Patronal Feast of Maria SS. Annunziata

One of the oldest patronal festivals in Salento

The Patronal Feast of Maria SS. Annunziata is the heart of the identity of Tuglie, a small town in the Province of Lecce, in the Salento region of Puglia. Considered the first patronal festival of Lower Salento and one of the most significant in the entire province, its roots date back to the mid-18th century. Tradition links it to the completion of the current Mother Church around 1750 and the establishment, commissioned by Charles III of Bourbon, of an important livestock and agricultural tool fair. For over two and a half centuries, the community has renewed this appointment with unwavering participation.

When it is celebrated

The liturgical feast of the Annunciation falls on March 25, but the civil and popular celebrations take place in April, usually two or three weeks after Easter, spread over a weekend. Religious celebrations are preceded by a novena of preparation and culminate in the Solemn Mass and the procession with the statue of the Virgin through the streets of the town, decorated with traditional illuminations and flown over by characteristic hot-air balloons.

The Mazzuchi fair and the horse parade

The most iconic moment is the historic Mazzuchi Fair, which at dawn on Sunday brings the homonymous district to life with stalls, animals, and local produce, serving as a direct heir to the ancient 18th-century fair. The morning continues with a spectacular parade of horses, carts, and carriages that winds through the streets, while at noon the sky lights up with a daytime fireworks display. The third and final day, the "Nunziateddha", hosts the traditional market for household goods and closes the festival with performances in the square.

Devotion and entertainment

Alongside the religious dimension, the civil program offers band concerts, popular games like the greasy pole, flag-waver performances, street entertainment, and musical evenings that fill Piazza Garibaldi and the historic center. The festival is organized by the Festival Committee with the support of the Municipality of Tuglie and involves the entire community in a joyful atmosphere that unites the sacred and the profane.

The "banana" ritual

No resident of Tuglie, and no visitor, would miss the delicious ritual that accompanies the festival: enjoying a "banana" gelato from the Provenzano pastry shop. Created in 1951 as the official dessert of the patronal feast, this elongated semifreddo with a creamy center and chopped nuts has become a gastronomic symbol of Tuglie and an unmissable highlight of these April days.

A journey into authentic Salento

Participating in the Annunziata Feast means immersing yourself in the most authentic Salento, a place of popular traditions, simple faith, and conviviality. Between faith, the fair, and folklore, Tuglie offers visitors to Puglia an intense experience, far from the most touristy routes, capable of revealing the deep soul of this land.