Carnival in the Villages of South Messina

A widespread Carnival across the villages of South Messina

The Carnival in the Villages of South Messina is not a single, centralized event, but a collection of festivities that simultaneously animate the seaside and hillside villages on the southern side of the Municipality of Messina, in Sicily. Larderia, Mili Marina, Galati Marina, Giampilieri Marina, and Briga Marina transform for a weekend into open-air stages, where masks, allegorical floats, and costume groups—prepared for months by socio-cultural associations, neighborhood committees, and parishes—parade through the streets.

The Larderia Carnival Festival

The gastronomic heart of the celebration is the historic Larderia Carnival Festival, held in Piazza Maria SS. di Dinnammare in Larderia Inferiore, which draws visitors from across the city. The signature dish is homemade macaroni with pork scuccidde sauce, still hand-rolled today by local women using the ancient umbrella-spoke method. Alongside the macaroni, visitors can enjoy sausage sandwiches, chiacchiere, pignolata, and honey, all locally prepared. The event, organized by the Selene socio-cultural association, complements the culinary offerings with photography exhibitions, book presentations, and moments dedicated to the history of the village.

Parades, floats, and "Golden Masks"

During the Carnival days, the villages fill with masked processions. In Galati Marina and the hamlet of Briga Marina, the "Golden Mask" competition takes place, rewarding the most original costumes for both adults and children, while the traditional parade that reaches the other coastal villages starts from Mili Marina. In Giampilieri Marina and Briga Marina, the parishes organize parties with music and dancing—moments of gathering where two neighboring communities share the same festive spirit. In Larderia, alongside the food festival, allegorical floats and masked groups parade through the village streets, with a stop in the main square and a section dedicated to children.

A neighborhood tradition

The Carnival of the southern villages is an authentically popular event, far from the major tourist circuits and all the more precious for it: it is born from the ground up, through the volunteer work of associations and parishes, and maintains a strong bond with the identity of the hamlets of the Metropolitan City of Messina. For those visiting the area, it is an opportunity to discover a lesser-known, genuine side of Sicily, made of gastronomic traditions, local humor, and village hospitality.