Pollinator Festival

An anthem to pollinators in the Alta Murgia

The Pollinator Festival is a new nature-focused event in Cassano delle Murge, in the Province of Bari. From June 12 to 14, 2026, it will transform the town and its surrounding woods into a grand narrative dedicated to the bees, butterflies, and beetles that sustain our ecosystems and much of the food on our tables through pollination. Set in the heart of the Alta Murgia National Park, the festival blends science, art, culture, and gastronomy into a three-day journey designed for families, nature enthusiasts, and curious travelers.

A festival born from a community project

The event marks the conclusion of the "Parchigiani, the resistance of biodiversity" project, winner of the "Parco Innova" public call funded by the Alta Murgia National Park Authority. Conceived and coordinated by Vittoria Gravinese, founder of Alveare da Favola, alongside Stefano Minervini, the festival involves a network of scientific and associative partners, including CREA, Cluster Biodiversità Italia, AFNI Puglia Section, and numerous local entities. It is a citizen science project that invites residents and visitors to observe, count, and protect the local pollinators.

What to experience during the three days

The program alternates between educational outreach and field activities:

• Round tables and conferences with researchers and scholars on nature conservation, agroecology, and agricultural sustainability.
• Photo exhibition "FioreAli — The dance that nourishes the world," curated by the Italian Nature Photographers Association (AFNI), Puglia Section.
• Bioblitz and nature excursions to observe butterflies and bees up close, led by experts such as entomologist Leonardo Dapporto from the University of Florence.
• Nocturnal moth-hunt, an evening outing in the Macchie Laudati woods to discover night-flying butterflies.
• Children's workshops featuring reading, illustration, and botanical drawing.
• Guided tours of the ancient dry-stone apiaries at Masseria De Angelis, a testament to historic Murgian beekeeping.

Cassano delle Murge and the Alta Murgia

Nestled among the woods and pastures of the Murgian plateau, Cassano delle Murge is a gateway to the Alta Murgia National Park, a protected area guarding an extraordinary diversity of flora and fauna. The festival highlights this natural heritage, inviting visitors to rediscover the ancient bond between local communities, beekeeping, and the Apulian countryside. The town squares, such as Piazza Rossani, will host craft markets, animated readings, and "Buzzing Dialogues"—evening talks designed to debunk common myths about bees.

A free event for everyone

All activities at the Pollinator Festival are free to attend; only a few initiatives managed by partners require booking and a small contribution. It is the perfect opportunity to spend a June weekend in the open air, learning to view the buzzing, vital world of pollinating insects with new eyes.