Hazelnut Festival (Badiavecchia)

The Hazelnut Festival of Badiavecchia

The Hazelnut Festival is held every autumn in Badiavecchia, an ancient hamlet of the municipality of Novara di Sicilia, in the heart of the Messina province. Nestled between the Peloritani Mountains and the Nebrodi, accessible via the provincial road climbing up from Novara di Sicilia, the village comes alive for an entire weekend of flavors, folk traditions, and religious devotion. It is one of the most heartfelt festivals in the Messina hinterland, drawing visitors from neighboring towns and across Sicily.

The hazelnut, queen of the festival

At the heart of the event is the hazelnut, a fruit that has symbolized these hilly lands for generations. During the festival, the hazelnut is showcased in a thousand gastronomic variations: the famous hazelnut sausage, an original and unique product of this territory, hazelnut arancini prepared by the hundreds, traditional pastries, and the fragrant hazelnut liqueur. Stalls featuring local products and handicrafts welcome visitors from Saturday lunch until Sunday afternoon.

History, abbey, and devotion to Saint Ugo

The festival is inextricably linked to the history of Badiavecchia: here stands the ancient Cistercian abbey, consecrated in 1117 and considered the first Cistercian monastery on the island, commissioned by King Roger II. Nearby lies the small Church of Santa Maria Annunziata. The event intertwines with celebrations in honor of Saint Ugo the Abbot, co-patron of Novara di Sicilia, where moments of faith and reflection coexist with the popular festivities.

Music and village atmosphere

Beyond the gastronomy, the Hazelnut Festival offers musical performances, evening entertainment, and the chance to visit the ancient village and its monuments. The intimate atmosphere of the silent valleys between the Peloritani and Nebrodi, combined with the hospitality of the Novara di Sicilia community, makes this festival an authentic appointment, faithful to the rural and religious roots of the territory. The event takes place rain or shine.

A staple of the Sicilian autumn

Included among the gastronomic traditions of the Sicilian autumn, the Badiavecchia Hazelnut Festival is much more than a food fair: it is a journey into the historical, religious, and culinary heritage of a little-known corner of the province of Messina, where the hazelnut becomes the thread that connects landscape, memory, and community.