Festivals

Religious Festival

The most important festival of Giardini Naxos is the Patron Saint Feast Day.
During the days 7, 8 and 9 September, the town celebrates its Patron Saint, the Virgin Mary, venerated with the title of “*Raccomandata*”. Particularly devoted to the Virgin are the fishermen of Giardini Naxos, who formerly used to commend themselves to the Virgin for watching over their sea travels, and over their families, and prayed to her for assuring the success of their fishing. Particularly suggestive is the “luminaria” (illuminations) at sea on September 8, when the rocks lit by small candles to light the procession of the Simulacrum of “Santa Maria Raccomandata”, throughout the entire village.

	Another important festival is the one of San Pancrazio of Antioch, bishop and martyr who evangelized the territory during the first century After Christ and suffered martyrdom in Taormina, under Trajan. Its anniversary falls on July 9, but in Giardini Naxos, by convention, it is celebrated on the first Sunday of August. Every year a procession is carried out to sea by fishing boats lit and dressed, then the boat with the statue of the saint is welcomed by the crowd on the beach among the din of firecrackers. After that it is carried in procession along the streets of the quarter.

Folk Festivals

On April 1 each year the "April Fair" takes place.
Formerly known as the "Spring Fair" or "Maria SS. Raccomandata, the fair was established in 1910, and every year attracts a large number of visitors. At the beginning it was only a cattle market and took place on the beach. Nowadays it is a typical local market, where you can find all kinds of merchandise.

In summertime, during the months of July and August, in the small harbor known as "Saja", the Fish Festival takes place.

Between music and folk songs, you can taste typical dishes of fish, caught in the area, and drink good local wine.