Food festival · Isnello
Sagra delle Fave di San Pietro e Paolo in Isnello
Isnello's Sagra delle Fave is held on 29 June, feast of Saints Peter and Paul: broad beans, potatoes and onions with oil, vinegar and salt in the old town.
2026 edition
OverIsnello old town, tasting points in several parts of the village, Isnello
Programme
47th edition: broad beans, potatoes and onions cooked to the traditional recipe, folk music.
This edition is over. We update the page as soon as the next dates are out.
Source: cefalunews.org, checked on 19 October 2026
The Sagra delle Fave di San Pietro e Paolo is Isnello’s festival on 29 June, the feast day of the two saints. At several points in the old town, broad beans, potatoes and onions dressed with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt are served, the village’s traditional peasant dish, with a horse ride in the afternoon and a folk group roaming the streets. In 2026 the festival reached its 47th edition.
When is it held?
The date is fixed: 29 June, feast of Saints Peter and Paul, from late afternoon to evening. In 2026 it fell on a Monday (Il Cefalino).
| Time (2026) | What |
|---|---|
| 5:30 pm | Horse ride |
| 8 pm | Roaming folk group |
| 8:30 pm | Tasting begins |
The dish: broad beans, potatoes and onions
The festival revolves around a single dish. Broad beans, potatoes and onions, cooked to the folk recipe and dressed with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt. Natale Civello, president of Isnello’s youth council, described it as a dish that “enhances the poverty of the ingredients, turning them into true culinary excellence” (Madonie Press).
There’s no single stall: the beans are served at several points around the old town, and the fun is wandering the village from one to the next.
A tradition of 47 editions
The festival is historically linked to the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. It’s organised by the Pro Loco, the youth council and G.O. Isnello under the patronage of the town council, and in 2026 Cefalunews headlined its “47 years of tradition”.
Practical tips
Isnello sits at 530 metres in the Parco delle Madonie (Madonie Park). From Palermo it’s about 76 km and an hour and 20 minutes; from Cefalù 21 km, just over half an hour, on the SP54bis and SP9 (see getting to the Madonie by car). Sources don’t mention dedicated car parks.
The tasting is in the evening: if you’d rather not drive mountain roads at night, see where to stay in Isnello. For a sit-down dinner there’s where to eat in Isnello, and for the weather the Isnello forecast.
Isnello has other food events during the year, such as Sapori d’Autunno in November and the Festa delle Verdure. The rest of the village is on the Isnello page, other festivals in the Madonie food festival calendar.
Frequently asked questions
- When is the Sagra delle Fave in Isnello?
- The Sagra delle Fave di San Pietro e Paolo is held in Isnello on 29 June, the feast day of the two saints. In 2026, its 47th edition, 29 June was a Monday: the horse ride set off at 5:30 pm and the tasting began at 8:30 pm.
- What is there to eat at the Sagra delle Fave?
- There's just one dish: broad beans, potatoes and onions cooked to the traditional folk recipe and dressed with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar and salt. It's served at several tasting points set up in Isnello's old town.
- What time does the tasting start?
- In 2026 the day began at 5:30 pm with a horse ride; at 8 pm a roaming folk group set off and at 8:30 pm the tasting of broad beans, potatoes and onions began. Times for the next edition are published in June by Isnello's Pro Loco and youth council.
- Who organises the Sagra delle Fave?
- It's organised by the Pro Loco of Isnello, the youth council (Consulta Giovanile) and G.O. Isnello, under the patronage of the town council. The president of the youth council, Natale Civello, described it as a journey back in time that combines local folklore with the flavours of the past.
- Why broad beans on the feast of Saints Peter and Paul?
- The festival is historically tied to the celebrations for Saints Peter and Paul, held in Isnello on 29 June. Il Cefalino describes it as deeply rooted in local tradition; in 2026 it reached its 47th edition.
