Darn! I missed it! Just as we have Renaissance festivals around the US, there is a medieval festival every August in Geraci, a community just southeast of Palermo. Settimana Medievale during the first week of August is dedicated to the Giostra dei Ventimiglia. The historical re-enactment is part of a cultural tourism project. Through a series of cultural, social and economic initiatives, the project aims to promote and recuperate the historical memory of all of those communes (around 30) that used to be part of the prestigious Contea di Geraci (Contea means "county"), a genuine state within a state during the period of the Kingdom of Sicily. The "county" was a large land grant to a noble family by the Normans and became associated with the Ventimiglia family through marriage.

The re-enactment involves a procession in XIV century dress, jousting, displays of dressage and falconry, medieval cuisine, music and plays, cultural events and the ressurection of the old money of the Ventimiglia Earldom. Its success hinges on the rediscovery of the medievalness of these town centres, still to be found in their architecture and lay-out, on the reconstruction of the environment and the display of typical produce in medieval tents. The festival probably focuses on a period of time a little later than the Vespers period, but undoubtedly includes many traditions that had been in existence for centuries. From Sicilianexperience.com