Typical of spring celebration, tied to the agricultural cycle, the Feast of St. Joseph is characterized by the tradition of giving gifts and the so-called “CENE” (suppers), which in the past were offered by wealthy families to the poor. Today, the celebration features the offering of gifts to the saint, which are auctioned at prices far above their real value.

The gifts brought by the devotees include hens, eggs, rabbits, asparagus, wine, trays with dried figs, walnuts, almonds, and some traditional sweets: pagnuccati and cruni di spini. Distinctive are the breads shaped as “S.G.” and in the form of a staff (the flowering staff of St. Joseph). The celebration includes the procession of the saint and the processional route through the town. Three figures are dressed as the Holy Family, to whom at least 19 different dishes are traditionally offered, all of which must at least be tasted.

On the eve of the feast, a group of devotees known as i vanniaturi, dressed in traditional costumes, go around the town collecting offerings, preceded by the sound of a drum, tròccula, and cornet (the same one once used by town criers and millers to collect grain for milling).
The group includes two men wearing the giucca (a woolen cloak made of orbace) and several young men dressed in old-fashioned clothing (tascu and velvet trousers). At every crossroads, they pronounce a traditional verse, accompanied by the rolling drumbeat.

This is followed by the lighting of the fucata, a ritual bonfire symbolizing the end of winter and the transition to the new season. The questua chant is particularly significant: it implores rain, which is crucial at this time of year.

The revival of this ancient rite gives the celebration an “archaic” quality and represents a significant act of cultural heritage recovery—like an underground river, tradition disappears only to reappear again. Memory remains alive and active in this collective ritual.

On Sunday morning, the group of questuanti goes out once more, this time joined by children dressed in costume (angels, Madonnas, St. Joseph), some on horseback and others on foot.
The group collects the offerings made in honour of St. Joseph: mostly seasonal products (asparagus, wild fennel, seasonal vegetables). They also collect traditional decorative breads: cudhuri, u vastuni, and loaves shaped with the name of St. Joseph. The offerings vary widely and include the aforementioned traditional sweets, baked goods, and semi-industrial confections. Rabbits, roosters, and other animals are also donated.

On Sunday evening, the traditional auction of the items collected during the questua takes place. The auction is led by a caller who rings a bell for each item sold.
Before the auction begins, the parish priest from the Mother Church offers a blessing over the donated items. The atmosphere is joyful, and the bids almost always exceed the actual value of the goods.