Every day of the year
What's on today?
There is almost always something happening here: between Capo d'Orlando, the coast and the Nebrodi villages, some feast, food festival or procession is under way. And when there isn't, there are the things you can do anyway.
What's on today?
This part reads the date from your device: if it does not appear, the full year's calendar is further down this page, entry by entry.
Anyway, always
Six things that don't depend on the calendar, the weather or hydrofoil timetables.
01
Watch the sunset
The sun drops into the sea and the Aeolians stay backlit. Six different places to do it — and the best part comes ten minutes later.
02
Climb to the Sanctuary
The 230 steps up the headland: from the top you can see the islands and, on clear days, the coast as far as Cefalù. Best early in the morning.
03
Do nothing on the rooftop
140 m² of terrace on the seventh floor. It counts as an activity, and it's the best one at sunset.
04
Set off for the Aeolians
First hydrofoil from Milazzo, 45 minutes away: Vulcano and Lipari fit into a day. Or take the house RIB from the marina below.
05
Head up into the Nebrodi
The Lago Biviere loop or the Catafurco waterfall, then lunch at an agriturismo. It doesn't depend on the sea: it works even when the hydrofoils don't sail.
06
Pick the right beach
Gentle sand at San Gregorio for children, pebbles and deep water below the headland for snorkelling. Everything changes within two kilometres.
07
Have breakfast properly
Granita with brioche col tuppo, seated, on the corso. The most Sicilian thing you'll do, and the cheapest.
The year's calendar
Patron saint feasts, food festivals and fairs across the area, month by month. Committee dates can shift by a few days: ask us before setting off.
January
- 2Saint Basil the Great · Galati Mamertino (San Basilio)
- 5Salami Fair · Sant'Angelo di BroloDevoted to Sicily's only IGP cured meat.
- 17Saint Anthony Abbot · San Marco d'Alunzio
- 17–20Saint Sebastian — i nudi · Tortorici and MistrettaDevotees run bare-chested in the depths of January.
- 27Saint Benedict the Moor · San Fratello
February
- 2–3Candlemas and Saint Blaise · Militello Rosmarino
- 5Penitential procession of San Calogero · San Salvatore di FitaliaNo band, no firecrackers: only silence.
- 20Saint Leo · Longi
March
- 5San Cono and Saint Vincent — remembering the 1823 earthquake · Naso and Castell'Umberto
- 19Saint Joseph · Sant'Agata di Militello
- 25Maria SS. Annunziata · Brolo and Alcara Li Fusi
April
- 4Saint Benedict the Moor · Acquedolci
- 4–5Saint Vincent Ferrer — liturgical feast · Castell'UmbertoA stop at the Serro di San Vincenzo to bless the countryside.
- 25Saint Mark · San Marco d'Alunzio
May
- 3–5Saint Nicholas · Alcara Li Fusi
- 10Feast of the Three Saints · San Fratello
June
- 24Festa del Muzzuni · Alcara Li FusiA Saint John's rite with pre-Christian roots.
July
- 24–25Saint James the Apostle · Galati MamertinoThe patron: processions of the relics and the statue.
- 25–26Saint James · Galati Mamertino and Capizzi
- 25Granita Grand Gala · Capo d'Orlando, Piazza Matteotti
- 28Piscittina Fest — beer and street food · Capo d'Orlando
August
- 5–6Terra di Vini — wine masterclasses and tastings · Capo d'Orlando, Porto Marina
- 9Sapore di Sale — the bluefish festival · Borgo San Gregorio
- 13Festa di Rafa · Galati Mamertino
- 15Maria SS. di Porto Salvo — procession by sea · Capo d'OrlandoThe fishermen's boats in procession, and fireworks at night.
- 18Saint Sebastian · Mistretta
- 19–21San Calogero — the three rises and falls · San Salvatore di FitaliaThe peak is the 20th. Tens of thousands of pilgrims.
- 20–21San Calogero — the weighing of the children · Cesarò
- 23–26Feast of the Three Saints · Galati MamertinoSaint Roch, the Crucifix and Saint James. The 25th is the peak.
- 23The Crucifix and Saint Leo · Longi
- 26–28Saint Vincent Ferrer — the great feast · Castell'UmbertoOn the 28th the litter, dressed in gold and bells, crosses the whole village.
