Andria is preparing to celebrate its Patronal Feast, one of the most heartfelt and well-attended events of the year, dedicated to Saint Richard and the Madonna of Miracles. The festivities will reach their peak on September 19, 20, and 21, but the calendar will begin as early as September 15 with a series of cultural, religious, sporting, and entertainment initiatives that will accompany the city for an entire week.
The program will open on Tuesday, September 15 at 6:30 PM at the Diocesan Museum with the meeting “Saint Richard and the April Fair of 1438: when faith and economy built Andria’s growth together”, an event dedicated to the history of the city and the link between its religious and economic dimensions. Wednesday, September 16 will feature “Richard the Bishop – Casting auditions”, at 6:30 PM at the Diocesan Museum, while at 9 PM, in Piazza Catuma, “Retroscena Fuoriscena” will be performed. On Thursday, September 17, the cultural program will continue with the meeting “The Cathedral and the Sanctuary as hubs of Andria’s urban structure”, scheduled for 6:30 PM at the Diocesan Museum. The day will continue at the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Miracles with the musical “The Little Poor Man of God”, organized by the Zenith Center, and in the evening, at 9 PM in Piazza Catuma, with “A journey through time” by the Dora Martinelli Dance Theater Center.
Friday, September 18 will also be dedicated to sport and citizen participation with the “Run R’ccórd – At the pace of Saint Richard”, a non-competitive fun run organized in collaboration with the Andriese Marathon Runners Association and AndriaRun. The gathering is scheduled for 6:00 PM at the Running Village in Piazza Catuma, with a route that will also touch the Sanctuary of the Madonna dei Miracoli. On the same day, at 6:30 PM at the Diocesan Museum, the focus will be on “Faith, tradition, and collective rituals in the construction of a community’s identity”.
Starting Saturday, September 19, the three central days of the Patronal Festival will begin. The day will be characterized by religious appointments, with the traditional afternoon procession and the return of the Statue of the Madonna dei Miracoli to the Cathedral. But it will also be a day of celebration in the streets of the center, where from 7:00 PM, on Via Regina Margherita, street performers will be present. In the evening, at 9:30 PM in Piazza Catuma, there will be room for the comedy of Pino Campagna with the show “Io… Superterrone”, followed by the music of Deeza DJ.
Sunday, September 20 will be one of the most important days from a religious point of view, with the Pontifical Mass presided over by the Bishop and the traditional solemn procession. The entertainment program will also accompany the day: at 11:30 AM Via Regina Margherita will come alive again with street performers, while in the evening, at 9:00 PM in Piazza Catuma, the music of the Terraross will engage the audience.
The grand finale of the Patronal Festival is scheduled for Monday, September 21, when Piazza Catuma will host the concert of Alex Britti at 9:00 PM, one of the most anticipated musical events of the entire program. At the conclusion of the evening, the drawing of the Patron Saints Lottery is also planned.
Framing the main events will also be the traditional San Riccardo Fair on Corso Cavour, food trucks in the area of the sports hall and Corso Germania, and the carnival rides, distributed between Via Martiri di Belfiore, with attractions dedicated to children, and Via Barletta, near Sangalli, with those for adults. During the days of the festival, a shuttle bus service will also be active, designed to facilitate travel and help reduce city traffic.
It will therefore be a week in which Andria will return to gather around its symbols and traditions, combining the religious dimension of devotion to Saint Richard and Our Lady of Miracles with the more popular side of music, entertainment, sports, and social life. A festival that will cross different parts of the city and which, from September 15th to 21st, will offer a structured calendar of events designed to involve citizens and visitors.
