land. Alongside the pasta dishes, the stalls offer other local specialties and Salento wines.

A village celebration in Lower Salento

The festival takes place in the historic center of Diso, winding through the village alleys and squares. It is part of the town's summer calendar, which is also linked to the devotion to Sant'Oronzo, a highly venerated patron saint in Salento. The evenings, enlivened by folk music with pizzica and Salento folk groups, turn the town into a meeting place where residents and visitors gather around outdoor tables, amidst the aromas of home cooking and the rhythms of the tambourine.

An authentic Salento experience

The event, with free admission, is an ideal opportunity to discover the hospitality of small Salento villages away from the more crowded tourist circuits. Diso, along with its seaside hamlet of Marittima, offers visitors a genuine corner of Salento, where the tradition of homemade fresh pasta becomes a shared celebration. An event designed for families and those seeking the authentic taste of the truest Puglia.

The dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been officially announced: the event is usually held in late August, and updated information is published by the organizers and the Municipality of Diso's channels in the weeks leading up to it.