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Most Famous Festivals in Sicily

Bookings For You, Inspiration, Italy, Sicily

Festivals in Sicily are the highlight to any trip to Italy’s largest island. After all, Italy is renowned all over the world for its festivals and Sicily is no exception. With the incredible depth of culture, it will come as no surprise that the Italian festivals in Sicily are some of the most famous to be found anywhere in the country. Sicily has so much to offer its visitors and, with its wonderful climate and mild winters, there’s never a bad time to explore this beautiful island. But if you’re struggling to decide when to visit Sicily, why not time your visit to coincide with one of Sicily’s festivals. Here we’ve shared an insight into some of the biggest and most famous festivals in Sicily.

festivals in Sicily

Carnival – February

The month of February sees a swathe of carnivals (carnivale) taking place all over Italy and Sicily is no exception. At this time, you will find festivals and celebrations all over Sicily but the island’s biggest, most famous and most beautiful carnival celebration is in Acireale. With celebrations taking place over a number of weeks leading up to the big day, Sicilian Baroque style allegorical wagons parade up the main streets of Acireale, decorated with flowers and laden with larger-than-life papier-mâché masks and figures. The celebrations culminate on 5 March when the most beautiful wagon is crowned champion and visitors get to enjoy a spectacular firework display.

Big processions also take to the streets in Sciacca, Termini Imerese and elsewhere. Carnivals are bright, colourful affairs. Huge floats and larger than life papier mache figures parade through the streets. Each town’s carnival has its own slant on the tradition. The carnival in Termini Imerese tends to satirise figures from the first of the festivals to take place each year are the carnevale

festivals in Tuscany

In Catanira, the carnival coincides with the Feast of Saint Agata. At this celebration, a ‘fercolo‘ – a sedan chair containing the saint’s relics – is processed through the streets. This is followed by hundreds of devotees all dressed in a traditional white tunic, black cap, white gloves and scarf.

In Novara di Sicilia in Messina, the traditional carnival celebrations are accompanied by a rather unique competition. The Race of the Maiorchino (a local cheese) sees local shepherds competing in a cheese-rolling race down the slopes of the village. The race ends with a chance to taste this particular delicacy, together with ricotta and tuna.

Food Festivals in Sicily

Couscous Festival

Held each year in the seaside town of San Vito Lo Capo at the end of September, this 5 day culinary festival celebrates the Arab influences on Sicilian cuisine. Chefs from all over the world flock to this tiny town to take part in a culinary competition to re-create their best version of this ancient Arabic recipe, whilst tourists and residents have the opportunity to enjoy numerous tastings as well as browse through the many arts and crafts stalls, listen to the live music or even enjoy cooking classes on the 3 kilometre long sandy beach that the town boasts.

Violetto di Ramacchese – April

Held every year in Catania, this is the largest and most famous of Sicily’s artichoke festivals. Festivities take place over three days in the historic centre if the city. Not only are there plenty of artichoke eating activities there is also live music and workshops to help visitors learn how to cook and prepare Sicily’s much-loved artichokes. 

Pistachio Festival – October

Taking place in October in the town of Bronte near Mount Etna, this Italian sagra celebrates the humble pistachio which grows on the fertile slopes of the volcano. A variety of pistachio inspired dishes are on hand for visitors to sample.

festivals in Sicily

Religious Festivals in Sicily

Many of Sicily’s religious festivals take place around Easter when thousands of worshippers take to the streets to mourn the death of Christ. The piety and importance of religion in Sicily is certainly most apparent in the masked processions that take place at this time. All of these are moving expressions of Sicilian religious culture. They can be found in towns all over Sicily including Pietraperzia, Caltanissetta and Marsala. 

Processione dei Misteri

Probably the largest and most famous of Sicily’s religious festivals take place in Trapani. Here a funeral procession parades through the streets and twenty wooden ‘Vare‘ sculptures are carried through the town. One of Sicily’s most ancient religious festivals dating back to the 15th century, this is also the longest procession in the country lasting around 24 hours from Good Friday through to Easter Sunday. Held in Trapani, it involves the carrying of 20 ancient ‘misteri‘ around the city. Each of these wooden sculptures depict the story of the Passion and Death of Christ and the procession is accompanied by traditional folklore music, prayers and songs.

