Caciocavallo Festival
Three days of flavor, tradition, and culture in the villages of the Madonie
About Caciocavallo Festival
The festival of the iconic Madonie cheese
The Caciocavallo Festival is the event that brings the village of San Mauro Castelverde, in the province of Palermo, to life every year at the start of summer. Located in the heart of the Madonie Park at an altitude of over 1,000 meters, the town becomes the setting for a celebration that weaves together gastronomy, culture, and pastoral traditions, focusing on the product that gives the event its name: caciocavallo, a stretched-curd cheese that is the symbol of Madonie cheesemaking art.
A journey into the wisdom of cheesemakers
Caciocavallo is born from ancient knowledge, passed down through generations by the shepherds and cheesemakers of the Madonie. During the festival, visitors can watch live demonstrations of the pasta filata process and cheesemaking, discovering how milk is transformed into the classic caciocavallo shape, alongside other local products like tuma, ricotta, and quagliata. Alongside the cheese, stalls offer local extra virgin olive oil, traditional bread, and Madonie wines.
Culture, entertainment, and experiences
The Caciocavallo Festival is more than just a food event: the program alternates between conferences dedicated to the relationship between food, identity, and the territory, theatrical performances, and concerts at the Municipal Theater, as well as folk group performances and art exhibitions created with cheese. There is no shortage of outdoor experiences to discover the Madonie area: guided tours of the historic center, excursions to the Tiberio Gorges, nature trekking, horseback riding, and adrenaline-filled activities like the zipline.
A village to discover
Attending the festival is also the perfect opportunity to visit one of the most fascinating villages in the Madonie: stone alleys, panoramic views of the mountains and the sea, and a warm welcome that reflects the rural soul of inland Sicily. Admission to the event is free: you only pay for what you taste or purchase at the food and craft stalls.
Caciocavallo Festival — edition 2026
The 20th edition of the Caciocavallo Festival celebrated twenty years of the event with a theme titled "The Voice of the Voiceless," designed to highlight the stories and identity of the Madonie territory. Three days brought San Mauro Castelverde to life with tastings, culture, and entertainment. Among the most anticipated moments were the ONAF Vertical Tasting led by regional delegate Pietro Pappalardo, demonstrations of the pasta filata process, and show cooking with Valeria Raciti, a well-known face from MasterChef. The event, also funded through PNRR funds as part of the "Borgo Vivo" project, confirmed the festival's role as a showcase for the agri-food excellence of the Madonie.
Programme Caciocavallo Festival 2026
Friday, June 5
- 5:00 PM — Inauguration at the Banca dell'Olio delle Madonie with the conference "From milk to art: the Caciocavallo of San Mauro between nutrition, identity, and territory."
- 9:30 PM — Municipal Theater: show "Il sotto e sopra di Colapesce" (Teatro Libero Palermo and Grifeo Eventi).
Saturday, June 6
- 3:00 PM — Corso Umberto I: opening of food and craft exhibition spaces.
- 5:00 PM — Piano San Mauro: ONAF Vertical Tasting, a guided sensory journey through the different aging stages of caciocavallo, led by ONAF regional delegate Pietro Pappalardo, with a demonstration of the pasta filata process by Azienda Agricola Giaimo Vincenzo (limited spots, reservation recommended).
- 9:30 PM — Municipal Theater: 90s Music Concert.
Sunday, June 7
- 10:00 AM — Opening of food and craft stalls.
- 11:00 AM — Artistic Cheese Workshop: demonstrations of ancient processing techniques and artistic creations with cheese.
- 12:30 PM — Free caciocavallo tasting with performances by the Folk Group L'Eremo and a vintage car exhibition by ASD Trabia Motors Passion.
Throughout the event: show cooking with Valeria Raciti (MasterChef), guided tours of the village, excursions to the Tiberio Gorges, trekking, horseback riding, quad tours, e-bike rentals, zipline, and giant swing.
Highlights Caciocavallo Festival 2026
Prices Caciocavallo Festival 2026
Practical information — Caciocavallo Festival
How to get there
San Mauro Castelverde is located in the Madonie Park, in the province of Palermo. By car, it can be reached from the A20 Palermo-Messina motorway (Castelbuono-Pollina exit), continuing along the mountain road towards the interior; the village is at an altitude of about 1,000 meters. The nearest train station is Pollina-San Mauro Castelverde, on the coastal line, from which you can continue by car to the town.
Admission and costs
Admission to the festival is free. You only pay for what you taste or purchase at the food and craft stalls. Reservations are recommended for the ONAF vertical tasting and the show cooking.
Practical tips
The village is at a high altitude: bring a light jacket even in summer for the evening hours. Free parking is available. For information, you can contact +39 0921 603582.
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Where does it take place — Caciocavallo Festival
Centro storico e Piano San Mauro
Corso Umberto I, 90010 San Mauro Castelverde