The main feast of Cefalù is the celebration of the Santissimo Salvatore, dedicated to the patron of the town, Jesus Salvatore, and it takes place from the 2 August to 6 August.
The event starts with the waving of the Flag of Christ Pantocrator between the towers of the Cathedral, accompanied by the festive ringing of church bells, fireworks and a march of the citizen’s band through the streets and squares. Along the promenade, typical stalls with typical Cefalù products and Sicilian street food can be found.
During the evening of the last day a competition called “A’ ntinna a Mari” (the aerial at sea) takes place. This is a traditional game in which 17 participants, from ancient fishing families of Cefalù, compete to try to grab a flag depicting the face of the Holy Salvatore. The flag is placed at the bottom of a 16-metre long wooden pole, fixed to the pier and jutting out into the sea.
During this competition you can watch acrobatic dives into the sea, hear whistles, laughter, applause and shouts of encouragement, all in a beautiful setting made sparkling by the sea!
If you have the opportunity to visit Cefalù during this period, you absolutely cannot miss this feast!
