Sapori d'Autunno in Isnello

Sapori d’Autunno is the festival Isnello uses to welcome autumn, on a weekend in early November. The streets of the old town become a route of stops for roast chestnuts, honey, cheese, cured meats, new wine and Madonie sweets, with music, roving shows and entertainment for children. It’s organised by the young people of the Consulta Giovanile with the town council. In 2026 the 12th edition is scheduled for Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November.

When is Sapori d’Autunno 2026?

The dates are 7 and 8 November 2026, announced by Il Cefalino and by GAL Hassin. The timetable hasn’t been published yet. So far we know there will be tastings of local produce, food markets, shows, music, entertainment for all ages, exhibitions and guided tours.

The only time already set is the astronomy park’s: on Saturday 7 November, from 3:30 to 6 pm, GAL Hassin joins the festival with its activities. The entry ticket is booked online on the park’s website.

How the festival works

The format of recent editions hasn’t changed. Stalls of local produce and crafts open in the morning and stay open all day along the main street, while folk groups, musicians and street bands wander the streets. In the evening the festival moves to the squares, with concerts, cabaret and DJ sets.

This is how the 11th edition was organised, on 8 and 9 November 2025 (Il Cefalino):

When (2025)	What
Saturday, 11:30 am	Food and craft stalls open
Saturday, 1 pm	Roving show by the Hystorical Dance group
Saturday, 4 pm	“Voci del Territorio” talk, Piazza P. Impastato
Saturday, 7 pm	Live music with Gli Alternativa, Piazza P. Impastato
Saturday, 9 pm	Cabaret with Massimo Spata, Piazza Mazzini
Saturday, 11 pm	DJ set, Piazza Mazzini
Sunday, 10:30 am	Stalls reopen
Sunday, 11:30 am-4 pm	Folk group I Re di EsiS, Musicisti Trampolieri, children’s entertainment in Piazza P. Impastato, Bluestars street band
Sunday, 6:30 pm	Raffle draw, Piazza Mazzini

What to eat

The route is all seasonal produce. In 2025 there were roast chestnuts, honey, cheese, cured meats, new wine, preserves and traditional Madonie sweets, with some stalls reserved for local producers. In 2024 the festival began on the Friday evening with mulled wine and a tasting of local produce in via Santa Giovanna d’Arco (Madonie Press).

For a sit-down lunch, see where to eat in Isnello. For more mountain produce there’s our guide to Madonie food.

What to see in Isnello during the festival

Between stalls, it’s worth walking around the town. The 2025 programme pointed out the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, the church of the Annunziata and the Sentiero Geologico Urbano, an urban geology trail, and offered e-bike excursions with Sikelia Bikes.

On Saturday afternoon you can go up to GAL Hassin, Isnello’s astronomy park. From October to June it’s closed on Sundays and public activities are on Saturday afternoons: the pedestrian gate opens at 3 pm and you park outside the gate, not in the staff car park (information from GAL Hassin).

In November the woods above the town change colour: if you want to add a walk, read our article on beech woods in autumn.

Who organises it

Sapori d’Autunno is the festival of Isnello’s Consulta Giovanile, supported by the town council. In 2024 the mayor, Marcello Catanzaro, thanked local associations and businesses and described it as a chance to relaunch local produce and crafts and to push young people to start “a healthy business activity” (Madonie Press).

For contacts, GAL Hassin gives the Consulta Giovanile’s email address and its Facebook and Instagram pages, where programme updates are posted.

Practical tips

• Getting there. Isnello sits at 530 metres, in the 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 SP9 (see getting to the Madonie by car). Sources don’t mention car parks or shuttles for the festival.
• When to go. Saturday if you want to combine GAL Hassin with the evening music in the square; Sunday for the roving daytime shows.
• Where to stay. If you’re staying for Saturday evening, see where to stay in Isnello.
• Weather. In November it’s worth checking the Isnello weather before you set off.

Past editions

Year	Dates	Edition
2024	8-10 November	10th, with an “Apericonsulta” aperitif on Friday and a prize draw to close
2025	8-9 November	11th, Massimo Spata’s cabaret in Piazza Mazzini
2026	7-8 November	12th, with the GAL Hassin activity on Saturday

Isnello also eats outdoors at the end of June, with the Sagra delle Fave di San Pietro e Paolo, and at the Festa delle Verdure. The rest of the town is on the Isnello page and under events in Isnello; other festivals are in the Madonie food festival calendar.