No.Strano — Food and Folk Traditions Festival

A festival that says no to "strange" food

No.Strano — Food and Folk Traditions Festival is a food and cultural event held every September in the village of Santa Maria di Montalbano Elicona, in the Province of Messina, in the heart of the Nebrodi Park at an altitude of approximately 750 meters. The festival's name itself is a manifesto: a firm "no" to synthetic and industrial food, and an invitation to rediscover the genuine, local, zero-kilometer products of the Nebrodi territory.

Origins and identity

Founded in 2023, No.Strano is organized by the Pro Loco Santamaria APS in collaboration with the municipalities of Montalbano Elicona and San Piero Patti, with the support of the Regional Department of Tourism and local agricultural organizations. In just a few years, the event has become a staple of the Nebrodi autumn calendar, successfully blending food promotion, cultural reflection, and community celebration.

Nebrodi flavors and crafts

At the heart of the event are the food stalls where visitors can taste the region's finest products: roasted goat meat, meatballs, arancini, Sicilian cannoli, and pistachio-based sweets typical of the Nebrodi area. Alongside the food, there is space for textile manufacturing and local crafts, in a market that highlights the traditional trades and skills of the village, set amidst hazelnut groves and olive trees.

Music, dance, and folk tradition

No.Strano's evenings are marked by traditional Sicilian music performances, folk dances, and live concerts. Past editions have hosted bands and folk artists, with dance parties enlivening the square until late at night. The festival also hosts conferences and debates dedicated to sustainable tourism, the repopulation of villages, and regional development.

The patron saint's feast

No.Strano takes place in conjunction with the religious celebrations in honor of Maria SS. in Collis, the patron saint of the village, celebrated on September 12th with a solemn mass, a procession, and a fireworks display. Sacred and secular elements thus intertwine in a community celebration that attracts visitors from neighboring villages.

Montalbano Elicona, one of Italy's most beautiful villages

The setting is Montalbano Elicona, a medieval village awarded the title of one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, dominated by its Aragonese castle and overlooking the Argimusco plateau. Visiting No.Strano is also an opportunity to discover one of the most evocative historic centers in the Tyrrhenian part of Sicily.