Saint Peter Festival

The San Pietro District Festival

Every year, in the final days of June, the San Pietro district of Mottola—a town perched on the Murgia hills in the province of Taranto, in the heart of Puglia—unites for the Saint Peter Festival, a celebration honoring Saint Peter the Apostle. It is one of those neighborhood festivals that captures the most authentic soul of the town: faith, collective memory, and a spirit of togetherness intertwine on the churchyard of the Church of Saint Peter the Apostle and along the district's streets.

Faith and Popular Devotion

The religious heart of the festival is the solemn Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Monsignor Sabino Iannuzzi, Bishop of the Diocese of Castellaneta, followed by a procession that winds through the district streets accompanied by a brass band. Devotion to Saint Peter is deeply rooted in Mottola's history and continues to draw worshippers of all ages.

The Motl la Fnodd Folk Group

The soul of the event is the Motl la Fnodd Folk Group, which organizes the festival under the patronage of the Mottola municipal administration and the Parish of Saint Peter the Apostle. Composed of about thirty members from Mottola, the group performs traditional songs and dances—pizzica, quadrille, and tarantella—wearing costumes that faithfully reproduce the festive attire worn in Mottola between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Their performances offer a deep dive into the region's rural and artisanal culture.

Music, Flavors, and Entertainment

The secular side of the festival transforms the district into a small open-air stage. The evenings feature live music, often opening with local singer-songwriter Vito Rotolo, followed by performances from the folk group and musical guests. Along Via San Paolo and Via Gerloni, food and wine stalls and local craft booths line the streets, while the program also includes a five-a-side football tournament, a lottery draw, and the traditional fireworks display that concludes the festivities. Admission to all events is free.

A Reborn Tradition

After a hiatus due to the pandemic, the festival has returned with renewed energy, reaching its most recent editions. For Mottola, it remains a strong symbol of identity: an opportunity to rediscover Puglian folk traditions, local language, and customs, and to experience the warm Murgia summer in a convivial atmosphere.