Hazelnut Festival

The Hazelnut Festival of Sant'Angelo di Brolo

In the heart of the Nebrodi Mountains, the small village of Sant'Angelo di Brolo, in the province of Messina, dedicates an annual festival to its most precious product: the hazelnut, long known as the "treasure of the Nebrodi." The event brings the historic centre to life with food stalls, live performances, and festivities that attract visitors from all over Sicily.

The village's signature product

For decades, hazelnut cultivation has been the cornerstone of the economy in Sant'Angelo di Brolo. The festival was established to revitalize the local dried fruit sector and promote one of the region's finest products. The community has built a rich gastronomic tradition around this fruit, reinterpreting it in both sweet and savory dishes.

Flavors of the festival

Throughout the streets and squares of the town, stalls offer a wide variety of hazelnut-based specialties. Highlights include:

• Hazelnut pasta and traditional local first courses
• Arancini and savory Nebrodi specialties
• Traditional sweets like 'nzuddi
• Artisanal hazelnut gelato
• Toasted hazelnuts and candied hazelnuts
• Local products, from black pork charcuterie to regional cheeses

Music, folklore, and atmosphere

Beyond the culinary delights, the Hazelnut Festival typically features musical performances, entertainment, and evening shows that turn the historic centre into a vibrant celebration. In past editions, food stalls have animated Piazza Caduti del Lavoro, Piazza Santa Maria, and Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, the beating heart of the event.

Sant'Angelo di Brolo, a gem of the Nebrodi

Nestled among the peaks of the Nebrodi mountains near Messina, Sant'Angelo di Brolo is a village rich in churches and monuments, surrounded by a hilly landscape dotted with hazelnut groves. Visiting the town during the festival means discovering not only the flavors of the hazelnut but also the hospitality and traditions of a community that takes pride in its rural identity. The event takes place in Sicily, in the province of Messina, and is a highly anticipated date in the Nebrodi summer calendar.