Oltremare – Sicily & Tradition

Oltremare: where the sea meets tradition in Valderice

Oltremare – Sicily & Tradition is a food, wine, and cultural festival held at Lido Valderice, in the municipality of Valderice, in the province of Trapani, in the heart of Western Sicily. Established around 2021 and reaching its sixth edition in 2026, the festival is dedicated to showcasing the region's finest offerings: fresh catch, local produce, and the culinary traditions that define this stretch of coastline overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea.

An event blending culture, the blue economy, and taste

Organized by the Associazione Bonagia Eventi & Promotion APS, with the patronage of the Municipality of Valderice and the support of the Sicilian Region – Department of Productive Activities, Oltremare is more than just a showcase of flavors; it is a forum for discussing the future of fishing and coastal development. The evenings feature culinary talk shows, meetings with producers, and round-table discussions involving local officials and industry experts, such as the GAL Pesca Trapanese, to address sustainability, the blue economy, and regional promotion.

Live cooking and culinary stars

The beating heart of the festival is the series of live cooking demonstrations led by local chefs. In recent years, the spotlight has been on chef Francesco Bonomo from Marsala, a regional champion of the Cous Cous World Championship, who has offered contemporary reinterpretations of tonno al matarocco—a symbolic Sicilian dish—using local ingredients like sea salt and oregano.

Producers and local excellence

The festival gathers some of the most representative names in the Trapani food sector:

• Mare Puro, specializing in traditional tuna processing and products from the Custonaci tuna fishery;
• Oleificio Gabriele, an award-winning producer of extra virgin olive oil;
• Azienda Agricola Miceli and Azienda Agricola Francesca Sottile;
• Cantina Mustazza for local wines;
• the Associazione Tradizione e Golosità from Erice and Antichi Intrecci by Coppola Antonina.

Atmosphere and setting

Lido Valderice, with its beach and promenade, provides the perfect backdrop for a summer evening of tastings, music, and DJ sets. The free-entry event combines conviviality with promotion, turning a June evening into a unique opportunity to discover the authentic flavors of Western Sicily and the deep bond between Valderice and its sea.