Palio di San Michele and Summer District Festivals

2025 Edition — 38th Palio di San Michele

The 38th Palio di San Michele in Canicattini Bagni (Syracuse) unfolded throughout the summer of 2025, with food festivals featuring local products on the Saturdays of July and August and two key moments: the three-day event on July 5-7 and the final competitions on September 12-13, 2025.

The first three days brought over a hundred costumed participants in late 19th-century attire to the streets, along with Sicilian carts and the Museum under the Stars dedicated to ancient crafts, featuring a concert by Mario Incudine ("Il senso della misura"). Among the games, the donkey pair walk was won by the Vadduni district with the donkey Costanza, while the Liberty Granfondo mountain bike race attracted over 250 participants from Sicily, Calabria, and Malta. The event, organized by the District Committee chaired by Giuseppe Gionfriddo with the administration of Mayor Paolo Amenta, concluded in September with the awarding of the banner to the winning district.

• July 5-7, 2025 — First three days of the Palio: parade of participants in late 19th-century costumes and Sicilian carts; Museum under the Stars with ancient crafts; concert by Mario Incudine; donkey pair walk (won by the Vadduni district with the donkey Costanza); Liberty Granfondo mountain bike race with over 250 participants.
• Saturdays in July and August — Iblean food festivals at the eight district stands.
• September 12-13, 2025 — Final competitions of the Palio between the districts and awarding of the banner to the winning district.