Cipolla Paglina Festival

The signature festival of Castrofilippo

The Cipolla Paglina Festival is the most anticipated summer event in Castrofilippo, an agricultural town in the province of Agrigento, Sicily. Now in its thirty-second edition in 2026, the event turns the town into a large open-air stage: Viale Bonfiglio is filled with food stalls, local product stands, tastings, and shows that attract thousands of people from all over the island and beyond.

The cipolla paglina, queen of the festival

At the heart of the festival is the cipolla paglina of Castrofilippo, a local ecotype recognized as a Slow Food Presidium. It is distinguished by its straw-yellow skin, impressive size (bulbs can reach up to two kilograms), and above all, its sweetness, free of pungent notes: it is considered 'the only onion that doesn't make you cry' because its low acidity causes minimal eye irritation when sliced. Its cultivation, historically favored by the waters of the Bigini river, is so deeply rooted that the inhabitants of Castrofilippo have long been nicknamed cipuddara by neighboring towns.

Taste and tradition along Viale Bonfiglio

During the evenings, you can sample numerous dishes made with cipolla paglina prepared by local restaurants, pizzerias, and associations. Among the most beloved specialties are the 'mbriulata with sausage, olives, and onions, cuddiruni, frittatas, and traditional peasant recipes. The stalls are complemented by show cooking, exhibitions of local products, and events dedicated to promoting local agriculture.

Music, cabaret, and folklore

Alongside the culinary offerings, the festival features a rich program of evening shows: concerts by Sicilian and national artists, cabaret nights, and folk groups and tamburinara (drummers) who bring the town streets to life. In recent editions, the lineup has hosted well-known names in Italian pop music, confirming the constant growth of the event, organized by the Municipality of Castrofilippo with the support of the Sicilian Region.

A defense against extinction

The festival is more than just a celebration; it is a tool for preservation. The cipolla paglina is at high risk of extinction due to competition from more productive and standardized varieties. The Slow Food Presidium regulations prohibit chemical treatments and synthetic herbicides, requiring manual soil management and the self-production of seeds by farmers. Visiting the festival therefore means supporting precious agricultural biodiversity and a community that guards ancient knowledge.