At the Noto Festival (Anna DeLange)
Sicily is filled with history and never-ending festivals. Whether there is a religious celebration, or a festival geared towards food, you will definitely find something to look forward to on this beautiful Mediterranean island. The list below is certainly not all that is available, but these are some of the local festivals you should consider putting on your calendars!
Festa di Sant’Agata | Feb. 2-5, 2026
The Feast of Saint Agatha is held in the center of Catania. This famous celebration is for the patron saint of Catania, and these three days attract tourists, onlookers and devotees. There are traditional ceremonies, magnificent parades that flow through the streets of and, of course, fireworks. Each day has a different traditional procession and mass. 2026 marks the 900th anniversary of Saint Agatha’s relics in Catania, and a special display of the relics with be on view in the cathedral Feb. 9-11.
Festival del Mandorlo in Fiore di Agrigento | March 7-15, 2026
This Almond Blossom Festival is another highly anticipated event that occurs in the region of Agrigento. This festival is dedicated to the beauty of the almond blossoms that are blooming after winter, a celebration of spring. The trees typically bloom in early February and dust Agrigento with beautiful white and pink petals. The festival has also merged in recent years with the International Folklore Festival, making this week-long celebration come alive with traditional costumes and dances accompanied with local delicacies.
Infiorata di Noto | May 15-19, 2026
The Noto Flower Festival happens annually around the third Sunday in May in the town of Noto. There is a huge temporary art installation that is dedicated to one singular staircase decorated mostly with flowers. The floral artists also use different colored soils, seeds and even kernels. You can come to this festival each year and see new designs that align with each year’s theme. It has gotten so popular in recent years that they have extended the visiting period from a single day to a five-day event.
Taormina Film Festival | June 2026
2026 marks 72 years of this annual summer celebration in Messina. The festival has been through many name changes; however, that hasn’t stopped famous international stars from appearing. Nowadays, the festival runs for nine days and has screenings at three locations in Taormina. The Ancient Theatre is used to screen new films while the other two locations typically screen shorts or tributes to filmmakers of the past. Tickets go quickly for this famous festival.
Cous Cous Fest | Sept. 2026
Located in San Vito Lo Capo, the Cous Cous Festival is a relatively new event, and yet it is already internationally renowned. This festival started in 1998 and celebrates cultural integration and diversity by honoring the symbolic dish of the Mediterranean. The festival’s program has broadened from chefs sharing and challenging each other with recipes to now including cultural, musical and entertainment events as well.
Sagra del Pistacchio | Oct. 2026
The Pistachio Festival is in the town of Bronte. Pistachios grown in this town are protected by a Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP) label, which guarantees that these world-famous pistachios are produced, processed and packaged in a specific zone. The festival is definitely the spot for you to try pistachio-flavored gelato or granita, cakes, pasta and arancini. The festival is not just based around food, it also features exhibitions from local artists.
At the Noto Festival (Anna DeLange)
