One of Castelbuono's most beloved annual celebrations — a festival connecting the town to traditions stretching back thousands of years.
Every 24th June, the streets of Castelbuono fill with the irresistible aromas of the Festa di San Giovanni — an ancient harvest celebration with roots that pre-date Christianity itself. Enormous copper cauldrons called quarare are set up at stations throughout the town, cooking dried broad beans and potatoes over wood fires. Everything is offered completely free to all passers-by — a gesture of communal generosity and thanksgiving for the harvest.
The bonfires of San Giovanni in Castelbuono have a specific and fascinating origin: they commemorate the sacrilege committed by Julian the Apostate in 361 AD, who ordered the bones of Saint John to be burned in an attempt to extinguish his cult. Since the feast of San Giovanni coincided with the annual harvest, the people of Castelbuono began placing broad beans on the fire as a token of gratitude and a rite of prosperity — a tradition that has continued unbroken ever since.
From 18:00, the fires of San Giovanni are lit across the town. Wandering musicians playing mandolins, guitars and accordions weave between the quarare, filling the air with music while locals and visitors eat, drink local wine and celebrate together until late into the night. The tasting of broad beans, boiled potatoes and onions accompanied by good local wine represents a propitiatory rite to inaugurate the harvest season.
At the heart of the festival lies a tradition unique to Castelbuono — the ancient rite of the comparatico di San Giovanni: a sacred bond of friendship between two people, solemnised in the presence of the saint. Considered even more binding than the bonds of baptism or marriage, this extraordinary pledge of lifelong friendship — through which one becomes cumpari — was presented to God himself through San Giovanni. The ProLoco provides scrolls at each quarara station for those who wish to enter into this remarkable tradition.
Free to attend. Organised by ProLoco Castelbuono.
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Event information is provided in good faith but may be subject to change. We recommend checking with official sources before travelling.