Hazelnut Festival

A festival dedicated to the Nebrodi hazelnut

The Hazelnut Festival in Roccella Valdemone is one of the most anticipated gastronomic events on the eastern side of the Nebrodi mountains, in the heart of the Messina province, Sicily. Every year in September, this small mountain village opens its streets and main square to pay homage to a fruit that has been a cornerstone of the local economy and culture for centuries: the hazelnut.

The Nebrodi region, renowned for its extraordinary biodiversity and largely protected by the Park, offers ideal conditions for hazelnut cultivation. It is estimated that these mountains produce approximately 80% of Sicily's hazelnut harvest, the result of an agricultural tradition that has shaped the terraced landscape and the lives of the communities that inhabit it.

Cultivars and tastings

The stars of the festival are the local hazelnuts, grown in various traditional cultivars such as Curcia, Carrello, Ghirara, and the Minnulare varieties, each offering unique nuances of flavor and texture. Along the stalls, visitors can taste and purchase:

• hazelnut paste, pestos, and spreads;
• flours and chopped nuts used in pastry making;
• traditional hazelnut cream cannoli;
• brittle, nougat, almond paste, semifreddo, and artisanal hazelnut gelato.

Performances, folklore, and village atmosphere

Beyond the tastings, the Hazelnut Festival features musical performances, folk group displays, and entertainment that bring the historic center to life. The setting is the beautiful Piazza Duomo, overlooking the cathedral which houses the marble altarpiece by the Gagini masters, just a short walk from the medieval castle and the Church of Santa Maria dell'Udienza.

Roccella Valdemone, a village in the Nebrodi

Formerly known as Auricella, Roccella Valdemone is today one of the most charming centers in the Sicilian interior, perched among rocky cliffs and founded in the Norman era. Visiting the village during the festival means combining culinary pleasure with the discovery of a valuable historical and artistic heritage, all while immersed in the landscape of the Nebrodi Park.

The event is organized with the involvement of the Pro Loco of Roccella Valdemone and local stakeholders, serving as a precious opportunity to promote the hazelnut supply chain and the identity of this small town in the province of Messina.