Sicilian cannoli — heart of the Cannolo Festival

August • Food & wine

Cannolo Sagra (Sicilian Cannolo Festival)

Nicosia's sweetest recurring summer event. Historic-centre pastry shops in the square with the Nicosian cannolo: shell fried on the spot, local sheep ricotta, candied orange peel. Free entry, counter prices for everyone.

© Davide Mauro, CC BY-SA 4.0

Historical archive

Past editions

Browse past editions of Cannolo Sagra (Sicilian Cannolo Festival): what happened, who came, what was reported.

Edition202623-24 August 2026

Relaunch edition after the summer calendar reorganisation. Seven historic-centre pastry shops in the square, shells fried on the spot, ricotta exclusively from Nicosian sheep, candied orange peel processed in-house. For the first time a public jury awarded the 'Cannolo of the Year'.

AttendanceDati di affluenza in fase di consolidamento

Memorable moments

  • Seven participating pastry shops (all Pro Loco members)
  • 5,500 cannoli produced and sold over the two days
  • 'Cannolo of the Year 2026' awarded to [TBC pastry shop] — public jury of 500 voters
  • Evening music shows in Piazza Garibaldi with local bands
Edition202530-31 August 2025

Second modern edition. Four participating pastry shops, capped prices, first trial of the 'giant cannolo' (~250 g average weight) that drew long queues on Saturday evening.

AttendanceDati di affluenza in fase di consolidamento

Memorable moments

  • Four participating pastry shops
  • 'Giant cannolo' debut (250 g) — sold out in two hours
  • Capped prices: at the counter for the giant
Edition202424-25 August 2024

First edition of the current formula. Two historic-centre pastry shops, single counter in Piazza Garibaldi, attendance test to gauge size and capacity. Result: above expectations, event confirmed and expanded from 2025.

AttendanceDati di affluenza in fase di consolidamento

What it is

The historic pastry shops of Nicosia bring their counters to Piazza Garibaldi and the nearby streets for two days dedicated to the Sicilian cannolo in its Nicosian version: shell fried on the spot, ricotta exclusively from local sheep, dark chocolate chips, candied orange peel.

Free entry, popular pricing at the counter (, giant format). No ticketing: you pay at the counter for what you eat.

What makes it different

It’s not the generic “Sicilian” cannolo festival. The difference is in the detail:

  • Nicosian sheep ricotta, not cow’s milk, processed the same morning by territory cheese-makers (Albereto among the suppliers).
  • Shell fried on the spot, not pre-fried. Average time from counter to mouth: 4 minutes.
  • Historic-centre pastry shops, not passing food trucks. The makers at the counter have been working in the same ovens for generations.
  • No colourings, no preservatives in the traditional recipes. Modern variants (pistachio, dark almond) are offered as separate options.

Typical programme

  • Saturday afternoon: counters open at 5 pm.
  • Saturday evening: live music in Piazza Garibaldi (independent Sicilian bands).
  • Sunday morning: counters open from 10 am, breakfast cannolo for those who held out the night before.
  • Sunday afternoon: ‘Cannolo of the Year’ public-jury award.

If you’re coming from out of town

The Sagra is reachable in a day from Catania, Palermo, Enna, Caltanissetta. Free parking around the historic centre. For those who want to stay overnight, the Nebrodi agriturismi are bookable through the partner Nicosia di Sicilia ETS-APS.

Recommended combination: Cannolo Sagra Saturday + Cathedral and historic-centre visit Sunday morning + Tavolo dei Baroni lunch on Sunday.

A note

The Sagra is a free popular event. Counter prices are set by the Pro Loco in coordination with participating pastry-makers. No “tourist pricing”, no markup. If you find a counter charging a special price for non-Nicosian speakers, report it: the Pro Loco intervenes.

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