Colate Verdi dell'Etna - Monte Etna PDO Olive Oil Festival
Etna's green gold celebrated in Biancavilla: tastings, masterclasses, and EVOO culture
About Colate Verdi dell'Etna
Colate Verdi dell'Etna: Olive oil takes center stage in Biancavilla
In the heart of the province of Catania, at the foot of Europe's highest volcano, the town of Biancavilla hosts Colate Verdi dell'Etna, the first Sicilian event entirely dedicated to extra virgin olive oil. The absolute star is the Monte Etna PDO oil, produced on the volcanic slopes and now a benchmark of Mediterranean gastronomy. The festival's name plays on the imagery of Etna's lava flows, transformed here into the brilliant green of liquid olive gold.
A festival of culture, tradition, and taste
The heart of the event is the evocative Villa delle Favare, a historic residence in the center of Biancavilla, extending into the streets of the old town. For three days, the city transforms into a sensory journey dedicated to Etna's olive culture, with a rich and structured program:
- Guided tastings and tasting booths with local producers
- Thematic masterclasses on Sicilian cultivars (Tonda Iblea, Nocellara dell'Etna, and local biodiversity)
- Show cooking sessions telling the story "from Etna's green gold to the table"
- Conferences and round tables on oleotourism, climate challenges, and the resilience of the olive sector
- Activities with schools to introduce younger generations to EVOO culture
- Evening entertainment with live music, DJ sets, and sunset aperitifs
A project uniting agriculture and tourism
The event is promoted by the Municipality of Biancavilla with the support of the Regional Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Mediterranean Fisheries, and with the participation of industry bodies such as APO, FIOI, and the Monte Etna PDO Protection Consortium. The goal, as emphasized by the organizers, is to integrate agriculture and tourism: making Biancavilla not just a place of production, but an experience to be lived, where food culture and landscape beauty merge.
Launched in the autumn of 2024, Colate Verdi dell'Etna has quickly established itself as a reference point for extra virgin olive oil enthusiasts in Sicily, attracting producers, expert agronomists, families, and students in the province of Catania.
Colate Verdi dell'Etna — edition 2026
The third edition of Colate Verdi dell'Etna brought Biancavilla to life from May 22 to 24, 2026, confirming Villa delle Favare as the heart of the event dedicated to Monte Etna PDO extra virgin olive oil. Promoted by the Municipality of Biancavilla with the support of the Regional Department of Agriculture, the edition intertwined education, tasting, and the culture of the Etna territory.
The program alternated educational moments—from the school conference on EVOO between nutrition and energy to masterclasses on Tonda Iblea and Nocellara dell'Etna cultivars—with culinary experiences like the sunset aperitif with "pani cunzatu", tastings of local products, and producer tasting booths. Evening events with live music and DJ sets were also featured.
Programme Colate Verdi dell'Etna 2026
Friday, May 22
- 10:30 — Official opening and ribbon cutting
- 11:00 — Conference for primary schools "Green power: the strength of EVOO between nutrition, energy, and well-being", by nutritionist biologist Maria Laura Bivona
- Afternoon — Olive oil tastings; sunset aperitif with "pani cunzatu" and barOil mixology; DJ set BR1
Saturday, May 23
- 15:00 — Opening of tasting booths and exhibition stands
- 16:30 — Masterclass "Tonda Iblea vs Nocellara dell'Etna: cultivars compared", led by Maria Antonietta Pioppo
- Following — Round table "Oleotourism, climate challenges, and resilience: analysis and perspectives of the Sicilian olive sector" with institutional speakers
- Evening — Tasting of local products and evening concert
Sunday, May 24
- 10:00-10:30 — Opening of exhibition stands
- Morning — Masterclass "Evo Experience: a journey into the flavors and aromas of Sicilian biodiversity", with agronomist Riccardo Randello
- All day — Performances, workshops, family activities, and meetings with producers
Highlights Colate Verdi dell'Etna 2026
Prices Colate Verdi dell'Etna 2026
Practical information — Colate Verdi dell'Etna
Location
Villa delle Favare and the historic center of Biancavilla (CT), in the province of Catania, at the foot of Mount Etna.
How to get there
By car: Biancavilla can be reached via the SS121 / SS284, approximately 35 km from Catania. By train and plane: the reference airport is Catania-Fontanarossa, from where you can continue by car or bus towards the south-west side of Mount Etna.
Admission
Information regarding potential entry fees or participation costs for masterclasses and tastings is not detailed by the sources: it is recommended to check the official channels of the Municipality of Biancavilla closer to the event date.
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Where does it take place — Colate Verdi dell'Etna
Villa delle Favare
Villa delle Favare, Via Vittorio Emanuele, 95033 Biancavilla