Taganu Festival

The Taganu Festival, the delicious heart of Easter in Aragona

In Aragona, a small town in the province of Agrigento nestled among the hills of the Sicani Mountains, the Taganu Festival is one of the most cherished gastronomic events of the Easter season. The festival revolves around a unique dish, the taganu (or tagano), and traditionally takes place during the Easter holidays, when the village fills with aromas, music, and visitors.

What is taganu?

The taganu is a rich pasta timbale that takes its name from the clay pot in which it is baked. The traditional recipe features layers of pasta alternated with tuma (a fresh, mild cheese), eggs, meat, and various spices; more elaborate versions include small meatballs, cinnamon, and other flavorings. Legend has it that it was created by an Aragonese peasant woman who, wanting to celebrate Easter with her children, combined the ingredients she had left in the house, creating a dish that has been passed down from generation to generation. Traditionally, the taganu is prepared on Holy Saturday and eaten during the Easter Monday picnic, known as Pasquetta.

A festival within Holy Week

The Taganu Festival is not an isolated event; it is intertwined with the evocative Holy Week of Aragona: the blessing of the palms on Palm Sunday, the night procession on Good Friday with the singing of the Vere Filius, and, on Easter Sunday, the famous Incontro (Meeting) in the square between the statues of the Risen Christ, the Madonna, and the gigantic pupi of Saints Peter and Paul—figures of ancient Spanish origin carried on shoulders and animated by their bearers. The festival represents the convivial and popular highlight of this rich calendar of rites.

What to expect

During the event, the streets of Aragona's center host numerous tasting stalls featuring taganu and other local specialties, accompanied by regional wine. The evening is enlivened by folk dances that recall the town's rural roots. It is an ideal opportunity to discover the cuisine of inland Sicily and the hospitality of a Sicani village, far from the most beaten tourist paths yet only a few kilometers from the Valley of the Temples and Agrigento.

The dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been officially announced: the festival traditionally falls during the days of Holy Week, approximately around Holy Saturday.