Festivals


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January |February |Carnival |March |Easter |April |May |
June |July |August |September |October |November |December

Calendar of Festivals in Agrigento Province, Caltanissetta Province, Catania Province, Messina Province, and Palermo Province include:

January
New Years Day (1 January) and Epiphany (6 January) are National Holidays.
International Ski Competition in Nicolosi
15 - Festa of San Mauro in Aci Castello
15 - Festa of San Mauro in Viagrande
17 - Festa of Sant'Antonio Abate in Aci Sant'Antonio
17 - Festa of Sant'Antonio Abate in Camporotondo Etneo
17 - Festa of Sant'Antonio Abate in Misterbianco
20 - Festa of San Sebastiano in Acireale
20 - Festa of San Sebastiano in Maniace

February
International Ski Competition in Nicolosi
International Bicycle Tour around Etna in Acireale
Agrigento hosts the Almond Festival and International Folk Dance Festival.
1-5 - Festa of Sant'Agata in Catania
3 - Festa of San Biagio in Bronte
6 - Festa of San Leonardo in Mascali
Fat Tuesday - Sfilata dell'orso e della corte principesca in Saponara

Carnival
Celebration that week in Acireale, Rodi Milici, and Acquedolci
Mezzojuso holds a large theatrical production in 15th century costumes on the last Sunday of Carneval.
Piana degli Albanesi offers their famous Cannoli during Carneval.

The Carneval celebration in Sciacca is one of the most spectacular in Sicily.

Termini Imerese holds the oldest Carneval celebration in Sicily with traditional carts and enormous papier-mache figures.

March
International Ski Competition in Nicolosi
19 - Festa of San Giuseppe in Fiumefreddo di Sicilia
19 - Festa of San Giuseppe in Mazzarrone
19 - Festa of San Giuseppe in Raddusa
19 - Festa of San Giuseppe in Ramacca
19 - Festa of San Giuseppe in Randazzo

Easter
Good Friday procession in Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto
Good Friday - Festa dei Giudei in San Fratello
Good Friday and Easter Monday are National Holidays.
Religous play (from 1728) on Easter Sunday in Adrano
Procession on Good Friday in Bronte
Celebration Tuesday through Easter Sunday in Caltagirone
International sports celebration that week in Catania
Celebration that week in Licodia Eubea
Re-enactment on Good Friday in Militello Val di Catania
Monreale celebrates the beginning of Spring on Easter Monday when the monks of the Benedictine abbey in San Martino delle Scale free the birds who have been sheltered there through the Winter. This celebration includes an organ concert, Gregorian chants and folklore displays.
Procession Monday and Tuesday after Easter in Palagonia
Easter procession in Partanna Mondello suburb of Palermo the Sunday before Easter.
First Sunday after Easter - Festa della SS. Maria della Catena in San Piero Patti
Greek Rite Easter is celebrated in the Cathedral in Piana degli Albanesi with Albanian songs.
Prizzi hold a celebration on Easter with the traditional dance of the devils.
Procession on Good Friday in Randazzo
In Easter week, San Biagio Platani is decorated with high, brightly colored arches over the streets. They are very impressive!

Terrasini holds the annual "Festa degli schietti" (bachelors' festival), an exhibition of strength with tree-lifting trials on Easter Saturday and Sunday, with music, singing, and processions of Sicilian carts.
Festa of Madonna della Pace on the First Sunday after Easter in Tremestieri

April
Festival of Artichokes in Niscemi
International Ceramic Whistle Festival in Caltagirone
Artichoke Festival in Ramacca
Cerda also celebrates a festival of the Artichoke.
12 - Festa of San Gregorio Magno in Vizzini
25 - Cheese Festival in Vizzini

25 - Liberation Day is a National Holiday to celebrate the Allied Victory in Italy (WW II).

May
Car Rally in Caltagirone and Scordia
International Ceramic Conference in Caltagirone
International Hockey Tournament in Catania
Merit Cup Windsurf World Festival in the Mondello suburb of Palermo.
International Trot Races in Palermo.
Targa Florio, International Motor Races in the Madonie countryside.
Sicilian Cart Festival in Trecastagni
First Sunday is the Festa of Madonna della Catena in Castiglione di Sicilia
First Sunday is the Festa of Saints Alfio, Cirino, and Filadelfio in Sant'Alfio
First Sunday - Festa di San Francesco di Paola in Milazzo
1 - Labor Day is a National Holiday.
8 - Festa of San Michele Arcangelo in Grammichele
10 - Festa of Saints Alfio, Cirino, and Filadelfo in Trecastagni
10 - Festa of Sant'Isodoro in Giarre
2nd Sunday is the Festa of San Cono in San Cono
3rd Saturday and Sunday is the Festa of San Filippo Siriaco in Calatabiano
3rd Sunday is the Festa of San Sebastiano in Maniace
On the fourth Sunday in May, the Taratata includes costumes, cavalcades, and battles reinacting those between the Normans and Arabs in Casteltermini.

