Saint Dominic Festival

A district festival in the heart of Putignano

In the calendar of religious festivals in Putignano, in the Metropolitan City of Bari, the Saint Dominic Festival holds a special place. It is not the town's main patronal feast — Putignano honors Saint Stephen the Protomartyr as its protector — but rather the feast of the titular saint of the parish and the district surrounding the Church of Saint Dominic in the historic center. Every year, in early August, the entire neighborhood community gathers around its saint with a devotion passed down through generations.

The Church of Saint Dominic

The heart of the festivities is the Church of Saint Dominic, housed within the ancient Dominican convent whose construction began towards the end of 1664. The facade dates back to the 18th century, and the imposing bell tower to 1694. The interior, with a Latin cross plan about forty meters long, is adorned with splendid stuccoes and bas-reliefs, a testament to the rich artistic heritage that the district preserves and that these celebrations help to promote and protect.

The religious program

The festivities open with a three-day preparation period: in the days leading up to the feast, the Holy Rosary and litanies are recited, followed by evening Holy Mass. The highlight is the solemn Eucharistic celebration on August 8th, the liturgical day of Saint Dominic of Guzmán, presided over by the bishop of the Diocese of Conversano-Monopoli, Monsignor Giuseppe Favale. At the end of the mass, the statue of the Saint is carried in procession through the streets of the town center, accompanied by the faithful and a brass band.

The civil festivities

After the religious services, the festival continues in Piazza San Domenico with the civil program: brass band concerts, performances by folk groups linked to the traditions of the trulli and the Apulian countryside, evening musical entertainment, and light displays that illuminate the district. It is a time when devotion gives way to conviviality, and the square fills with families, children, and visitors drawn by the atmosphere of the summer festival.

A raffle for restoration

From the beginning of the year, the committee and the parish families organize to support the celebrations. An important part of this effort is the charity raffle, the drawing of which concludes the festival evenings: the proceeds are donated to the restoration and conservation works of the church and its artworks, in a gesture that combines faith, solidarity, and heritage care.

Putignano beyond the Carnival

Known throughout Italy for its historic Carnival, Putignano reveals a more intimate and collected side during the Saint Dominic Festival. It is a precious opportunity to discover the town's historic center, its churches, and its alleys on one of the most evocative evenings of the Apulian summer, when religious tradition and neighborhood life merge into a single event.