Sant'Oronzo Patronal Feast and Cavalcata

The most important festival in Ostuni

The Sant'Oronzo Patronal Feast is the most anticipated event of the year for Ostuni, the famous White City in the province of Brindisi, Apulia. From August 25th to 27th, the entire historic center transforms into a grand stage of faith, tradition, and spectacle in honor of the city's protector. According to tradition, Saint Oronzo, the first bishop of Lecce and a 1st-century martyr, has been venerated in Ostuni since the 17th century, when the population invoked him as a defender against the plague that ravaged the Kingdom of Naples.

The Cavalcata di Sant'Oronzo

The most evocative moment of the festivities is the Cavalcata di Sant'Oronzo, a historical equestrian pageant with roots in the 17th century that still represents the soul of the festival today. On August 26th, the main day, dozens of riders in Napoleonic uniforms—red jackets, white trousers, and feathered hats—parade through the village streets on impressive Murgese horses, adorned with caparisons hand-embroidered by local women. The riders escort the precious silver statue of the saint, crafted in Naples in the late 18th century, in a unique blend of devotion, culture, and folklore that attracts thousands of visitors.

Between faith and spectacle

Alongside the religious rites—the pontifical mass in the Co-cathedral, the solemn procession through the city streets, and the blessing of the horses and riders—the festival offers a rich secular program. The evenings come alive with brass band concerts in the central squares, free musical performances at the Foro Boario and Piazza della Libertà, traditional markets, and the Sant'Oronzo Fair. The celebrations conclude with the famous fireworks, which in recent years Ostuni has made eco-friendly and silent, out of respect for the environment, animals, and the most vulnerable.

Ostuni, the White City

Set within the whitewashed alleys of its splendid historic center, the Sant'Oronzo Feast is much more than a religious celebration: it is the occasion when Ostuni rediscovers its identity and opens its doors to the faithful, families, and tourists from all over Apulia and beyond. Popular faith, historical memory, and Mediterranean hospitality merge in three days that remain among the most authentic of the Salento and Apulian summer.