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The Festival of St. Rocco in Torrepaduli: zagareddhe and pizzica between devotion and folklore

In the days between August 15th and 17th each year in the small hamlet of Torrepaduli (Ruffano, Lecce), celebrations are held in honor of St. Rocco. Here the religious rite is complemented by the popular festival, framed by the illuminations that color the entire town and the stalls of street vendors, where products of all kinds can be found: zagareddhe (the colored ribbons in honor of the saint) and other devotional objects, typical local dishes, to the most varied products of a modern-day fair, once dedicated to agricultural products and livestock.

In Torrepaduli between patrols and processions

There is no shortage of the musical component provided by the band and tambourines whose rhythm punctuates the festivities and the dancing in the “ronde,” the large circles of dancers and tambourine players who occupy the square throughout the long night between the evening of Aug. 15th and the dawn of Aug. 16th.

Here is in detail what happens during the three-day festival.

The festival begins on August 15th with the impressive band concert, the procession of the saint accompanied by the sounds of the brass band, and, to close, the fireworks display in the square in front of the shrine. Between the evening of August 15th and the dawn of August 16th the rounds of players and dancers open: here you will see the real “pizzica fencing,” also known as the “knife dance,” whose secrets are passed down from generation to generation by some local families, and the more well-known pizzica pizzica. In the morning the religious rite is consumed and the fair of agricultural products, handicrafts and small farm animals opens. Finally, on August 17th, the festival closes with a grand evening concert.