Sicily is situated in the hot south, where people are not used to be bored. It seems that the Sicilians have some gasoline instead of blood in their veins. They are always active, cheerful and ready to plunge into a life of adventures. The Sicilian character becomes apparent through the way they hold their holidays. There is a holiday practically every day on Sicily: St. Patron’s Day, the Wine Holiday, the Traditional Music Festival, the Opening Night.
As in Venice there is a Sicilian Carnival Week. The most popular carnival is held in the Catania province in a small town of Acheriale just on the eve of the Easter Lent at the end of February. It reminds Russian Shrovetide Holiday, just the same scope, but without snow and pancakes. The carnivals are also held in the other island towns: in Taormina, Corleone, Belpasso.
The main holiday on Sicily is Easter. It is celebrated everywhere. Magnificent processions are moving along the town streets to the main temples. While moving they are dramatizing different passages from the Bible. On Easter you can see the traditional Sicilian holiday clothes. And moreover, on Easter you can be able to taste some local special holiday dainties: frittelle and tagano.
There is a unique Sicilian holiday – the Sicilian Carriage Holiday. It is celebrated with unbelievable scope. The tradition to decorate a simple peasant carriage with different ornaments has the century-old roots. Many years ago common people tried to imitate the nobility. The peasants were not so rich, but they were quick-minded and the decorated carriages just confirm this fact. The Sicilian Carriage Holiday sounds like “Caretto Siciliano” in the Italian language. The Carriage Parade is held in many towns during the Easter Week. But the most impressive march you can see in Taormina at the end of May.
Sicily is an agrarian region and there are many holidays of different food products here. Thus there is the Corn Day in Messina province, the Fish Day in Ragusa, the Dried Tomato Holiday in Caltaniseta, the Sweet Pepper Holiday in Enna and the Hazel-nut Holiday in Palermo.
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Film festival in Taormina is one of the oldest in Italy. Each year at the end of June film stars from all over the world come to the Bohemia...
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St. Agatha’s Festival in Catania
St. Agatha’s Festival in Catania is the most interesting event on Sicily. It is held on the 5th of February, the day of St. Agatha, who...
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