Madonie Outdoor Fest
Three days of nature, adventure, and slow tourism in the Madonie mountains
About Madonie Outdoor Fest
The Madonie Outdoor Fest in San Mauro Castelverde
The Madonie Outdoor Fest is a widespread event that brings San Mauro Castelverde to life—a small village in the Metropolitan City of Palermo perched over a thousand meters high in the heart of the Madonie Park, a recognized UNESCO Geopark. For three days, the village and its surrounding area transform into a large open-air laboratory dedicated to outdoor sports, nature, and a slower, more conscious way of traveling.
Adventure and adrenaline in the Madonie
The beating heart of the festival is its program of experiential activities, designed for those seeking thrills as well as those who simply want to experience the mountains. Among the most spectacular offerings are the zipline, a flight line approximately 1,650 meters long with a drop of over 260 meters, and a giant swing, one of the highest in Europe and the symbol of this edition. There are also rubber dinghy excursions to the Gole di Tiberio, one of the most evocative sites in the Geopark, as well as horseback riding, quad bike outings, and e-bike tours along the Madonie trails.
A mountain accessible to everyone
One of the festival's distinctive features is its focus on accessibility: thanks to joëlettes, special off-road wheelchairs, people with reduced mobility can also take part in guided treks and experience the nature of the Madonie. The themes of inclusion and slow tourism are at the center of the conferences that open and accompany the event, featuring participation from administrators, park experts, CAI representatives, and industry professionals.
Culture, workshops, and festivities
Alongside sports, the Madonie Outdoor Fest offers guided tours of the village organized by the Pro Loco, creative workshops for children using recycled natural materials, hot air balloon flights, an exhibition space, and food truck areas. The evenings come alive with musical performances and DJ sets, culminating in the final AperiFest.
A project for the territory
The event is organized by Madonie Travel Service in collaboration with the Municipality of San Mauro Castelverde, with the support of the Madonie Park Authority and the Union of Municipalities, as part of the village regeneration program funded by the PNRR. The goal is to promote the Sicilian hinterland as a destination for nature and sports tourism, strengthening the identity of the Madonie territory.
Madonie Outdoor Fest — edition 2026
First edition (May 15-17, 2026)
The inaugural edition of the Madonie Outdoor Fest transformed San Mauro Castelverde into a widespread stage for Sicilian outdoor tourism. The joëlette, the 1,650-meter zipline, and the giant swing attracted sports enthusiasts and curious visitors alike, while excursions to the Gole di Tiberio and tours by e-bike, quad, and horseback showcased the adventurous side of the Madonie Park. Conferences, children's workshops, food trucks, and musical evenings rounded out the program.
Programme Madonie Outdoor Fest 2026
Friday, May 15
- 17:00 — Inaugural conference on accessibility, slow tourism, and mountain development, with administrators, Park Authority, hotel federations, and CAI
Saturday, May 16
- Guided treks ("Brigands' Path: San Mauro - Botindari - Malia") and inclusive trekking with joëlettes
- Experiential activities: zipline, giant swing, Gole di Tiberio by dinghy, quad, horseback riding, bike tours
- 16:00-18:00 — Creative workshops using natural materials for children
- 15:00-18:00 — Talks on tourism, UNESCO Geopark, mountaineering, and sustainability
- 21:00 — Musical performance (ABADIR)
Sunday, May 17
- 10:00-12:30 and 17:00-19:00 — Hot air balloon flights (weather permitting)
- 11:00-13:00 and 16:00-18:00 — Creative workshops for children
- Guided tours of the village by the Pro Loco
- 11:00-17:00 — Final presentations and talks on paragliding, Gole di Tiberio, mountain rescue, and villages
- 18:00 — AperiFest with closing DJ set
Highlights Madonie Outdoor Fest 2026
Prices Madonie Outdoor Fest 2026
Practical information — Madonie Outdoor Fest
How to get there
San Mauro Castelverde can be reached by car via the A20 Palermo-Messina motorway, taking the Castelbuono or Pollina-Finale exit, then continuing along the internal roads of the Madonie. The nearest airport is Palermo (Punta Raisi). We recommend using your own car to travel between the various activity locations.
Activities and bookings
Many activities (zipline and giant swing, Gole di Tiberio by dinghy, quad bikes, horseback riding, bike tours, hot air balloon, trekking with joëlettes) require booking and are fee-based, with dedicated contacts for each experience. Conferences and various other initiatives are free of charge.
Information
Phone: +39 0921 603582 — Email: [email protected] — Updates and the program are available on the festival's official social media channels.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Madonie Outdoor Fest
Ex Convento dei Cappuccini
Ex Convento dei Cappuccini, 90010 San Mauro Castelverde