The inverdurata of Pachino, a vegetable alternative to the infiorata!

L' Inverdurata of Pachinois definitely a unique event. Surely you are familiar with the famous infiorate (of which the one in Noto is one of the most spectacular in our South), but what do you know about the only one in Italy? Pachino, a town in the province of Syracuse famous for the production of the tomato that takes its name, is a place that, thanks to its climate and proximity to the sea, constitutes a very favourable natural habitat for fruit and vegetables, very important ingredients on local tables and throughout Sicily. It is precisely vegetables that are the great protagonists of this event held in the first half of May. The event is a competition in which participants create huge colourful floor mosaics using vegetables, as the name suggests, and where the most beautiful creation is awarded a prize. Participating in this event is an experience not to be missed. The town streets, and mainly Via Cavour, are transformed into an immense colourful carpet where works created by professional artists using only vegetables from Pachino take turns. Each year the 'inverdurata' has a different theme, which is reinterpreted by the participating artists in all its facets, in order to amaze visitors and win first prize. Apart from the grandiose scenic effect and the originality of the event, this occasion is also, and above all, a way to rediscover and enhance local products and its gastronomy. Strolling through the streets of the city becomes a sensory experience amidst the scents of basil and fresh tomatoes, which is definitely the vegetable that dominates the mosaics. In fact, let us recall that the Pachino tomato, appreciated for its sweet yet intense flavour, has obtained the PGI denomination and is consumed and exported in large quantities every year.

Origins

The first edition dates back to 2004 thanks to an initiative of theAPAC (Pachinese Anti-Crime Association), founded in 1992 and a member of the FAI (Federazione Antiracket Italiana). The aim was to attract people from neighbouring countries and beyond, inviting them to discover the town, sending out a message of welcome and legality. The first year the mosaics produced were 9, but the success was resounding and since then the number of adhesions has been increasing, as has the involvement of schools, associations and foundations. The exhibition of the mosaics lasts three days from Saturday to Monday, precisely to allow everyone to admire them. Nevertheless, the most exciting and teeming moment of creativity is the Friday night when all the artists take their places and prepare to organise and create their mosaics. All the curious and enthusiastic inhabitants of the city then take to the streets to peek at the start of the work and imagine what the creations they will admire the next day will look like. Seeing the subjects take shape is an evocative and involving experience that unites spectators and masters, who can thus feel part of a single identity. The Inverdurata of Pachino is also included in the international circuit of Ephemeral Arts. Its message that blends agriculture and culture by enhancing the combination of good food and local traditions is ever stronger and it is an event of great impact, definitely to be included in one's travel itinerary!