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Food stalls at a mountain village festival: sliced cured meats, grilled sausages and rustic bread, with crowds among the tables
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Pork and Wild Boar Festival in Antillo

On the first weekend of December a Peloritani mountain village celebrates its pig-farming heritage with sausages, porchetta, frittuli and local produce

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The story

The Pork and Wild Boar Festival (Sagra del maiale e del cinghiale) began in 2004 in Antillo, the innermost village of the Agrò Valley in Sicily's Peloritani Mountains. Its aim was clear from the start: to make the pork and wild boar products raised in the village known beyond its borders, and to give new life to pig farming, a tradition here going back centuries. Still widespread though in decline, pig rearing long sustained the local economy, and until a few decades ago Antillo held an important Sunday market for cured meats and other pork products.

Alongside pork, the festival has in recent years also championed wild boar, which is increasingly common in the woods around the village; some local farmers now specialise in raising it. The event's full name, "Sagra del maiale e del cinghiale e mostra mercato dei prodotti tipici antillesi", says it all: as well as the meat, the village shows off the produce of its land and its local crafts.

The festival takes place on the Saturday and Sunday of the first weekend in December: 2 and 3 December in 2023, 30 November and 1 December in 2024, and 6 and 7 December in 2025, when the town council presented the 20th edition, with stalls open from 10am to 11pm along Via Roma. Last year's programme paired the food with a conference on the mining heritage of the Peloritani, the opening of the farming and shepherding museum, a hike to the Peace Bell, a folk parade and concerts of traditional music.

Schedule

  • First day of the festival: the pork and wild boar food stalls and the market of local Antillo produce open
  • Second day: food stalls and produce market open all day

The official schedule for 2026 has not been published yet, so the dates shown are provisional. We will update this page as soon as the calendar is announced.

What to eat

Pork is the star in every form: sausage, cured meats, porchetta, lardo and frittuli, a traditional Sicilian pork dish, all made to village recipes, alongside wild boar meat.

The produce market fills out the table with mushrooms, olive oil, wine, honey, dried fruit, homemade maccheroni pasta, country bread and local cheeses, next to stalls of Antillo crafts.

Local tips

  • Parking

    Antillo is a small village and during the festival the stalls take over the streets of the center. The council hasn't yet announced parking or shuttle buses for 2026: leave the car on the edge of the center and walk in, and check the council's notices before you set off.

  • Payments

    The stalls are run by local producers and small vendors, so bring some cash, as not all of them may take cards.

  • Crowds and timing

    In 2025 the stalls were open from 10am to 11pm on both days; the 2026 hours haven't been published yet. For a relaxed meal, aim to arrive in the late morning or early afternoon.

  • What to wear

    In December, at almost 500 metres in a mountain valley, evenings are cold: dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes for the village's steep streets.

Getting there

The festival takes place in the center of Antillo, at the head of the Agrò Valley. Catania Airport is about 82 km away, just over an hour and ten minutes by car: leave the A18 at Roccalumera or Taormina, then follow the SS114 to Sant'Alessio Siculo and the SP12 up to the village.

How to get to Antillo: full guide

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Frequently asked questions

When is the Antillo Pork and Wild Boar Festival in 2026?

The festival is held every year on the first weekend of December, so in 2026 it should fall on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December. These dates are provisional until the Antillo town council publishes the official programme.

Is there an entrance fee?

No, entry is free: you only pay for the food and products you buy at the stalls.

What food can I try at the festival?

Pork sausage, cured meats, porchetta, lardo and frittuli, wild boar meat and, at the produce market, mushrooms, cheeses, honey, olive oil, wine and country bread.

How do I get to Antillo?

The nearest airport is Catania Fontanarossa, about 82 km away, a drive of just over an hour and ten minutes. Leave the A18 motorway at Roccalumera or Taormina, follow the SS114 to Sant'Alessio Siculo and take the SP12 up to the village.

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