Agriculture Festival

A festival rediscovering rural roots

The Agriculture Festival is one of the most cherished events in Santa Ninfa, a town in the province of Trapani nestled in the heart of the Belìce Valley, Sicily. It is an ancient tradition that was interrupted for nearly forty years—the last historical edition dates back to 1986—and brought back to life in 2023 by the municipal administration led by Mayor Carlo Ferreri. The goal is to restore focus to the agricultural world, the true economic and cultural engine of this territory, during a particularly difficult historical moment for the sector, marked by drought, climate change, and unremunerative prices.

The territory in the town square

For an entire day, the streets and squares of the center—particularly Viale Pio La Torre and Piazza Monsignor Antonio Riboldi—transform into a grand showcase of the region. Wineries, oil mills, dairies, and farms from Santa Ninfa and the Belìce Valley set up their stands, offering tastings of wines, oils, cheeses, and typical local products. It is an opportunity to get to know the producers' work up close and to savor the food and wine excellence of an area dedicated to viticulture and olive growing.

Parades, crafts, and tradition

The program combines entertainment with rural memory. Among the most anticipated events are the parades of carts, horses, and tractors, which travel through the town recalling the field work of the past, and the demonstrations of ancient rural crafts. There is no shortage of traditional games from Sicilian popular culture, such as sack races and tug-of-war, which involve adults and children in a festive atmosphere.

Space for the little ones

An important part of the event is dedicated to children, with educational workshops designed to help them discover the stages of agricultural work: milking, grape crushing, the world of bees, and bread making. Through play and direct experience, children learn to understand the rhythms and knowledge of the countryside in a journey that intertwines education and fun.

An autumn appointment in Santa Ninfa

The Agriculture Festival traditionally takes place in September and attracts visitors from all over Sicily. Organized by the Municipality of Santa Ninfa in collaboration with the Pro Loco and with the support of the Regional Department of Agriculture, it now represents one of the community's identity-defining events, capable of combining the enhancement of agricultural heritage, conviviality, and the rediscovery of the traditions of the Belìce Valley.