Agrigent (gro) With music and folklore, the start of the Almond Blossom Festival was celebrated in Agrigent at the weekend. For four weeks, until mid-March, the pink and white blossoming trees are the center of attention. Especially on weekends Agrigento with its ancient Greek temple district (Valle dei Templi) is now meeting place for bands and dance groups, who also come from abroad to the south coast of Sicily to celebrate the beginning of spring with the local population.
For over 60 years.
The Almond Blossom Festival will be celebrated for the 61st time in 2014. This year, the group “Tammurinara” from San Calogero, a picturesque town in southern Calabria, played to kick off the event. Agrigento’s deputy mayor Piero Luparello was in charge of the welcome. In the square named after the city’s most famous son, Piazza Pirandello, folklore groups from half of Italy could be seen moving to Piazza Cavour along with music bands to show off their dancing and musical skills.
Temperamental brass bands from Romania and Montenegro.
There was world music to listen to, and a brass group with musicians from the former Balkan states, Romania and Montenegro, who performed together with the Sicilian trumpeter Roy Paci, particularly thrilled with their spirited blaring playing. At times, they transformed the city center into a joyful witches’ cauldron. Moreover, the Agrigentini once again proved to be good-humored, generous hosts.