Nov'Aria Festival

A Nebrodi village turned into a stage

The Nov'Aria Festival is the major summer event in Novara di Sicilia, an ancient medieval village nestled in the Nebrodi Mountains in the province of Messina, in the heart of Sicily. Recognized as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy, the town—with its sandstone-paved streets, narrow alleys, and charming squares—becomes an authentic open-air stage for four days, where shows, music, and street arts bring every corner to life.

The origins of the festival

The festival was born in 2019 through the initiative of local emigrants and the L'Impegno association, with the patronage of the Municipality. Its stated goal is to promote local knowledge, rediscover cultural heritage, and pass on collective memory through artistic and social events: workshops based on local specialties, courses in the local Gallo-Italic dialect, performances, and excursions. It is a festival designed to create space for reflection, study, and artistic production, fostering a dialogue between long-time residents and new inhabitants, especially those who emigrated and return during the summer.

Theatre, music, circus, and street arts

The Nov'Aria program is explicitly multidisciplinary. Past editions have featured street theatre and social theatre, circus and juggling performances, concerts, poetry readings, musical ensembles (such as the brass quintet that accompanies sunsets overlooking the Aeolian Islands), and cabaret. Alongside evening shows, primarily hosted in Piazza Duomo, the program offers experiential workshops linked to local traditions, such as the production of Maiorchino cheese, the preparation of traditional pastries, and the re-enactment of ancient farming practices like the grape harvest at the rock-hewn palmento.

Tradition and local identity

Nov'Aria is deeply rooted in the town's identity. Editions have featured evocative titles drawn from Sicilian culture: "Ti amo come un paese" (2024), inspired by a verse by Gesualdo Bufalino, and "Sciarammu" (2025), a dialect word reinterpreted to evoke celebration and a way of life filled with gratitude. Among the traditions highlighted is the game of Maiorchino, the ancient competition of rolling a wheel of cheese through the village alleys, a true symbol of Novara di Sicilia.

A free and widespread event

Nov'Aria Festival shows are free of charge and take place throughout the squares and streets of the historic centre. The festival is organized with the patronage of the Municipality of Novara di Sicilia and the Regional Department of Tourism, Sport, and Entertainment, and collaborates with local entities and other Sicilian street theatre festivals.