Waiting for Saint Martin

A festival to celebrate the Etna autumn

Waiting for Saint Martin is the event that brings the village of Carruba to life—an agricultural hamlet shared between the municipalities of Giarre and Riposto, in the province of Catania, at the foot of Mount Etna. Organized by the Pro Loco Carruba APS with the patronage of both municipalities, the event takes place around November 11th, the day when traditional Sicilian culture celebrates Saint Martin with the first taste of the new wine.

The Saint Martin proverb

Throughout Sicily, the saying "A San Martinu ogni mustu è vinu" (By Saint Martin's Day, every must is wine) holds true: it is the moment when the grape must from the harvest turns into wine and the chestnut season begins. Carruba, a land of vineyards and ancient cellars on the slopes of Etna, turns this occasion into a collective celebration where peasant wisdom and the cuisine of memory take center stage in the heart of the village.

Taste, nature, and conviviality

The program weaves together different aspects of local culture:

• Grandma's Mustard: the classic grape mustard prepared live in the square, followed by a tasting;
• Live cooking show featuring autumn recipes, curated by students and teachers from the "Giovanni Falcone" Hotel Management School of Giarre;
• Mycological exhibition dedicated to the mushrooms of the Etna region, set up at the Pro Loco headquarters;
• New wine, grape must, and chestnuts, with music and folk dancing to close the evening.

The bond with the patron saint

The event is ideally linked to the Feast of Saint Martin the Bishop, the patron saint of the village, which the community of Carruba celebrates on November 11th with a triduum, masses, and a solemn procession of the statue, accompanied by a marching band and fireworks. Waiting for Saint Martin represents its gastronomic and popular side, an invitation to rediscover the authentic flavors of the Sicilian autumn.

Where it takes place

The event is held in Piazza Chiesa in Carruba, with the mycological exhibition hosted at the Pro Loco headquarters in Piazza San Martino. The village is easily accessible along the SS114 Ionian state road and is just a few minutes from the center of Giarre and the tourist port of Riposto, Marina di Riposto.