# 'Ntinna a mari in Cefalù > The 'Ntinna a mari is Cefalù's greasy pole over the sea: on 6 August, feast of the Santissimo Salvatore, competitors reach for the flag and end up in the water. - Page: https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/ntinna-a-mari-cefalu/ - Updated: 2026-10-19 - Other languages: [Italiano](https://www.lemadonie.it/eventi/ntinna-a-mari-cefalu.md) · [Español](https://www.lemadonie.it/es/eventos/ntinna-a-mari-cefalu.md) · [Français](https://www.lemadonie.it/fr/evenements/ntinna-a-mari-cefalu.md) · [Deutsch](https://www.lemadonie.it/de/veranstaltungen/ntinna-a-mari-cefalu.md) ## At a glance | | | |---|---| | 2026 edition | 6 August 2026 | | Where | Vecchia Marina, Cefalù's old harbour, [Cefalù](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/cefalu/) | | Category | Event | | Recurrence | Every year, 6 August, afternoon, on the feast day of the Santissimo Salvatore | | Organiser | Associazione Ntinna a Mari | | Price | Free entry | | Source | https://madoniedintorni.com/2026/07/13/il-programma-degli-eventi-di-agosto-a-cefalu/ (checked on 2026-10-19) | ## Programme 4 pm, Vecchia Marina, organised by the Ntinna a Mari association, part of the free Cefalù Estate programme. The 'Ntinna a mari is the most popular contest of Cefalù's patron saint festival. On the afternoon of 6 August, at the Vecchia Marina, a long slippery pole juts out over the sea with a flag bearing the image of the Santissimo Salvatore at its tip: competitors walk along it to grab the flag, and almost all of them end up in the water. You watch for free from the harbour. In 2026 it started at 4 pm. ## When and where The date is fixed: 6 August, feast of the Santissimo Salvatore, in the afternoon, before the evening procession of the [feast of the Santissimo Salvatore](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/festa-del-santissimo-salvatore-cefalu/). The place is the Vecchia Marina, Cefalù's old harbour, below the houses of the old town. In 2026 the contest was in the Cefalù Estate calendar, the town council's summer programme, at 4 pm, run by the Ntinna a Mari association ([Madoniedintorni](https://madoniedintorni.com/2026/07/13/il-programma-degli-eventi-di-agosto-a-cefalu/)). ## How the contest works "'Ntinna" is Sicilian for pole, or mast. The pole is fixed horizontally on the pier, sticking out over the water, and made slippery: Experience Sicily, a blog that has covered it for years, mentions animal fat and soap. At the tip flies the flag with the image of the Saviour. Competitors try to walk all the way to the end of the pole. Whoever grabs the flag wins; the others slip and fall into the sea. Many turn up in costume and take it with humour. According to the same description, someone also moves the pole to make the feat harder. ## History: since 1783? Sources disagree about its origins. [Balarm](https://www.balarm.it/eventi/santissimo-salvatore-della-trasfigurazione-grande-festa-a-cefalu-in-onore-del-patrono-89038) writes that the 'Ntinna a mari has been held since 1783. Cefalunews, on 9 July 2026, called it instead "a tradition whose origins we don't know". What is certain is its link to the patron saint and to the Vecchia Marina. Madonie Press describes it as one of the best-loved events of the Sicilian summer, drawing thousands of spectators every year ([Madonie Press](https://www.madoniepress.it/2026/07/14/da-baby-k-a-michele-zarrillo-e-la-storica-ntinna-a-mari-oltre-30-eventi-per-lagosto-di-cefalu/)). ## Tips for spectators - **Arrive early.** The Vecchia Marina is small and fills up on 6 August: an hour before the start is a good margin. - **Where to stand.** People watch from the harbour and from boats. Official sources don't mention stands or reserved seats. - **Stay for the evening.** After the contest comes the procession of the Saviour and, at midnight, fireworks. - **Heat.** It's an August afternoon by the sea: bring water, a hat and sunscreen. Check the [Cefalù forecast](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/weather/cefalu/). Cefalù is 72 km from Palermo, Cefalù exit on the A20, and has a railway station on the Palermo-Messina line (see [getting to the Madonie by car](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/roads/)). In August the town is full: book early among the options for [where to stay in Cefalù](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/cefalu/where-to-stay/). For dinner there's [where to eat in Cefalù](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/cefalu/where-to-eat/). In the same month, on 18 August 2026, the old town hosted the [Rassegna Internazionale del Folklore](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/rassegna-internazionale-del-folklore-cefalu/). Other events are under [events in Cefalù](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/cefalu/events/), and for the rest of the town there's the [Cefalù page](https://www.lemadonie.it/en/villages/cefalu/). ## Frequently asked questions ### When is the 'Ntinna a mari held? The 'Ntinna a mari takes place every year on 6 August, the feast day of the Santissimo Salvatore, patron of Cefalù. It's held in the afternoon, before the evening procession: in 2026 it started at 4 pm at the Vecchia Marina, according to the Cefalù Estate calendar published by the town council. ### How does the 'Ntinna contest work? A long pole is fixed horizontally on the old harbour, sticking out over the sea, and made slippery. At the tip there's a flag with the image of the Saviour: whoever manages to walk along the pole and grab it wins. Almost everyone falls into the water before getting there, and that's exactly what the crowd comes to see. ### How old is the 'Ntinna a mari? Balarm writes that the 'Ntinna a mari has been held since 1783. An article by Cefalunews in July 2026, on the other hand, presents it as a tradition whose origins are unknown. What is certain is its link to the patron saint's feast and to the Vecchia Marina. ### Do I have to pay to watch? The 'Ntinna a mari is free: it's part of Cefalù Estate, the council's summer programme, which in 2026 was almost entirely free. Spectators watch from the Vecchia Marina and from boats; Madonie Press writes that the contest draws thousands of spectators every year. ### Where's the best place to watch the 'Ntinna a mari? You watch from the Vecchia Marina, Cefalù's old harbour below the houses of the old town, and from the boats moored in the water. Given the crowds, it's worth arriving at least an hour before the start, which in 2026 was at 4 pm. ## Sources - [Madoniedintorni, programma di agosto 2026 a Cefalù](https://madoniedintorni.com/2026/07/13/il-programma-degli-eventi-di-agosto-a-cefalu/) - [Madonie Press, Cefalù Estate agosto 2026](https://www.madoniepress.it/2026/07/14/da-baby-k-a-michele-zarrillo-e-la-storica-ntinna-a-mari-oltre-30-eventi-per-lagosto-di-cefalu/) - [Balarm, festa del Santissimo Salvatore e 'Ntinna a mari dal 1783](https://www.balarm.it/eventi/santissimo-salvatore-della-trasfigurazione-grande-festa-a-cefalu-in-onore-del-patrono-89038) - [Cefalunews, 'Ntinna, una tradizione di cui non conosciamo le origini (9 luglio 2026)](https://cefalunews.org/2026/07/09/ntinna-una-tradizione-di-cui-non-conosciamo-le-origini/) --- Markdown version of the page https://www.lemadonie.it/en/events/ntinna-a-mari-cefalu/, from Le Madonie (lemadonie.it), an independent guide to the Madonie. Facts with source and date of check.