Sicily’s community rituals will enchant you. Case in point: Yes, that is a big artichoke! Because annually on April 25, the town of Cerda (Palermo Province) celebrates the Sagra del Carciofo or Artichoke Festival, in honor of their main crop. Cerda’s party is one of tens of such sagras or food/harvest celebrations that take place throughout Sicily each year.

And then of course, there are annual and biannual commemorations for deities and patron saints throughout the region that include everything from making ritual breads for Saint Joseph and Saint Blaze and decorating the streets with linens and flowers for the Pentecost, for just two examples, to processions for feasts recognizing Easter, the Madonna, Christ, Santa Lucia, Sant’Agata, San Paolo, San Giorgio, San Sebastiano, San Vito … you get the idea. Oh, and live nativity scenes at Christmas!

These often emotional and always locally-seasoned feasts are an opportunity to engage with Sicilians at a deeper level. I recommend planning your itinerary to include feasts and sagras whenever possible.