Feast of Santa Domenica in Scorrano: the world capital of illuminations
Scorrano lights up for Santa Domenica: the heart of Salento shines with its own light.
Every year, from 5 to 10 July , the village of Scorrano , in Salento, is transformed into an open-air stage where faith, art, technology and entertainment merge.
The celebration in honor of Santa Domenica is much more than a patronal event: it is an immersive experience that fascinates visitors from all over the world.
Scorrano is internationally recognized as the “world capital of Christmas lights” – and for good reason.
The origins: between miracle, devotion and light
According to legend, Saint Domenica appeared in a dream to a woman of the village during an epidemic, promising healing.
As a sign of the miracle, oil lamps were lit in the homes of the healed.
Those small lights of faith have transformed, over time, into imposing luminous structures , today created by Salento masters and known throughout the world.
2025 Program – Feast of Santa Domenica
📅 Dates: July 5–10, 2025
📍 Scorrano, province of Lecce (Salento)
Main events:
- July 5 – Night of Lights : inaugural lighting of the Christmas lights
- July 6 – Procession of the Saint , fireworks and choreographed lighting (9:00 pm)
- From July 7th to 10th – concerts, street food, folk shows, craft markets
Two souls, one identity
The strength of the Scorrano festival lies in its perfect combination of spirituality and spectacle :
-Religious: the solemn procession passes through the historic center, accompanied by prayers, songs, and sacred fires, with the statue of Santa Domenica carried on shoulders.
-Artistic: Every evening, a collective countdown precedes the lighting. The town shuts down... then lights up to the rhythm of the music. Pure emotion.
The Christmas lights: a Salento art form between tradition and avant-garde
Scorrano hosts more than just decorations, but veritable cathedrals of light, up to 25 meters high. Designed with scenographic precision, each installation is a fusion of:
- Complex architectural structures : arches, rose windows, castles, tunnels
- RGB LED technologies and DMX systems
- Audio-light synchronization software
- Symphonic, operatic, electronic music
The result? A choreography of lights that excites and tells a story . A dream for photographers, tourists, Apulian families, and lovers of folk traditions.
Historic Works: Among the Most Iconic Installations
Feast of St. Domenica Scorrano (1950):
Totem Candelabra (1956):
Petali Gallery (1965): floral and symbolic structure, an example of luminous classicism
MarianoLight and the innovation that changed history
MarianoLight is a key player in the festival's evolution. His pioneering installations have rewritten the rules of light art:
-2010 – For the first time, light and music synchronize in an immersive setting. The audience stops, listens, and is moved. After his first experiences with musical lighting in Valencia, Mariano Light brings music to Salento, to Scorrano for the feast of Santa Domenica. To the tune of “Un amore così grande,” the square in Scorrano lights up in time with the music.
Video of the first ignition in Scorrano on July 5, 2010
-2015 – First dynamic RGB installation with DMX software: the lights come alive, changeable, and reactive. A new visual language.
Watch the video of the lighting ceremony in Scorrano 2015
-2018 – The first interactive installation with touch sensors and 3D audio. A visitor turns on a million lights from their smartphone. Thanks to the ArtLight app, light becomes personal. Never before has it happened.
MarianoLight's installations have helped make the Festival a point of reference for artists, lighting engineers, and designers from all over the world.
Bring the atmosphere of Scorrano into your home or event
Want to relive that magic every day?
On our shop you will find decorative lights inspired by the Salento festivals :
-Ideal for private events , wedding planners , outdoor and indoor spaces
-Made in Salento , with the same artisanal attention as the large installations
Discover the complete collection
An icon of Made in Italy
Scorrano has become an international symbol of light art. His installations have been featured on foreign television and photographed by design magazines, and each year inspire new creations around the world.