Terracotta Whistle Fair
The great Rutigliano terracotta whistle festival, featuring Saint Anthony Abbot, artisanal pottery, and folk traditions
About Whistle Fair
The Whistle Festival in Rutigliano
In Rutigliano, a town in the Metropolitan City of Bari nestled in the Apulian countryside among olive groves and vineyards, the terracotta whistle is more than just a souvenir: it is an identity. The Terracotta Whistle Fair is the event that celebrates this ancient pottery art every January, transforming the town into a large open-air workshop. For two weekends, the Municipal Pine Forest and the historic center are filled with stalls from master artisans, hobbyists, local product vendors, and the scents of local cuisine.
The Rooster, Saint Anthony Abbot, and the Pottery Tradition
The Rutigliano whistle, often modeled in the shape of a brightly colored rooster, is rooted in a long artisanal tradition linked to clay working and the cult of Saint Anthony Abbot, the patron saint of animals. It is no coincidence that the fair opens on January 17th, the saint's feast day, with the evocative blessing of the animals on the parvis of the Church of San Domenico. This heritage is preserved and showcased by the "D. Divella" Whistle Museum, which houses a permanent exhibition dedicated to the city's pottery art.
The National Competition
The highlight is the "City of Rutigliano" National Terracotta Whistle Competition, which proposes a different theme each year and calls upon ceramicists and artists from all over Italy to reinterpret the whistle in a contemporary key. The event also includes the appointment of the Whistle Ambassadors, a recognition awarded to figures from the world of entertainment and culture linked to Puglia.
Two Weekends of Events
The program alternates between the popular atmosphere of the fair in the pine forest and the more intimate setting of the old town, featuring clay modeling workshops, exhibitions, book presentations, concerts by the "City of Rutigliano" Grand Band, street performers, and video-mapping projected onto the Norman Tower. A free-entry event that combines craftsmanship, history, taste, and community, representing one of the most iconic winter appointments in the province of Bari and all of Puglia.
Whistle Fair — edition 2026
The 37th edition of the Terracotta Whistle Fair animated Rutigliano over two weekends, from January 17 to 25, 2026, with the National Competition theme dedicated to Italian music: "Whistling oh oh... A terracotta tribute to Italian music." The event, with free admission, was organized by the Municipality of Rutigliano together with the Pro Loco and local associations.
The first weekend, in the Municipal Pine Forest, featured the traditional fair with stalls of master artisans and local products, opening on January 17th with the blessing of the animals for Saint Anthony Abbot. The second weekend brought the festivities to the historic center, with the appointment ceremony of the 2026 Whistle Ambassadors, Emilio Solfrizzi and Antonio Stornaiolo.
Programme Whistle Fair 2026
National Competition (37th edition)
- Thursday, January 15, 6:30 PM — Inauguration of the National Terracotta Whistle Competition at the Whistle Museum
- Saturday, January 17, 9:00 AM-1:00 PM and 4:00 PM-10:00 PM — Voting for the competition entries
- Friday, January 30, 6:30 PM — Award ceremony
First weekend — Municipal Pine Forest
Saturday, January 17 (Saint Anthony Abbot)
- 10:00 AM — Workshop dedicated to the traditions of Saint Anthony Abbot at the Whistle Museum
- 4:00 PM — Blessing of the animals on the parvis of the Church of San Domenico
- 6:00 PM — Book presentation "Fischiando fischiando..."
- In the evening — Music and hot air balloon launch
- All day — Master artisan stalls, local products, street performers, and musical entertainment
Sunday, January 18
- 8:00 AM-11:00 PM — Fair in the Municipal Pine Forest with artisan stalls, gastronomy, and entertainment
Second weekend — Historic center
Saturday, January 24
- 5:00 PM-11:00 PM — Fair in the old town
Sunday, January 25
- 10:00 AM-1:00 PM — Itinerant concert by the "City of Rutigliano" Grand Band
- Creative workshops, readings at the Municipal Library, and video-mapping on the Norman Tower
- "We Padel frisck" padel tournament
- Appointment ceremony for the 2026 Whistle Ambassadors: Emilio Solfrizzi and Antonio Stornaiolo (Metamorfosi Theatre)
Highlights Whistle Fair 2026
Prices Whistle Fair 2026
Practical information — Whistle Fair
When
The fair traditionally takes place over two weekends in January, around the feast of Saint Anthony Abbot (January 17th).
Where
Rutigliano (BA), Puglia. The first weekend animates the Municipal Pine Forest, the second the historic center. Key locations: Church of San Domenico, "D. Divella" Whistle Museum, "Grazia e Pietro Di Donna" Civic Archaeological Museum, Metamorfosi Theatre, and Norman Tower.
Admission
Free entry to all events.
How to get there
Rutigliano is about 20 km from Bari and can be reached by car via the SS100 and provincial roads, or by bus connections from the regional capital.
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Where does it take place — Whistle Fair
Pineta Comunale e centro storico