This weekend in Maletto, a town between Randazzo and Bronte on the north slope of Mount Etna, citizens celebrate the 31st annual Sagra della Fragola, or Strawberry Festival. Strawberries, like the ones pictured, are celebrated in all forms: strawberry cake, strawberry pastries, strawberry gelato, strawberry jams, strawberry risotto, strawberry … you get the idea! There’s a whole market dedicated to this fruit that is the center of life for many of the people of the town.
As part of the festivities, there will be a fashion show (featuring red clothes), music performances and other entertainment, a red Ferrari on display, tours of the castle ruins, town churches, and the civic museum, face painting for the kids, and of course, cooking demonstrations in order to learn how to cook with strawberries. On Sunday afternoon there’s nothing short about this festival when complimentary cake is distributed to all guests (It’s strawberry long cake!).
