• The Sanctuary of Materdomini


• The Prayers at the Sanctuary on the 15th August


• The food


• Songs and traditional dances

As for all religious and folkloristic festivals, food plays an important role. Traditionally certain typical dishes are prepared: melon which is seasonal and well ripe in this period and “la palatella” with anchovies and auberginges in oil or “’mpupata” that is with hot pepper. “La palatella” is a type of bread which is elongated in shape and rounded at the extremities. A variety of specialities are to be found on the street stalls: “’ntriti” which are oven baked hazelnuts kernels strung together like a chain; “copete” which is a kind of nougat with hazelnuts; “castagne d’o prevete” which are dried chestnuts. The festa of the Assunta of Materdomini is considered the festa of the mellone ‘e fuoco- the fire melon because of the colour of the firey- red water melon. The expression “andiamo a menare l’ascia” or ” lets fling the machete” was once in use to mean “ lets eat some water melon”, gnawing it down through the soft flesh to its hard rind.