Like other festival-bearing regions in the Bel Paese, Calabrian months are filled with parties paying homage to everything from Mother Maria to wild mushrooms to snails and nothing punctuates a Calabrian vacation like getting in on the action.
It would be difficult – if not impossible to create an all-encompassing list of festivals in Calabria. Major cities, small villages and intimate neighborhoods – yes, you read that correctly – all celebrate sagre food festivals and saintly celebrations throughout the year. When budgets are tight in small communities festivals may be put on hold or postponed until the next year … but this list will get you started.
If you know of a festival in Calabria that isn’t on this list, please let me know. I’ll add it in a heartbeat.
* Note: Links direct readers to English language sites when possible. If no English language site was available, links will direct to Italian language tourism sites or community pages.
January – February
Orange Festival and Processional – Corigliano Calabro (province of Cosenza)
March – April
A’Naca Good Friday Processional – Catanzaro (or read more about Catanzaro here)
Ancient Good Friday Processional – Laino Borgo (province of Cosenza)
Good Friday Processional – Caccuri (province of Crotone)
Historical Good Friday Processional – Caulonia Marina (province of Reggio Calabria)
Good Friday Processional – Montalto Uffugu (province of Cosenza)
Good Friday Processional – (province of Cosenza)
Easter Monday Processional – Badolato (province of Catanzaro; or read more about Badolato here)
May-June
Crucifixion Processional – Cutro (province of Crotone)
Albanian Folklore Festival – San Basile (province of Cosenza)
July-August
Swordfish Festival – Bagnara (province of Reggio Calabria)
Saint Rocco Festival – Girifalco (province of Catanzaro)
Saint Sixtus Festival – Joppolo (province of Vibo Valentia)
Madonna del Carmine Festival – Laureana di Borrello (province of Reggio Calabria)
Saint Francis of Paola Festival – Maida (province of Catanzaro)
Seaside Processional of the Madonna – Palmi Lido (province of Reggio Calabria)
Festival of Madonna della Grotta – Praia a Mare (province of Cosenza)
Processional of Boats and Swimmers – Capo Vaticano (province of Vibo Valentia)
Parade of the Faithful and the Tambourine Players – Seminara (province of Reggio Calabria)
Sausage Festival – Spilinga (province of Vibo Valentia)
Pasta Festival – Vibo Valentia
Festival delle Invasioni – Cosenza
Festival of the Tow Seas – Altomonte (province of Cosenza)
Omelette Festival – Nocera Terinese (province of Cosenza)
Red Onion Festival – Tropea (province of Vibo Valentia)
September-October
Festival of Madonna del Rosario – Calanna (province of Reggio Calabria)
Wild Mushroom Festival – Camigliatello Silano (in Sila, province of Cosenza)
Chili Pepper Festival – Diamante (province of Cosenza)
Eggplant Festival – Soverato (province of Catanzaro)
Festival of Madonna delle Grazie – Torre di Ruggiero (province of Catanzaro)
Calabrian Folklore Festival – Villaggio Mancuso (in Sila, province of Catanzaro)
Chestnut Festival – Carpanzano (province of Cosenza)
November-December
Living Nativity Scene – Celico (province of Cosenza)
What are your favorite types of festivals? Would you select a new travel destination based only on their festivals’ reputations? Which festivals are you hoping to attend this year?
wow. How on earth do folks keep up? This is a long list!
I hope to make to at least one Sagre festival this year. I am a big fan of any festival having to do with food. Yum.
I am with you. The food fests are the best!
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Fantastic list! I will def be linking to it 😉 It is almost impossible to keep up with the festivals of Italy. Half the time I miss the ones right in my own town!
I do, too, especially those small ones in individual neighborhoods. They don’t know until the last minute if they are going to get funding, so it is hard to plan ahead!
Chocolate festivals for me! Great list!
Lemme tell ya, girl we went last to that chocolate festival. Y.U.M. You can come down to southern Italy and go with us next year!
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@Kim B., Hi, Kim, we live permanently in Praia A Mare. Yes…we would love to attend the Chocolate Festival, but I have seen no signs. Someone said it is tomorrow, Sat., and also on Sunday.
Do you have any info on that? Do you live here all year?
Thanks!
I adore these festivals. We went to a chestnut festival in Soriano in October and had a really good time and ate THE BEST roasted chestnuts ever. Thanks for the list.
Oooh, chestnuts. That would be a fun festival to attend, for sure!!
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Albanian Folklore Festival?
I watched Frontline on PBS here last night and they were reporting on how the young people are rising up against the Mafia in Palermo.
Interesting. I’ve heard more about how people in general are trying to take a stand in Palermo. It’ll be interesting to follow, for sure. And the festival – heck yea. Aren’t you planning on coming to Calabria for that one?
Great list Cherrye… not to mention that every town has their own festival or 2 or more. We should go to all of them for “research purposes” of course!:)
Good idea, I’m thinking!