Religious festivals | When | Province | Town | What | | January | Catania | Acicastello | St Mauro festival | | January | Catania | Viagrande | St Mauro festival | | January | Catania | Aci Sant'Antonio | St. Anthony festival | | January | Catania | Camporotondo Etneo | St. Anthony festival | | January | Catania | Misterbianco | St. Anthony festival | | January | Catania | Nicolosi | St. Anthony festival | | January | Catania | Maniaci | St. Anthony festival | | January | Catania | Acireale | St. Sebastian festival | | January | Palermo | Bisacquino | "Visitazione di lu Bamminu" (Visit to the Holy Child) | | January | Palermo | Prizzi | St. Anthony festival | | January | Trapani | Marsala | Festival of Madonna della Cava (the Virgin of the Grotto) | | February | Catania | Catania | St. Agata: in the morning of the 3rd, the "candelore", Baroque pillars made of wood are put inside the Cathedral; in the middle of each there are 4 big candles and are decorated with flowers, ribbons and lights. There are 11 candelore, as many as they after the earthquake of 1693, that destroyed Catania. In the evening, in front of the Cathedral singers from all the different parts of the town gather and sing hymns. | | February | Trapani | Salemi | St. Biagio Festival - Bread Festival: bread is made in the shape of cudduredda, small breads reminding of the throat, of cavadduzzi, representing the grasshoppers that invaded the fields in 1542, and of manina di San Brasi (the hand of the Saint with his stick). | | March | Catania | Ramacca | St Joseph Festival | | March | Trapani | Salemi | St. Joseph Altars (Sunday after the 19th). The streets of Salemi are decorated with "altars" made of wood and covered with coloured fabrics, lights, laurel and myrthle, oranges, lemons and breads in the shape of angels, Virgins, Jesus, St Joseph, etc | | April | Catania | Adrano | The Holy Week rituals with Devils and Angels in procession | | April | Catania | Bronte | Holy Friday: Celebration of the Passion and Death of Jesus. The streets become a lively stage populated of characters and thousands of spectators. | | April | Trapani | Trapani | Trapani's Mysteries (Holy Week): The Mysteries are statues reproducing with incredibly strength the scenes of Jesus's Passion and Death. These statues, belonging to the city guilds, date back to the XVII century. They are brought in Procession along the streets of Trapani from the afternoon of the Holy Friday to the morning of Saturday, held by the members of the different guilds dressed in black. Musical bands accompanies the procession. It's an extremely impressive and involving performance. | | May | Catania | Calatabiano | St. Philip Siriacus (17 and 18). From Mt Castello, where the saint fought the devil, people carry a statue weighing more than 10 quintals along a very steep road, down to the Cathedral of the town. On this occasion people eat roasted lamb. | | May June | Catania | Caltagirone | The Virgin of Conadomini (during the whole month celebrations take place). On the 21st of May and on the 4th of June the staircase of Santa Maria del Monte is decorated with flowers composed to represent different images. | | May | Catania | Trecastagni | Festival of St. Alfio, St. Filadelfo and St. Cirino (dal 9 al 10): Procession of people called Nuri (naked) and fair with desks of fresh garlic. The people devotion to these saints dates back to 1517, when they were given a relic. | | May | Palermo | Caltavuturo | Festival of St. Calogero - Bread festival: Every family prepares breads representing the members of the family as votive offering | | May | Palermo | Mezzojuso | May Festival/Festival of Christ Crucified (3rd Sunday of the month). It is divided in 3 parts: l’ Esposizione del Palio (un’ antica bandiera albanese), la Cannutta delle torce e dei regali ( una processione di donne e uomini a cavallo recanti grossi ceri, e di muli riccamente bardati ), la Celebrazione del Pontificale secondo il rito greco-bizantino. Conclude la festa una processione serale in cui una ricca Vara ( un artistico baldacchino del 1645 ) viene portata a spalla per le strade del paese. | | May | Trapani | Vita | Virgin of Tagliavia Festival | | May | Trapani | Calatafimi | Festival of Christ Crucified/Spring Festival: it's celebrated every 5 years, in the first three days of the month. In those days, rich compositions made of bread, symbol of the work in the country, are brought in procession. A chariot with a bizarre obelisk bread on its top, is brought around, carried by an ox-cart. | | June | Catania | Palagonia | St. Febbronia Festival: a performance takes place, where the enraptured nun appears, surrounded by angels, from a tree trunk broken in two parts. | | June | Trapani | San Vito Lo Capo | St. Vito Festival: St Vito's worshipping dates back to the times when - after his death in 330 a.D. - a little church was built. This place became the goal of many pilgrimages. The peak of these celebrations occur with a solemn procession by boat, commemorating St Vito's landing. | | July | Catania | Caltagirone | St. Jack Festival (23-25) | | July | Palermo | Palermo | St. Rosalia Festival | | August | Catania | Francofonte | Festival of the Virgin of the Snow: according to the legend some hunters found a portrait of the Virgin in the forest. When they touched it, the image started bleeding. The painting is still kept. | | August | Trapani | Erice | Festival of the Virgin of Custonaci: The peak of this festival occurs with the moving landing from the sea of the Virgin's sacred portrait, a XV century painting which is usually kept in the Sanctuary. | | August | Trapani | Mazara del Vallo | St Vito Festival: Procession with tableaux vivants. | | August | Trapani | Trapani | Festival of Our Lady of Annunciation. | | September | Palermo | Baucina | Festival of St. Fortunata: (second Sunday of the month). Very popular festival, during which 12 groups of girls play episodes of the Saint's life and martyrdom. | | October | Catania | Paterno' | Festival of St Barbara: it lasts 4 days during which, besides the patron saint, the feudal age of Roger II is commemorated. | | December | Trapani | Custonaci | The Living Crèche: (the whole month): it is an important performance in Sicily's Christmas celebrations. It takes place inside a Grotto where, many years ago, a village was built. This village is populated by tableaux vivants of the country's arts and crafts. | Folk and Food Festivals | When | Province | Town | What | | January | Palermo | Altofonte | Olive oil Festival | | January | Palermo | Bisacquino | Hazelnut Festival | | January | Palermo | Gratteri | La veccia e la vanniata di festi di l’annu:traditional celenration of the New Year | | January | Palermo | Marineo | I Vicchiareddi: traditional celenration of the New Year | | January | Palermo | Piana degli albanesi | Sfinci Festival (typical Sicilian cakes made with ricotta cheese) | | February | Palermo | Chiaramonte Gulfi | Sausage Festival (during Carnival) | | February | Trapani | Santangelo Muxaro | Ricotta cheese Festival (first week) | | May | Catania | Caltagirone | The Flower Staircase: (21st of May/4th of June). An articulated and colourful pattern is made with flowers all along the staircase of Santa Maria del Monte, to celebrate the Virgin of Conadomini. | | May | Palermo | Cinisi | Ricotta and Cheese Festival: Local shepherds prepare fresh ricotta and other kinds of Sicilian cheese and offer it to all visitors. | | May | Palermo | Trabia | Medlar Festival: Trabia is a town with a lot of water sources and this has allowed the development of lemon and medlar plantations. Several Sicilian folk groups participate to this festival and hundreds of young people dressed with the local costumes walk in a parade. A nice basket full of medlars is offered to the visitors. | | May | Palermo | Caltavuturo | Festival of St. Calogero - Bread festival: Every family prepares breads representing the members of the family as votive offering | | July | Catania | Caltagirone | The lit staircase: The monumental staircase of Santa Maria del Monte is illuminated by 4000 lanterns made of coloured paper (23rd to 25th) | | July | Palermo | Balestrate | Grapes Festival (last Sunday of the month) | | August | Catania | Bronte | Pistachio Festival | | August | Palermo | Gangi | Spike Festival: it's a celebration of the old times' country life connected to the Pagan mythology and the worshipping of Ceres in particular, goddess of the fields. | | August | Palermo | Petralia Sottana | Ballo della Cordella: it's a dance related to the ancient pagan rituals of thanksgiving. The memory of Ceres's myth is evident in the trophy made of spikes on top of a wooden pillar, around which the dance takes place. Nowadays, it is a sort of hymn for the good harvest. While drums, guitars, whistles accordions and jew's harps play, the master of the dance invites a group of 24 dancers in a circle. They dance carrying coloured ribbons (cordelle) hanging from a pillar crowned by spikes. While dancing ribbons cross creating different patterns representing in a sequence: ploughing, sowing, sprouting