September
- 1Saint Cono · NasoListed in Sicily's Register of Intangible Heritage.
- 7–8The Black Madonna of Tindari · Tindari, PattiProcession on the evening of the 7th, Pontifical mass on the 8th.
- 7–8Madonna della Luce and the dance of the giants · MistrettaThe papier-mâché giants Kronos and Mytia dance through the village.
- 24–27Beer Festival · Capo d'Orlando
- 25Madonna della Catena · San Marco d'Alunzio
- 29Saint Michael the Archangel · Sant'Angelo di Brolo and RaccuiaA Norman cult: the Archangel who held the sun still for Roger d'Altavilla.
October
- 22Maria Santissima — patron of Capo d'Orlando · Capo d'OrlandoAt dawn, the 230 steps to the sanctuary; at night, fireworks over the seafront.
November
- 14–15Historic livestock fair · Sant'Agata di Militello
December
- 6Saint Nicholas · Capizzi
- 9Immaculate Conception · Raccuia
- 28San Cono and Saint Vincent — remembering the 1908 earthquake · Naso and Castell'Umberto
Movable dates
- all winterOrlandina Basket season · Capo d'Orlando — from late September to AprilHome games at the PalaFantozzi, almost always on Sunday afternoons.
- MaySaint Leo · Longi — first Sunday of May
- JuneSaint Antoninus · Galati Mamertino — in the first half of June
- AugustSaint Basil · Galati Mamertino (San Basilio) — first Sunday of AugustThe litter dressed with basil stalks and sheaves of wheat.
- SeptemberSan Calogero · Galati Mamertino — second Sunday of September
- February or MarchCarnevale di Acquedolci — the Nebrodi carnival · Acquedolci — during CarnivalPapier-mâché floats since 1969 and the «Doroteo» prize voted by the crowd. Since 1998 it has been reckoned Sicily's third carnival after Acireale and Sciacca.
- MarchThe Babbaluti — Holy Crucifix of Aracoeli · San Marco d'Alunzio — last Friday of MarchThirty-three barefoot penitents hooded in blue.
- Holy WeekFesta dei Giudei · San Fratello — Holy Wednesday to Good Friday
- Holy WeekProcession of the Cross · in every village — Good Friday
- SeptemberHazelnut Festival · Ucria — in September
- OctoberMushroom Exhibition and Festival · Ucria — in autumnA mycological exhibition with some 250 species.
- OctoberBlack pork and porcini festival · Cesarò — on October weekends
- OctoberOttobrando — the Nebrodi provola festival · Floresta — on October SundaysFloresta sits at 1,275 m and is the highest town in Sicily: the cheese is Nebrodi provola, a Slow Food presidium.
- OctoberPorcini mushroom festival · Alcara Li Fusi — in October
- OctoberPorcelli e Porcini · Caronia — on the last weekend of October
- OctoberOctoberfish · Caronia — in October
- OctoberChestnut Festival · San Salvatore di Fitalia — last weekend of OctoberA market of Nebrodi produce.
- OctoberSanfratellano horse fair · San Fratello — in October
- DecemberLiving nativity scenes of the district · Sant'Agata di Militello, Acquedolci, Mistretta — in the days before ChristmasAt Sant'Agata inside the Castello Gallego, at Mistretta at the foot of the castle. Dates change every year: check before setting off.
- DecemberChristmas in Capo d'Orlando · Capo d'Orlando — from 7 December to 6 JanuaryMarkets in piazza Autonomia and along the corso, nativity scenes around town, the tree lit in piazza Matteotti on 8 December. The programme changes each year.
- DecemberNovena and Cantata di li pastura · San Marco d'Alunzio — the Christmas novena
Announced events
The calendar above is the recurring feasts, the ones that come round every year. These are the one-off events — a concert, a season of shows, a book launch — gathered each week from the town hall's announcements and the local press. Every entry carries a link to whoever announced it and the day we read it: organisers set these dates and sometimes move them, so it is worth checking the source before you set off.
