Olive Festival

A festival dedicated to the olive tree and the Madonie landscape

The Olive Festival takes place every year in Finale di Pollina, a seaside hamlet of the municipality of Pollina, in the province of Palermo, nestled in the heart of the Madonie region. The event celebrates the territory's symbolic tree, the olive, and its most precious fruit, extra virgin olive oil, which has been a source of wealth and identity for the community for centuries. Traditionally, the festival is held on the second Sunday of November, coinciding with the olive harvest season.

History and tradition

Founded on November 25, 1973, by Mimmo Ventimiglia, the Olive Festival is one of the longest-running and most beloved popular events on the Palermo coast. Over its forty-year history, it has maintained its authentic rural character, serving as an opportunity to pass down the deep bond between the village and olive cultivation to new generations. One of the most moving traditions is the gifting of olive saplings to the year's newborns: a symbolic gesture connecting every child in the village to a tree that will grow alongside them.

The festival program

The festival brings the streets of Finale di Pollina to life for an entire weekend with a rich calendar of traditional Sicilian events:

• Equestrian parade of riders and adorned horses through the village streets;
• Sicilian carts, beautifully painted, accompanied by costumed folk groups such as the famous I Saracini, featuring traditional songs and dances;
• Election of Miss Contadinella and Mister Contadino, a lighthearted and much-loved moment for the community;
• Excursion in the Serradaino woods for children, featuring a snack of bread, oil, and olives;
• Photography exhibition showcasing the history of the village and olive culture.

The flavors of the festival

The star of the show is the rural Madonie gastronomy. Stalls set up throughout the village offer pasta alla finalara, served with sauce and olives, freshly baked bread drizzled with local extra virgin olive oil, brined olives, traditional sweets, and local wine. Tastings of the new season's oil are the highlight for discovering the quality of local production.

An event for all of Sicily

Organized by the Municipality of Pollina in collaboration with the Associazione L'Approdo di Finale and under the patronage of the Regional Department of Agriculture of the Sicilian Region, the Olive Festival attracts thousands of visitors every year from the Madonie, Palermo, and the entire island. It is the perfect opportunity to discover an authentic village, set between the sea and the mountains, and to experience the most genuine traditions of Sicily firsthand.