Local Festivals and Popular Celebrations in Sicily: Giving Thanks for a Good Harvest and a Good Catch

September in Sicily is a month of transition, caught between summer heat and the first breezes of autumn, and it’s exactly during this period that some of the island’s most heartfelt festivals take place, blending popular religious devotion with food festivals.

In Messina, September 8th marks the feast of the Madonna della Lettera, the city’s patron saint, featuring the traditional “Vara,” an enormous triumphal float pulled by hand through the streets of the city center amid singing and fireworks.

Also on September 8th, many Sicilian communities celebrate the Nativity of Mary, often tied to agrarian rites of thanksgiving for the harvest, with processions, marching bands, and illuminated decorations in inland towns. A parallel could be drawn with the Harvest Festivals celebrated in many English villages at the end of September, which often include a community lunch.

In Randazzo and various towns around Mount Etna, patron saint festivals are celebrated with the typical “‘ntinna” (a game similar to the one played in Latin-American Countries known as ‘piñata’) and stalls selling local products, while in the Madonie and Nebrodi mountains September is the month for porcini mushroom and chestnut festivals, marking the start of autumn with tastings, folk music, and artisan markets.

Then there’s the Bronte Pistachio Festival, one of Sicily’s most famous food and wine events, which in September draws thousands of visitors to the slopes of Etna to sample sweet and savory dishes made with the local “green gold.”

Finally, many coastal towns hold fishermen’s festivals, with processions of boats at sea, blessings, and fried fish offered to the community — a way of thanking the sea before the end of the summer fishing season.

Originally shared on LinkedIn.