Last updated: 10 October
August 2026
- 20 August · 19:00Presentazione del libro "Il viaggio impossibile di Federico Fellini" · Piazza dell'Autonomia, Capo d'Orlandosource: Comune di Capo d'Orlando · read on 3 October
- 21 August · 18:30Presentazione del libro "Imbroglio di Stato" di Patrizia Zangla · Biblioteca comunale "Ernesto Mancari", Capo d'Orlandosource: Comune di Capo d'Orlando · read on 3 October
- 23 August · 21:00Spettacolo delle Huntrix · Piazza Matteotti, Capo d'Orlandosource: Comune di Capo d'Orlando · read on 3 October
September 2026
- 5 September · 18:30Mostra fotografica "6x6 = 12.000 km", Italia e Cile · Spazio LOC, via del Fanciullo, Capo d'Orlandosource: Comune di Capo d'Orlando · read on 3 October
- 5 September · 17:30Teatro delle Ombre: Il Gruffalò · Biblioteca comunale, Capo d'Orlandosource: Comune di Capo d'Orlando · read on 3 October
- 12 September · 20:30Scuola, Sport, Ambiente: un campo per crescere · Piazza Matteotti, Capo d'Orlandosource: Comune di Capo d'Orlando · read on 3 October
- 19 September · 18:30Presentazione del libro "Sant'Agata Inside" di Lucia Di Fazio · Sala dei Principi, Castello Gallego, Sant'Agata di Militellosource: 98zero · read on 3 October
- 26 September–27Festa della Birra · Capo d'Orlandosource: AMnotizie · read on 26 September
- 26 September–27 · 19:00Festa della Madonna Addolorata in contrada Bufana · Contrada Bufana, San Salvatore di Fitaliasource: 98zero · read on 26 September
- 26 September · 21:30Nebrodi Cinema Doc, serata di premiazione · Teatro Alfieri, Nasosource: 98zero · read on 26 September
- 27 September–29Festa di San Michele Arcangelo · Sant'Angelo di Brolosource: 98zero · read on 26 September
- 28 SeptemberSagra dei Maccheroni · Chiostro San Francesco, Sant'Angelo di Brolosource: 98zero · read on 26 September
October 2026
- 2 October–3Festa della Birra, seconda parte · Capo d'Orlandosource: AMnotizie · read on 26 September
- 3 October · 18:30ZammarArt Fest: Francesco, siamo fratelli · Piazza Indipendenza, Montagnarealesource: AMnotizie · read on 26 September
- 4 October · 09:00Gran Premio Giovanissimi Città di Patti di karate · PalaSerranò, Pattisource: AMnotizie · read on 3 October
- 4 October · 08:30Marcia della Pace verso il Santuario di Tindari · Grotte di Mongiove, Pattisource: AMnotizie · read on 3 October
- 4 OctoberOttobrando, sagra dei Vasola a Crucchittu · Florestasource: AMnotizie · read on 26 September
- 4 October · 18:30ZammarArt Fest: Anime · Piazza Indipendenza, Montagnarealesource: AMnotizie · read on 26 September
- 10 October · 21:30Concerto Hasta la Vista per la Madonna del Rosario · Piazza Mattarella, San Salvatore di Fitaliasource: 98zero · read on 10 October
- 10 OctoberPiscittina Fest · Contrada Piscittina, Capo d'Orlandosource: AMnotizie · read on 10 October
- 11 October · 09:30Camminata della Salute · Belvedere al Monte, Capo d'Orlandosource: Comune di Capo d'Orlando · read on 10 October
- 11 October · 10:00Ottobrando, sagra del Suino Nero dei Nebrodi · Centro storico, Florestasource: GLPress · read on 10 October
- 11 October · 21:30Spettacolo musicale con i Live Music · Piazza Mattarella, San Salvatore di Fitaliasource: 98zero · read on 10 October
- 15 October–18Messina Street Food Fest · Piazza Cairoli, Messinasource: 98zero · read on 26 September
- 18 October · 10:00Ottobrando, sagra dei Funghi · Centro storico, Florestasource: GLPress · read on 10 October
- 25 October · 10:00Ottobrando, sagra della Provola · Centro storico, Florestasource: GLPress · read on 10 October
Stay in Capo d'Orlando
A base in the centre — and everything else becomes a day trip.
The port for the Aeolians is 45 minutes away, the Nebrodi right behind. Breakfast served early for dawn departures.
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