Corpus Domini in San Pier Niceto

June
International Hockey Tournament in Catania
International Display of Sub-Aqua Activities in Palermo
Strawberry Festival in Maletto
13 - Festa of Sant'Antonio di Padova in Gravina di Catania
13 - Festa of Sant'Antonio di Padova in Nicolosi
15 - Festa of San Vito in Mascalucia
18 - Festa of San Calogero in Naro.
24 - Festa of San Giovanni Battista in Aci Trezza
24 - Festa of San Giovanni in Alcara Li Fusi
25 - Festa of San Febronia in Palagonia
29 - Festa of San Pietro in Riposto

July
Musical Festival at the Roman Theater in Catania
Music, Dance, and Theater on Africa Avenue in Catania
Antique Steam Engines touring the towns of Militello, Vizzini, Grammichele, Caltagirone, Castiglione, and Randazzo.
Auto Race in Giarre and Milo
Pentathalon of Etna in Linguaglossa
Music, Dance, and Theater on Etna in Nicolosi
Baroque Music, Theater, Displays in Militello Val di Catania
Air Show in Sicily.
The Castellana celebrates life around the medieval castle in Caccamo
Light music for summer nights in Cefalu
The Medieval Tournament of the Ventimiglia family is celebrated with chivalrous games in Geraci, Castelbuono, and Gangi
The festivals of the ear of wheat and the Burgisi is celebrated in Gangi
The Pirandello Festival is held in Agrigento.
The first and second weeks are the celebrations for San Calogero in Agrigento.
14 - Festa of Santa Rosalia in Palermo
16 - Festa of Madonna del Carmelo on Ragalna
20 - Festa of Santa Margherita in Licodia Eubea
24-26 - Festa of San Giacomo in Caltagirone
24-27 - Festa of Santa Venera in Acireale
26 - Festa of Santa Venera in Santa Venerina
Last Sunday - Festa of Sant'Andrea in Milo
31 - Festa of San Ignazio di Loyola in Piedimonte Etneo

August
The Pirandello Festival is held in Agrigento.
Musical Festival at the Roman Theater in Catania
Music, Dance, and Theater on Africa Avenue in Catania
Antique Steam Engines touring the towns of Militello, Vizzini, Grammichele, Caltagirone, Castiglione, and Randazzo.
Etna Jazz Festival in Nicolosi
Italian National Basketball Championships in Nicolosi
Merchant Fair of Arts and Folklore in Nicolosi
International Women's Tennis Tournament in Catania, Mascali, Tremestieri, and Nicolosi
International Motorcycle Rally in Belpasso
Festival of pears and peaches in Maniace
Festival of fish near the beach of Fondachello in Mascali
Beauty Pageant (Venus di Milo) in Milo
Art Show by the Sea in Riposto
Etna Music in Sant'Alfio
First Sunday - Festa of San Vito in Mascalucia
First Sunday - Festa of Sant'Antonio Abate in Misterbianco
On the first Sunday after the festivity of Ferragosto (15th August), the Ancient Nuptial Cortege and Dance of the Ribbon, an international forlklore gathering, is celebrated in Petralia Sottana
3 - Festa of Santo Stefano in Aci Bonaccorsi
3-4 - Festa of San Nicolo Politi in Adrano
10 - Festa of San Lorenzo in Sant'Agata li Battiati
Second Sunday - Festa of Madonna della Provvidenza in Zafferana Etnea
15 - The Feast of the Assumption is a National Holiday.
13-15 - Festa of I giganti e la vara in Messina
15 - Festa of Maria Santissima della Catena in Aci Catena
15 - Festa of Sant'Antonio di Padova in Nicolosi
15 - Festa of the Assumption with traditional Sicilian Carts in Randazzo
15 - Festa of Maria Santissima della Grazie in Castel di Judica
16 - Festa of San Rocco in Scordia
17 - Commemeration of Sant'Agata's relic in Piazza Duomo in Catania
18 - Festa of Santissimo Salvatore in Militello Val di Catania
22-25 - Festa of Sant'Anastasia in Motta Sant'Anastasia
16 - Festa of San Rocco in Motta d'Affermo
18 - Festa of San Sebastiano in Mistretta
19-21 - Festa of San Calogero in San Salvatore di Fitalia
25 - Festa of Cristo Longu in Castroreale
The third Sunday in August is the Festa of San Pellegrino in Caltabellotta.

