Events 
THE FANTASY CARNIVAL
The Fantasy Carnival, arranged by the association Amici del Carnevale and by the Municipal Tourist Board, already in its twelth edition, is an ever-growing attraction, not only for its spectators, but also for the ever more numerous and spectacular allegorical floats and fancy-dress groups. For a few days the atmosphere of happiness and entertainment grips the town which is transformed into a toy town coloured with confetti and shooting stars.
Info: www.prolocosalento.it/casarano
SAN GIUSEPPE DAY
After the religious celebrations in honour of San Giuseppe a big focara (a traditional bonfire) takes place in Via Pimentel. Near the focara people sing and play pizzica, the traditional music of Salento. This celebration is a catholic tradition which replaced the purification pagan rite. A further attraction is the cuccagna, an old public competition which consists in climbing up a pole smeared of grease, on whose top there is a rich prize. Also the lunch during the feast of San Giuseppe is traditional: everybody eats ciciri e tria (a sort of pasta with pulses).
Date: 18 March - Place: Contrada Botte - Info: www.prolocosalento.it/casarano
MADONNA DELLA CAMPANA DAY
This Virgin is so loved by the believers that she is considered the second protectress of the town. In her honour the citizens of Casarano organize a procession during which the statues of the Virgin
and of San Giovanni are transferred from the Mother Church to the little church on the hill.
The procession is made up of children disguised as ancileddhri ‘little angels’ and vergineddhre
‘little virgins’ and singing a hymn dedicated to the Virgin, composed by Felice Lezzi in 1762. The celebration of the Virgin lasts until the following Monday; this day is called Campaneddhra ‘little bell’ and during it the citizens of Casarano gather in the areas near the church to picnic. Traditionally this is also the Cavamonti ‘excavator’ day.
Date: Sunday after Easter - Info: Comitato Feste Patronali
SAN GIOVANNI DAY
San Giovanni is a Saint of Cypriot origins. His celebration is on the third Sunday of May and attracts a great number of people. It lasts three days with both religious and civil rites.
The celebration is announced and brightened up by illuminations; they change every year
and embellish the centre of the town with their colourful lacework. They are a sign of the Turkish domination in Salento. Another important event of this days is the cattle fair. It was designated by
count Daun in 1717, when trade exchanges were so difficult that they had to be strictly
planned, and it soon became one of the most important fair of Salento. The celebration
always ends with a fascinating competition of fireworks in which the best Italian builders
challenge each other thus producing a thrilling spectacle of colours and bangs.
Date: 3rd Sunday of May - Info: Comitato Feste Patronali
FEAST OF SANT’ANTONIO
The celebration in honour of this Saint takes place near the Grey-Friars convent with music bands and a little playground for children.
Date: 13th June - Place: Grey-Friars convent
FEAST OF SAN LUIGI GONZAGA
After the religious rites in honour of this Saint a local festival begins near the Church of San Domenico, whose participants are mostly young, since the Saint is patron of the youth. On this occasion in fact only young people carry the statue of the Saint on their shoulders during the procession.
Date: 21th June - Place: Piazza San Domenico
FEAST OF THE PARISH OF SACRO CUORE
This feast is organized by the Parish of Sacro Cuore. It is a moment characterized by merriment, music and good meals for the entire community. It takes place at the end of the pastoral activities of the parish, before summer. It is now an attraction not only for the believers belonging to the parish but even for visitors coming from the neighbouring towns.
Date: in the first ten days of the month of July - Place: Parish of S. Cuore di Gesù
‘TA CAZZATA’ (‘THE CAZZATA’) FESTIVAL
Arranged by the Parish of Maria SS. Annunziata, it offers to its visitors the possibility to taste the cazzata, which is a special kind of bread cooked in wood-burning ovens, in a lot of different ways.
Date: end of July - Place: Piazzetta D’Elia
FEAST OF THE MADONNA DELLE GRAZIE
It takes place in the area called Contrada Monticelli. This festival is really awaited by people for its country setting. On this occasion you can taste the typical gnommareddhri ‘meat rolls’ and listen to live music. The centre of this festival is a private church dedicated to the Madonna delle Grazie, where there is a sacred image of the Virgin.
Date: 7th and 8th September - Place: Contrada Monticelli
FEAST OF SAN FRANCESCO
The ancient Franciscan brotherhood living in Casarano organizes with care a great number of religious appointments. The most important one is a festival dedicated to San Francesco which takes place in the large square before the convent.
Date: 4th October - Place: friary of San Francesco
FEAST OF THE CROCEFISSO
Immediately after summer a great cattle fair is set up in honour of the Crocefisso. It is a very ancient tradition like the fair organized in honour of San Giovanni in spring. This two fairs were planned for both historical and social reasons: they were the right place for farmers to sell their overproduction, to buy seeds or to have their tools fixed for the coming working season.
Date: 2nd Sunday of October - Place: Zona Industriale -
Info: Comitato Feste Patronali
‘TU NOCE’ (‘THE WALNUT’) FESTIVAL
It is organized to coincide with the feast of the Crocefisso and aims to exalt the qualities of this natural produce, the walnut, but it is also a way of saying goodbye to summer. In fact it is the last occasion to enjoy a typical summer dish all together in the open air.
Date: 2nd Sunday of October - Info: www.prolocosalento.it/casarano
FEAST OF THE MADONNA DELLA CROCE
This feast takes place in the early core of Casarano, near the Church of Casaranello, to celebrate the origins of the town. Band concerts, traditional balloons, fireworks and traditional meals cooked by women frequenting the Parish of San Domenico are the main attraction of this feast day.
Date: 3rd Sunday of October - Place: near the Church of Casaranello
FEAST OF SANTA BARBARA
The Club Ex Minatori del Belgio (ex Belgian miners Club from Casarano) organizes every year a festival dedicated to Santa Barbara. It attracts an ever increasing number of people since there is a general interest in discovering the dramatic conditions, which miners were compelled to work in. In Casarano a square and a beautiful museum are dedicated to miners.
Date: 4th December - Place: Piazza Armando Diaz
‘TA PITTULA’ (‘THE PITTULA’) FESTIVAL
The Parish of Maria Santissima Annunziata organizes this festival dedicated to Santa Lucia every year on 13th December. The ‘Pittula’ is a typical Christmas dish in Salento, made up of special balls of fried dough.
Date: 13th December - Place: Piazza D’Elia.
RALLY - CASARANO
In March 2006 there has been the tenth edition of the Rally-Casarano event, organized by the car stable Casarano Rally Team. It is a regular appointment for all those car lovers who want to watch the race start. It has dozens of participants coming not only from Salento but also from the rest of Italy, mainly from South-Centre regions, and even from abroad. The course of the race always winds along country streets which in Salento are particularly narrow and twisting thus enhancing the pilot’s skill.
Date: end of March - Info: www.salentomotori.it
BICYCLE RIDE ON MAY DAY
This event is organized by the Local Municipal Tourist Board and has reached its 11th edition in 2006. It is a moment of fun fit for everybody, for children and adults of every age; hundreds of families take part in it.
Date: May Day - Info: www.prolocosalento.it/casarano
‘VESPE PIAGGIO’ MEETING
This meeting, organized by the Municipal Tourist Board of Casarano, has reached its 3rd edition
this year. Casarano is part of the national circuit of Vespa Club and it has among its participants
special motors like for example a ‘Vespa 125’ from 1948, known as bacchetta for its special gear. The event lasts two days, during which all the Vespa pilots drive all over low Salento with some stops for wine-gastronomic tastings.
Date: End of June
Info: www.prolocosalento.it/casarano