Festival of Cultural Identities

A festival dedicated to Sicily's roots

The Festival of Cultural Identities is a summer event that brings the village of Rodì Milici to life—a small town of just over two thousand inhabitants nestled in the Peloritani Mountains along the Patrì stream, in the province of Messina. Promoted by the Pro Loco Longane tourist association with the support of the local municipality, the festival was created to celebrate Sicilian popular traditions by bringing together the island's historical and folk groups for a few days in the town squares.

Parades, costumes, and folk music

The heart of the event is Piazza Martino, which transforms into an open-air stage. The evenings open with the evocative parade of Sicilian carts, the ultimate symbol of the island's craftsmanship and culture, followed by processions of groups in traditional costume, accompanied by folk music and songs. Past editions have featured groups from all over Sicily: the I misi i ll'annu Historical Group from Rodì Milici, I Cariddi from Messina, the Murgo from Gioiosa Marea, and the Arbëreshë Group from Santa Cristina Gela, all living testaments to the island's diverse cultural soul. Many of these groups are registered with the REI (Register of Intangible Heritage), confirming their identity-defining value.

Between tradition and community

The festival is more than just a show; it is a moment of community where the village rediscovers its own history. The local I misi i ll'annu Historical Group revives the traditional carnival play of Rodì Milici, in which twelve costumed characters represent the months of the year in an agro-pastoral dialect. Alongside the parades, there are craft exhibitions, such as the sacred and floral crochet mosaics created by the women of the village of Braidi, and the evenings conclude with a grand final dance that brings all participating groups together.

Part of the Borghi e Monti d'aMare Festival circuit

The event is part of the Borghi e Monti d'aMare Festival, a series of events organized by the Gal Tirrenico that highlights the small towns on the Tyrrhenian side of Messina, from Lipari to the Peloritani hinterland. For Rodì Milici, it is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on its traditions and welcome visitors during the height of the Sicilian summer, set against a landscape of hills and olive groves just a few kilometers from the coast.