A Pistata, grape treading in Petralia Soprana

A Pistata is the grape harvest festival of Petralia Soprana: in Piazza Duomo the grapes are trodden with bare feet, as the old ritual of the Madonie farming culture required. In 2026 it took place on Saturday 19 September under the title “Saperi e sapori in vetta”, from 11 in the morning until after midnight.

It is organised by the Pro Loco of Petralia Soprana and the Associazione Stendardieri Sopranesi. It is a small festival, young in its current form, with a clear idea: telling the story of mountain wine in a village at 1,147 metres.

A tradition back after years

“A pistata da racina” means treading the grapes with your feet. In 2026 the Pro Loco brought it back to the square: “We are proud to have brought back to Petralia Soprana, after so many years, an event rooted in our history”, vice-president Simone Lomauro told Madonie Press.

The day falls in the second half of September, close to the feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian. Madoniedintorni linked it to the celebrations for the two saints: the Made in Italy concert, which the mid-September programmes gave for the evening of the 19th, was announced on 26 September for that same evening, together with the saints’ feast.

The day’s programme

This is the 2026 Saturday programme announced by Madonie Press and Balarm in mid-September:

Time	What	Where
11:00	Talk “Radici in quota: the future of viticulture in mountain areas”, with oenologist Tonino Guzzo, and wine tasting	Aula polifunzionale
18:30	A Pistata, the grape treading	Piazza Duomo
19:30	Food stalls of the Pro Loco and the Stendardieri Sopranesi	Piazza Duomo
22:30	Concert by Made in Italy (later scheduled for 26 September, according to Madoniedintorni)	Piazza Duomo
00:30	DJ set by Aehtra	Piazza Frate Umile

You will also find the village’s standard bearers at the feast of Saints Peter and Paul at the end of June.

Getting there and where to stay

From Palermo, Petralia Soprana is about 103 km, an hour and a half by car (A19 to Tremonzelli, then the SS120). From Cefalù it is about 57 km, one hour. These are estimates from our calculation on OpenStreetMap without traffic: for everything else see the guide to driving in the Madonie. The sources on the festival do not mention dedicated parking.

Before you set off, check the Petralia Soprana weather. For accommodation see where to stay in Petralia Soprana, and for the next day’s meals where to eat in Petralia Soprana.

In August, in the hamlet of Pianello, there is another festival linked to work in the fields: the Sagra del Grano di Pianello. The village’s other dates are on the Petralia Soprana events page.