Borgolio – Madonie Olive Oil Festival

Borgolio, the green gold of the Madonie in San Mauro Castelverde

Borgolio – Madonie Olive Oil Festival is the food and wine event that, in the heart of the Madonie Park, celebrates the extra virgin olive oil produced in the mountains of the province of Palermo. The stage is the historic center of San Mauro Castelverde, a village perched at over a thousand meters in altitude, where narrow alleys, the hypogea of the Ex Badia, and panoramic squares provide the backdrop for two days of tastings, meetings, and performances.

The Crastu cultivar and the Olive Oil Bank

The absolute star of the festival is the Crastu cultivar, a native variety considered a defining symbol of San Mauro Castelverde. To protect and promote local varieties, the first edition saw the creation of the Madonie Olive Oil Bank, a project supported by the GAL ISC Madonie designed to preserve and enhance the region's olive-growing heritage. Conferences, masterclasses led by experts, and educational sessions on the "culture and cultivation" of Madonie oil revolve around this core identity.

Tastings, show cooking, and culture

Along the festival route, producers' stands offer tastings of high-quality extra virgin oils and other local delicacies, from caciocavallo cheese to sausage. The program alternates between gastronomic and cultural highlights:

• Conferences and masterclasses dedicated to EVOO and the Madonie olive supply chain;
• Show cooking with local chefs and pairings curated by mixologists;
• Performances including cabaret, roaming music, and shows throughout the village alleys;
• Guided cultural itineraries to discover San Mauro Castelverde, in collaboration with the local Pro Loco.

A project for the territory

Promoted by the Municipality of San Mauro Castelverde together with Madonie Travel Service, Slow Food Madonie, Pro Loco, and the National Association of Olive Oil Cities, Borgolio is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and supported by European funds (NextGenerationEU). The municipal administration has presented the event as the first step in a broader and more ambitious project to enhance Madonie olive growing, with the intention of making it a recurring appointment for the village and the entire Madonie Park area.