M° Nino Cirinnà International Band Festival

The most important band festival in Sicily

In the heart of the Iblei mountains, in the province of Syracuse, the town of Canicattini Bagni hosts the M° Nino Cirinnà International Band Festival every late August, widely considered the only event of its kind in all of Sicily. Established in 1981 and named after the historic maestro Nino Cirinnà, the festival has become a benchmark for the island's band scene and a joyous occasion for the entire town.

A musical tradition spanning over 155 years

The festival is rooted in a deep musical vocation: the local band boasts a history of over 155 years, dating back to 1870. Even today, the local music school trains about a hundred students, ensuring a generational handover of musicians. The event is promoted by the municipal administration together with the Canicattini Bagni City Band, the social enterprises Passwork and La Pineta, and the Ministry of the Interior's SAI project, of which the festival is a key stop.

Parades and concerts through the historic center

The format is well-established: three days marked by afternoon parades along Via Vittorio Emanuele, with marching bands performing amidst the crowds, and evening concerts on the stage in Piazza XX Settembre, in the heart of the historic center. Every year, numerous bands from various Sicilian provinces participate, joined by nationally and internationally renowned soloists. The artistic direction is entrusted to M° Sebastiano Liistro, with Salvatore Petruzzelli serving as president.

A community event

The Band Festival is about more than just music: in Canicattini Bagni, a town in the Province of Syracuse, Sicily, the event is an integral part of the summer calendar that culminates with the Palio di San Michele and intertwines with the Canicattini Jazz Festival and the hospitality initiatives of the Refugee Festival. Three evenings with free admission that combine tradition, popular participation, and musical quality.