Food festival · Gratteri
Sagra della Vastedda Fritta in Gratteri
Gratteri's Sagra della Vastedda Fritta is on 14 August: vastedde fried to order, sweet or savoury, in Piazza San Francesco, with an evening concert.
2026 edition
OverPiazza San Francesco (tastings) and Corso Umberto I (parade), old town of Gratteri, Gratteri
Programme
46th edition: stalls from 5 pm in Piazza San Francesco, parade of Sicilian carts and the folk groups Val d'Akragas and Santa Cristina at 6 pm along Corso Umberto I, Spinrockets concert at 10:30 pm.
This edition is over. We update the page as soon as the next dates are out.
Source: madoniepress.it, checked on 19 October 2026
The Sagra della Vastedda Fritta is one of the longest-running food festivals in the Madonie: every 14 August the Pro Loco fries vastedda in Piazza San Francesco, a leavened bread dough eaten hot, sweet with sugar or honey or savoury with anchovies. In the afternoon Sicilian carts parade with folk groups, and in the evening there’s a concert. In 2026 it reached its 46th edition.
When is it held?
The date is fixed: 14 August, the eve of Ferragosto. So it was in 2019 (Balarm), in 2022 and in 2026.
| Year | Edition | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 46th | Friday 14 August |
| 2022 | 42nd | 14 August, after a two-year break |
| 2019 | 41st | 14 August |
What is vastedda fritta?
It’s a soft bread dough fried in front of the crowd, listed among Sicily’s traditional food products (Balarm). The sweet version comes with sugar or local honey, the savoury one with anchovies. Balarm describes it as a fritter of very ancient origins, the recipe that made Gratteri known all over Sicily.
The 2026 programme
The 46th edition followed the usual pattern (Madonie Press).
| Time | What and where |
|---|---|
| 5 pm | Stalls open in Piazza San Francesco: vastedde made and served hot |
| 6 pm | Parade of Sicilian carts along Corso Umberto I, with the folk groups Val d’Akragas and Santa Cristina |
| 10:30 pm | Spinrockets concert in the square |
In 2019 the day started as early as 11 am, with guided tours by booking; in 2022 there was also a craft village along Corso Umberto I.
How much does it cost?
The 2026 sources give no price. In 2019 entry was free and the tasting ticket cost 3 euros, for three vastedde and a glass of wine or a small bottle of water.
Practical tips
- Arrive by 5 pm, when the stalls open: the vastedde are fried to order, one after another.
- Road. Gratteri sits at 657 metres: you drive up from the SS113 on the SP28 (see getting to the Madonie by car). Sources don’t list dedicated car parks.
- Sleeping and eating. It’s the eve of Ferragosto, so book early: see where to stay in Gratteri and where to eat in Gratteri.
- Weather. Check the Gratteri forecast.
On 22 August, also in Gratteri, there’s the Sagra dà Purpietta c’Addauru with its bay-leaf meatballs. For the rest of the town there’s the Gratteri page, and for other food festivals the Madonie food festival calendar.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the Sagra della Vastedda Fritta held?
- The Sagra della Vastedda Fritta takes place in Gratteri on 14 August, the eve of Ferragosto. In 2026, its 46th edition, it was held on Friday 14 August with stalls open from 5 pm. The date has been the same for years: 14 August in 2019 and 2022 too.
- What is Gratteri's vastedda fritta?
- It's leavened bread dough fried to order in front of the crowd. You eat it sweet, with sugar or local honey, or savoury, with anchovies. Vastedda fritta is listed among Sicily's traditional food products (PAT) and is the speciality Gratteri is known for across the island.
- How much does the tasting cost?
- The 2026 sources give no price. In 2019, according to Balarm, entry to the festival was free and the tasting ticket cost 3 euros, for three vastedde and a glass of wine or a small bottle of water. In 2022 the Pro Loco handed out hot vastedde to visitors.
- What else is there besides the tastings?
- In 2026, at 6 pm, Sicilian carts paraded along Corso Umberto I with the folk groups Val d'Akragas and Santa Cristina, with folk songs and dances. In the evening, at 10:30 pm, the Spinrockets played in the square. Earlier editions also had guided tours and a craft village.
- Who organises the festival?
- It is organised by the Pro Loco of Gratteri in collaboration with the town council. The festival stopped for two years before 2022, when it returned with its 42nd edition, and reached its 46th in 2026.
