Sicilian Embroidery and Lace Festival

A festival dedicated to the art of embroidery

The Sicilian Embroidery and Lace Festival is an event held in Caltanissetta, in the heart of Sicily, within the halls of Palazzo Moncada, one of the city's most significant Baroque noble palaces. The festival was created to rediscover and promote a precious ancient craft heritage: embroidery and lace, expressions of manual skills passed down through generations and deeply rooted in the local culture.

The initiative was conceived by Maria Anna Bonaffini, an embroiderer and lace-maker from Caltanissetta, president of Confartigianato Donne Imprese and a member of the REIS (Regional Register of Intangible Heritage of Sicily). She is also responsible for an innovative artistic technique of crochet on a loom for the so-called "Nisseno lace".

Three days of workshops, exhibitions, and fashion shows

The festival offers an intense and varied program designed to engage all ages:

• Workshops for adults and children, to discover the art of embroidery and crochet;
• Craft exhibitions, including works from the educational project "Ricamiamo Giocando";
• The "LenzuoliSOSpesi" exhibition, curated by architect Silvia Capiluppi;
• Seminars on lace-making techniques, with a special focus on crochet;
• A fashion show featuring embroidered creations made by students and embroiderers from all over Sicily.

The value of the "handmade" tradition

More than just an exhibition, the festival aims to be a moment of reflection on the educational, social, and even therapeutic value of embroidery. The stated goal is to safeguard the "handmade" culture and promote embroidery schools and workshops in an era where these skills risk being lost.

The event is held under the patronage of the Municipality of Caltanissetta, the Sicilian Region, the Pro Loco of Caltanissetta, and Confartigianato Imprese, and is organized in collaboration with the association "Lady Anna - I ricami della nonna". For those visiting the province of Caltanissetta, it is a precious opportunity to discover an authentic and lesser-known side of Sicilian craftsmanship, far from the most beaten tourist paths.