and harvest. In the end, the head of the dance invites 12 couples, as many as the months of the year, to dance in the opposite direction to undo the ribbons (first Sunday). | | August | Trapani | Partanna | Festival of the Belice Olive | | September | Catania | Raddusa | Weat Festival: performance that celebrates the ancient tradition of the weat weighing. A parade representing the mythological gods and goddesses of abundance and harvest, coloured carts, live music, tasting of pane cunzatu (bread dressed with olive oil and salt) and cuccia (pudding made with fresh ricotta cheese). | | September | Palermo | Polizzi Generosa | ‘U Sfuagghio Day (first Sunday): The Sfuagghio is the typical cake of Polizzi. It's made with fresh cheese, sugar, chocolat and cinnamon. A real delight which can be found also in other towns of the Madonie Mountains. | | September | Trapani | San Vito Lo Capo | Cuscus Festival - 4 days when visitors are offered in the main street this savoury dish from all the regions of the Mediterranean. There is also live music and other performances. | | October | Catania | Militello | Prickly Pear and Mustard Festival: on this occasion, the town commemorates all its traditions. | | October | Catania | Nicolosi | Mushroom Festival | | | | | | Historic Parades | When | Province | Town | What | | February | Catania | Acireale | On of the most colourful Carnivals in Italy | | February | Palermo | Mezzojuso | The "Mastro di Campo" (Carnival Sunday): old popular play; a tragicomedy completely mimed by more than 90 characters dressed in XV century costumes. The plot is a contrasted love story between the Captain Bernardo Cabrera and the Queen Bianca of Navarra, widow of Martin the Young. On this Sunday, the whole town becomes a stage. | | February | Palermo | Termini Imerese | The oldest carnival in Italy. Parade with allegoric carts, people in costumes and live music. | | February | Palermo | Chiaramonte Gulfi | Carnival: Balls in costumes, parades of allegoric carts along the street of Chiaramonte, and Sausage Festival. Sausages are cooked in the main square and offered to the visitors with some red wine (Cerasuolo di Mortilla). Chiaramonte is well known for the ways they prepare pork meat. | | August | Palermo | Caccamo | Castellana Festival (first and second Sunday): it is an historic parade with about 300 characters dressed in costumes that represent the families that along the centuries inhabited the Castle. The event ends with the election of the Lady of the Castle. | | September | Catania | Raddusa | Weat Festival: performance that celebrate the ancient tradition of the weat weighing. A parade representing the mythological gods and goddesses of abundance and harvest, coloured carts, live music, tasting of pane cunzatu (bread dressed with olive oil and salt) and cuccia (pudding made with fresh ricotta cheese). | | November | Palermo | Palermo | All Souls' Day Fair: according to our tradition, the souls of those we loved bring gifts and treats to children. In the night between the 1st and the 2nd this fair shows a bit of everything. | | December | Trapani | Erice | The Golden Zampogna: (from the 7th to the 9th). Mediterranean festival of folk music instruments. Many folk groups from all over Europe and the Mediterranean area participate. | | | | | | Cinema, Theatre, Concerts... | When | Province | Town | What | | July | Trapani | Erice | The week of medieval and Renaissance music: concerts and worshops on this kind of music | | July | Trapani | Segesta | Classical plays: every 2 years classical plays from all over the world are performed, from Greek tragedy to Japanese theatre. | | | Summer | Siracusa | Siracusa | Greek and Latin tragedies and comedies (every year) in the Greek Theatre | | Summer | Catania | Taormina | The Greek Theatre season | | Summer | Messina | Tyndaris | Greek and Latin tragedies and comedies in the Greek Theatre | Fairs and Meetings | When | Province | Town | What | | January | Palermo | Monreale | Antique Fair: every last Saturday and Sunday | | December | Catania | Caltagirone | Exhibition of the terracotta Creche (during the whole month) | | | | | | Sports | When | Province | Town | What | | January March | Catania | Nicolosi | "Three Days of Etna" - International ski competition | | June | Palermo | Ustica | International Diving Festival. | | July | Catania | Catania | Tour of Sicily by boat: a crowd of boats and rubber dinghies discovering the Sicilian coasts | | September | Palermo | Palermo | Coppa degli Assi: Prestigious Riding Trophy. | |