Last two Sundays - Festa of Santa Agrippina in Mineo
Last Sunday - Italian Singing Competition in Catania
Last Sunday - Festa of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Mirabella Imbaccari
Last Sunday - Festa of San Giuseppe in Santa Maria di Licodia
Last Sunday - Festa of Madonna di Valverde in Valverde

September
Musical Festival at the Roman Theater in Catania
Music, Dance, and Theater on Africa Avenue in Catania
Antique Steam Engines touring the towns of Militello, Vizzini, Grammichele, Caltagirone, Castiglione, and Randazzo.
Sports Festival in Catania
Internationall Rugby Competition in Catania
Verghiano Festival with theater, and displays in Catania, Acitrezza, and Vizzini
Procession in period costume celebrating San Vito with a livestock fair on the first Sunday in Ciminna
First Sunday - A luminaria d'u luccu in Brolo
Festa di SS. Maria del Tindari in Patti
Festa of Santa Fortunata is held in Baucina on the second Sunday.
Festa of Madonna of Milicia is celebrated in Altavilla Milicia on the second Sunday.
Festival of Flowers in the suburb of Trepunti in Giarre
Festival of Grapes in Mazzarrone
Merchant Fair of Wine and Etna in Milo
Tribute to Luigi Capuana with theater productions in Mineo
Festa of the appearance of the Madonna degli Ammalati near the Sanctuary for the miracle of ceasing the eruption of Etna in 1669 in Misterbianco
Festival of the harvesting of wheat in Raddusa
Festa of San Giuseppe in Ramacca
Presentation of "Captains Courageous" in Riposto
First Sunday - Race of Etna in Nicolosi
First Sunday - Festa of San Michele Arcangelo in San Michele di Ganzaria
1 - Festa of Sant'Egidio in Linguaglossa
3 - Festa of San Gregorio in San Gregorio di Catania
8 - Festa of Maria Santissima Bambina with a parade to the sea at Borgo di Ognina in Catania
8 - Festa of Maria Santissima della Stella in Millitello Val di Catania
Second Sunday - Festa of Sant'Antonio di Padova in Maletto
Second Sunday - Festa of Maria Santissima Annunziata in Pedara
Third Sunday - Festa of San Giuseppe in Mazzarrone
Third Sunday - Angel's Flight is celebrated with children suspended with heavy ropes as angels reciting psalms as part of the procession in Villafrati
Last Sunday - Festa of Madonna del Carmelo in Ragalna
A Grape Festival is held in Canicatti at the end of September or beginning of October.

October
Bellini Festival in Catania
International Horse Races in Catania
Lava Festival in Belpasso
Festival of Pistachios in Bronte
Festival of bottled fruit in Castel di Judica
Auto Slalom in Castel di Judica
International Women's Golf in Castiglione di Sicilia
Festival of craftsmen in Gravina di Catania
Festival of cactus fruit and bottled fruit in Militello Val di Catania
Festival of mushrooms in Nicolosi
Festival of mushrooms in Pedara
Festival of cactus fruit in San Cono
Festival of grapes, bottled fruit, mushrooms, honey, wine and chestnuts in Zafferana Etneo
First Sunday - Festa of Madonna of Rosario is celebrated with a livestock fair, musical shows and a procession in Ventimiglia di Sicilia
First Sunday - Festa of Madonna of the light is celebrated in the Porticello suburb of Santa Flavia with sporting competitions and procession of boats illuminated with flaming torches in the evening. The procession ends with the image of Maria, HOliest of the Light blessed in the water of the sea.
First Sunday - Festa di San Biagio vescovo e martire in San Piero Patti
5 - Festa of San Placido in Biancavilla

21-22 - Festa di Maria Santissima in Capo d'Orlando
November
Fencing Competition in Catania
Gymnastic Competition in Catania
Etna Regional Wine Festival
Cattle Fair in Mascali
Festival of local vegitation and wine in Ragalna
1 - All Saints Day is a National Holiday.
25 - Festa of Santa Caterina in San Pietro Clarenza

December
The International Convention of Pirandello studies is held in Agrigento.
Christmas celebrations, concerts, festivals in Catania
Festival of local grains in Licodia Eubea
Festival of soup, garbanzo beans and grain in San Michele di Ganzaria
4 - Festa of Santa Barbara in Paterno
6 - Festa of San Nicola di Bari in Trecastagni
8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a National Holiday.
13 - Festa of Santa Lucia in Belpasso
24 - Christmas Eve celebration in various towns on Etna
25-26 - Christmas Day and Festa di San Stefano (Boxing Day) are National Holidays.
26 - Festa of Santo Stefano in Aci Bonaccorsi
27 - Festa of San Giovanni Evangelista in San Giovanni La Punta
31 - Swimming Competition at Golfo di Ognina in Catania
My latest book on CD is titled Sicily - A Reference for Researchers and is now available. With a file for each town (plus many other files), it relates the history of Sicily as reflected in the photos, records and festivals of its towns. It contains over 2500 text and photo files and can be ordered at CD order.

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© Kathy Kirkpatrick 1997-2008