Rassegna Popolare Ibbisota – Cannolo Festival and Sicilian Cart Parade

Celebrating Sicilian identity in the village of Gesso

The Rassegna Popolare Ibbisota is one of the most cherished events of the summer in Messina. It takes place every year on August 16th in Gesso, an ancient hillside village and hamlet of the Messina municipality, perched along a ridge of the Peloritani mountains about sixteen kilometers from the city center. From here, the view encompasses an extraordinary panorama stretching from Mount Etna to the Aeolian Islands, from Vulcano and Stromboli to Capo Milazzo. The festival serves as the ideal conclusion to the Ferragosto celebrations and celebrates, with a title in the local dialect ("ibbisota" meaning "from Gesso"), the popular Sicilian identity that younger generations risk forgetting.

The Cannolo Festival

The undisputed star of the evening is the Sicilian cannolo, strictly filled to order. The festival offers several variations of the island's iconic dessert: the classic version with sweetened sheep's milk ricotta, candied orange peel, and chocolate chips, as well as gianduia and pistachio versions. Alongside the cannolo, there are other traditional Messina delicacies such as pignolata, as well as Sicilian street food, pane cunzato, and craft beers from local breweries.

Sicilian carts and the 'sunaturi'

The folk heart of the festival is the parade of Sicilian carts, decorated with carvings and bucolic paintings in vibrant colors: true works of artisanal art and symbols of the island's popular iconography. The carts travel through the village accompanied by sunaturi—traditional folk musicians playing the 'friscaletto' flute, tambourine, and bagpipes—and by traditional tarantella dances performed by folk groups.

Puppets, music, and performance

The evening also features the Opera dei Pupi (Sicilian puppet theater), recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, with performances by historic companies. There is no shortage of ethno-folk and popular music concerts, performances by folk groups like Cariddi, dialect poetry, and exhibitions of crafts and art. All this takes place in a festive atmosphere that brings the village's alleys and squares to life from the early evening until late at night.

An event that promotes the territory

Organized by volunteer associations and youth committees in Gesso, the Rassegna Popolare Ibbisota has grown over time to attract thousands of people from all over Sicily. The event has always pursued the same goal: to promote the ancient village and Sicilian folk traditions, from agro-pastoral culture to food and wine, restoring Gesso's role as a guardian of the identity and memory of the Peloritani area and the province of Messina.