On August 3rd and 4th, in Uggiano Montefusco, there will be traditional products, workshops, exhibitions, and concerts.
A culinary journey through typical local products and dishes passed down through generations, guided wine and olive oil tastings, and scenic displays to enhance the alleys, squares, and courtyards. Plus: books and exhibitions, concerts and pizzica dance classes, workshops, special openings of sites of great historical and artistic value, and a sensory walk to discover aromatic herbs. In Uggiano Montefusco, a small hamlet of Manduria in the province of Taranto , roots have the flavor of an event celebrating wheat, its products, and the traditions associated with it. Indeed, the town’s coat of arms features three ears of wheat. All this and more is on display at the ” Sagra di San Domenico – Panèmediterraneo ,” now in its 17th edition, scheduled for August 3rd and 4th .
A village of just 1,500 inhabitants, this year is preparing to welcome tourists and visitors seeking authenticity, entertainment, and the flavors of yesteryear. Food stands will offer homemade pasta and meatballs, pettole, fava beans, and stuffed eggplant, but with a twist: at each station, a QR code will allow visitors to listen to a description of the recipe, along with related trivia. “This,” says the Aracne cultural group , the initiative’s promoter, “is not your typical festival. Here, food is culture. A rural culture that has left its mark in enduring traditions, rituals, and customs. In Uggiano, food is presented in an engaging way through the fusion of different art forms: music, painting, photography, and even multimedia.”
The initiative, sponsored by the Puglia Region—Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Environment—and the Municipality of Manduria, involves the collaboration of other organizations, companies, and associations.
THE PROGRAM
The event kicks off Sunday at 8:00 PM in Piazza Castello with a bread-making ritual with cake designer Andrea Pizzaleo. This will be followed by a guided tasting of Primitivo di Manduria wine, hosted by the Primitivo di Manduria Consortium, with sommelier Leonardo Spina and AIC (Italian Celiac Association) nutritionist Antonella Spedicato. Francesco Cazzolla will lead the tasting of olive oils by Bosco. The tastings cost €5, and seating is limited (reservations: 329.3757972). At 9:30 PM, there will be a pizzica dance class with Floriana Guida (€10, reservations: 320.3844429), and at 10:00 PM, a concert by Viaggio Popolare featuring Davide Donno (vocals and drums), Giuseppe Anglano (vocals, accordion, and accordion), and Gianvito Carlino on violin. Accompanied by the dance of Floriana Guida, they will offer a tribute to the captivating pizzica music from all over Salento, as well as to the songs and tales of love, work, and protest.
On Monday the 4th, again in the square, at 8 pm, there will be a presentation of the book “Dizionario delle parole perdute” by Leonardo Di Maggio, curated by Francesca Nardelli. This will be followed by a sensory walk to discover aromatic herbs led by Ileana Tedesco, an Aigae environmental hiking guide. At 10 pm, world music with Nadia Martina and the Namar project.
Also not to be missed during the two-day event are the art exhibition by Maria Rosaria Dinoi, the photography exhibition by Letizia Cucci, the display of artistic crafts, and the delicacies of agri-food companies. The ancient wood-fired community oven will host the original multimedia exhibition “PRIMITIVE” created by Gal Terre del Primitivo. Finally, pasta-making workshops for adults and children will be held, where they can learn how to make “pizzarieddi,” the traditional fresh pasta.