Enna

However the longest parade in Sicily actually takes place at the same time in Enna. The procession here is over 3.5 kilometres long, from the duomo to the cemetery and back. It is performed by approximately 3000 religious brothers, all hooded and each carrying a torchlight. They also carry on their shoulders the statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus as well as silver cross. The latter is believed to contain one of the thorns from the crown that Jesus wore. The parade is largely carried out in silence giving it a very eerie but striking feel. The parade ends after the brothers have returned the statues to their original places . The statue of Jesus is returned to the Cathedral and the statue of the Virgin Mary is returned to the Church of Sant’ Antonio.

Saint Rosalia celebrations

Held every July, the Festa di Santa Rosalia is a famous Baroque festival that commemorates the patron Saint, Santa Rosalia. It’s a chance to enjoy an array of music from the Renaissance, Baroque and classical periods.

Festival of Saint Agata

This is Catania’s most important religious festival, honouring the city’s Patron Saint, Agata, a teenage girl that was kidnapped and tortured when she rejected the advances of a distinguished Roman. Every February, the city’s buildings are decorated, the streets filled with stalls and visitors flock to see the parade that makes its way through the city, culminating in fireworks.

festivals in Sicily

Flower Festivals

Infiorata Noto – May

Usually held across the third weekend in May in Noto, this festival celebrates Spring in all its forms. The streets of Noto are literally covered with a blanket of petals, creating the most amazing flower displays. This is accompanied by live music and art exhibitions as well as a parade of people wearing costumes from the 18th century Baroque period. Work to build the petal masterpieces starts on the Friday ready for the weekend. But, if you have children, you may want to choose to visit early on the last day (Monday) giving you a chance to view the impressive masterpieces before your little ones can join the other children of the town in scattering the petals and destroying the temporary artworks until they are re-created the following year.

festivals in Sicily

The Almond Blossom Festival – February

The Sagra del Mandorlo has been held in Agrigento every February since 1934, coinciding with the period when the almond blossom is in full bloom and symbolising the start of Spring. These days the festival starts at the Valley of the Temples with the lighting of the torch of friendship in front of the Temple of the Concordia, designed to send a message of peace across the world. It culminates in a procession of Sicilian carts from the city back to the Valley of the Temples, accompanied by the lively sound of music. Everything to do with almonds is celebrated during the event and visitors mustn’t miss the opportunity to admire the most beautiful balcony festooned with almond blossom in the Via Atenea, Agrigento’s main street.

Cultural Festivals in Sicily

La Scala Illuminata – August

Also worthy of a mention is ‘La Scala Illuminata‘ held on 24 and 25 July and 14 and 15 August. Following a centuries old tradition, thousands of candles are placed on the 142 steps of the staircase of Caltagirone. Connecting the newer, lower part of the town with the older upper part, the stairs lead directly to the church of Santa Maria del Monte. These steps are beautiful at any time of year, as they are colourfully decorated, but the addition of the candles make them even more incredible. This isn’t the only time of year that the steps receive a makeover… during the last 2 weeks of May, the stairs are covered in flowers as Caltagirone holds its own Infiorata.

Taormina International Arts Festival – June – August

 Taormina hosts an International Arts festival in the Greco-Roman theatre across the Summer months. The event includes a number of musical genres from pop to opera to classical, with both solo artists and full orchestras performing. It also includes a film festival, screening films from around the world.

festivals in Sicily

Il Festival Ibla Buskers – October

Another more unusual festival including music is the Buskers Festival, a unique event held every October in the Ibla district of Ragusa. For a four day period, street performers, musicians and artists of all shape and form converge on the town’s picturesque streets and alleyways to perform their acts. It’s a particularly popular event with families with children. From jugglers to tight rope walkers and from violinists to fire breathers, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Want to learn more about other festivals in Italy? Then check out our other blog posts about Italy’s fabulous festivals in other regions:

Best festivals in Italy

Festivals in Puglia

Festivals in Tuscany

Festivals in Le Marche

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