The Valleys of Myth and Music – Pagliara Stage

A stage of the "Peloritani widespread brand"

The Valleys of Myth and Music is the major traveling festival promoted by GAL Taormina Peloritani, which connects 29 municipalities and six valleys on the Ionian and Tyrrhenian side of Messina — Alcantara, Nisi, Ghiodaro, Mela, Dinarini, and Agrò — in a calendar of events that celebrates identity, culture, landscape, and typical products. The municipality of Pagliara, a small town in the Agrò Valley in the Province of Messina (Sicily), is one of the key locations of the event, which transforms village squares into meeting places for taste, music, and community.

The Pagliara evening: taste and music in the square

The Pagliara stage focuses on local food and wine excellence, showcased through tastings and showcooking, alongside live folk music. In the 2025 edition, the event was held in Piazza dei Mille, in the hamlet of Rocchenere, with a concert by the group Vulcanika: scents, flavors, and entertainment enlivened the evening, accompanied by moments of reflection and a roundtable dedicated to the protection and promotion of local traditions.

A network of communities

The event is part of a broader territorial cohesion project by GAL Taormina Peloritani, supported by European funding, which aims to create a system between public resources and local knowledge. As the mayor of Pagliara, Sebastiano Gugliotta, pointed out, events of this kind "strengthen the identity of the territory" and demonstrate the importance of networking to promote the excellence of the small villages of the Peloritani.

• Where: Pagliara, Piazza dei Mille (Rocchenere hamlet), Province of Messina
• Promoter: GAL Taormina Peloritani
• What: showcooking, tastings of typical products, live folk music, roundtable on traditions
• When: in summer, as part of the festival's traveling calendar

An opportunity to discover the Agrò Valley

Participating in the Pagliara stage means discovering an authentic corner of Ionian Sicily, among perched villages, panoramic views of the Peloritani, and a gastronomic culture made of genuine products and handed-down recipes. The festival's formula combines the conviviality of a village feast with the quality of a structured cultural project, capable of drawing residents and visitors to the square. Dates for the 2026 edition have not yet been announced: it is recommended to follow the channels of GAL Taormina Peloritani and the Municipality of Pagliara for updates.