During your stay in Relais Briuccia, situated in Montallegro, in Agrigento district, in Sicilia, you can discover typical products and religious celebrations, in the Agrigento area.
NOTTE MEDIEVALE
In February in Agrigento there’s the Medieval Night. This reenactment is part of the celebration organized on February 25th for the patron saint Gerlando. The event includes a parade through the streets of the town with hundreds of actors in period costumes to remember and ideally welcome the arrival of the saint in Agrigento. During the festival they also organize games and medieval dances.
MANDORLARA – SAGRA DEL MANDORLO IN FIORE
In early March in Agrigento there’s the Mandorlara, the festival of the almond tree in bloom. This festival wants to enhance the almonds as a local excellence, product used in many recipes of the Sicilian tradition. In addition to the simple roasted almonds we can taste all the desserts prepared with this fruit, cakes, pastries with almond paste, almond brittle. But we’ll also know many side dishes and meat and fish dishes where the chopped almonds are often used as an extra ingredient.
Easter Arches of San Biagio photo lagazzettaagrigentina
ARCHI PASQUALI DI S. BIAGIO
In Easter in San Biagio Platani, there’s a celebration with the Easter Arches of San Biagio. The tradition has its origins in the seventeenth century and involves the preparation of the arches, but also of domes and bell towers that are on public display. The most important arch is the one that will be used on Easter for the meeting of Jesus and the Madonna. In the construction of the arches only natural materials are allowed and the most used are the laurel, reeds, willow, but also bread.
FESTA DI SAN CALOGERO
In July in Agrigento there is the Celebration of San Calogero. During eight days of celebration, they celebrate many features and begin the pilgrimage to the sanctuary. On Sunday there is the solemn procession with the saint carried on the shoulders throughout the town. For the occasion votive bread of San Calogero is distributed, in memory of when he went around to pick it up and give it to the poor.
FESTA DEL MARE
In July in Porto Empedocle there’s the Festival of the Sea. The event is linked to the celebration of the Madonna del Carmine, since in 1840 the fishermen started to dedicate, on July 16 a procession to the sea. It’s one of the oldest festivals in the village,which was born precisely as a fishing village.
FESTA DELLA MADONNA DEL SOCCORSO
In agosto a Sciacca si svolge la Festa della Madonna del Soccorso. La celebrazione rievoca il 1626 quando venne attribuito alla madonna il miracolo della liberazione dalla peste. Si narra che un fulmine cadde ai piedi della statua e si levò un denso fumo, i presenti furono immediatamente liberati dalla peste. Ancora oggi durante i festeggiamenti si procede con il rito della fumata, cioè si brucia l’incenso per rievocare il miracolo.
SAGRA DEL PISTACCHIO
In October in Raffadali there’s the Pistachio Festival. During the festival you can taste lots of desserts made with pistachios such as ice cream, cream, cakes, but also unexpected recipes such as pistachio pasta, sausage or pistachio pesto.
