San Rocco Festival and Puccia Food Festival

A celebration of faith and flavors in Grecìa Salentina

Every year in mid-August, the village of Sternatia—one of the towns in Grecìa Salentina, in the province of Lecce, where the griko language of ancient Greek origin is still preserved—hosts two intense days dedicated to Saint Roch (San Rocco) and the Puccia Food Festival. It is an event that combines the religious dimension of a patronal feast with the convivial atmosphere of a food festival, set within a historic center brought to life by illuminations, market stalls, and music.

The Puccia Food Festival

The gastronomic heart of the event is the puccia, one of the most beloved specialties of Salento cuisine. It is a large, round bread, about thirty centimeters in diameter, stuffed with seasonal vegetables: eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, arugula, chicory, and a slice of cheese. On the evening of August 15th, the eve of the Assumption, the puccia is prepared and distributed through the streets of the town, drawing residents and visitors alike to a ritual that smells of fresh garden produce and wood-fired ovens.

Devotion to Saint Roch

On August 16th, the village pays homage to Saint Roch, the pilgrim saint invoked as a protector against epidemics and deeply venerated throughout Salento. The day follows the typical rituals of Puglian patronal feasts: a solemn mass, the procession of the statue through the festively decorated streets, and in the evening, the secular celebrations featuring a brass band concert, a live music show in the square, and a grand finale of fireworks.

The fair and the village

The festival is accompanied by an ancient fair, featuring stalls with local products, handicrafts, and various goods, following a custom that has always accompanied the Salento farming calendar. It is well worth taking advantage of the festival to discover Sternatia and its treasures: the 18th-century Church of Maria SS. Assunta, the Baroque-style Palazzo Granafei, and the underground oil mills carved into the rock.

A unique cultural heritage

Celebrating Saint Roch in Sternatia means immersing yourself in a community that guards a rare identity: that of the Greek-speaking towns of Salento, where the griko language, music, and folk traditions tell centuries of Mediterranean history. The San Rocco Festival and the Puccia Food Festival are organized by the Sternatia Patronal Feast Committee with the support of the Municipality of Sternatia and represent one of the most cherished events of the summer in this Puglian town.