Lega Siciliana Social Club 96 Oakwood Avenue, Waterbury, CT (203) 596-1918

Updated February 12, 2009

NATIONAL HOLIDAYS IN SICILY

• January 1 - New Year's Day
• January 6 - Epiphany
• Easter Monday
• April 25 - Liberation Day
• May 1 - Labor Day
• August 15 - Assumption, aka Ferragosto
• November 1 - All Saints Day
• December 25 - Christmas Day
• December 26 - Santo Stefano Day

ANNUAL EVENTS & FESTIVALS IN THE SICILIAN PROVINCES

Strong religious feelings mixed with a sense of medieval romance runs through Sicilian culture. Each town and village has a patron saint, and the members of the local community usually celebrate their holiday, or festa, on the saint’s day. Depending on the religious circumstance, some feste are lively and light, while others are solemn and somber.

And in another reflection of Sicily’s Pagan past, there are festivals in the spring and summer honoring various gods & goddesses (many of their temples still stand in Sicily), and celebrating the various fruits, crops and harvests. Some of these are celebrated by the townspeople, in traditional dress, with elaborate processions.

TP = TRAPANI .......... PA = PALERMO .......... ME = MESSINA .......... CT = CATANIA

AG = AGRIGENTO ....... CL = CALTANISSETTA ....... EN = ENNA ....... RG = RAGUSA ....... SR = SIRACUSA

.......MONTH(S).............City & PROVINCE..........................EVENTS

• January 6...............Piana degli Albanesi, PALERMO......Epifania (Epiphany), a present-giving day
• February 3 – 5........Catania, CATANIA...........................Festival of Santa Agata
• February (1st week)..Agrigento, AGRIGENTO................Almond Blossom Festival
• February................Sciacca, AGRIGENTO......................Carnival with float parade
• February................Acireale, CATANIA..........................Carnival – floats & parade
• Easter Weekend......Caltanissetta, CALTANISSETTA.....Good Friday Procession
• Easter Weekend......Enna, ENNA.....................................Easter Parade & processions
• Easter Weekend......Trapani, TRAPANI...........................Solemn Easter procession
• Easter Sunday........Modica, RAGUSA.............................Mary kisses risen Christ festival
• April 3....................Catania, CATANIA...........................Sant’Agata procession & fireworks
• April - Oct...............Pegusa, ENNA..................................Car & Motorcycle Racing
• May.........................Taormina, MESSINA.......................Brightly painted Sicilian carts rally & costumed dancers.
• 3rd Week of May.....Noto, SIRACUSA............................Flower petal “paintings”
• May – June..............Siracusa, SIRACUSA......................Classic Greek Theater performances
• June 3......................Messina, MESSINA.........................Festival of the Madonna della Lettera, Messina's saint
• June – July...............Ragusa, RAGUSA...........................Int’l Classical Music Competition
• June – August..........Taormina, MESSINA.......................Classic Greek Theater performances
• July..........................Erice, TRAPANI..............................Medieval & Renaissance Music Festival
• July..........................Pegusa, ENNA.................................Medieval Tournament
• July 10 – 15..............Palermo, PALERMO.......................Santa Rosalia procession, Palermo's saint
• July 24 - 25...............Caltagirone, CATANIA...................San Giacomo luminaria on the staircase
• July – August...........Agrigento, AGRIGENTO..................Pirandello Theater performances
• July – August...........Aidone-Morgantina, ENNA..............Classic Greek Theater performances
• July – August...........Segesta, TRAPANI...........................Classic Greek Theater performances
• July – August...........Tindari, MESSINA...........................Classic Greek Theater performances
• August 13-14............Messina, MESSINA..........................Parade of the Giants
• August 15.................Messina, MESSINA.........................Assumption Parade
• August 29.................Ragusa, RAGUSA............................San Giovanni feast, procession and fireworks
• September.................Bronte, CATANIA...........................Pistachio Festival
• September.................Palermo, PALERMO.......................Int’l Tennis Tournament
• September.................San Fratello, MESSINA...................Sanfratellian horse tournament
• October....................Palermo, PALERMO........................Show jumping competition
• Nov. – Dec................Monreale, PALERMO......................Sacred Music Week

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