The Experience
Just over a thousand residents, a history of resettlement and emigration, and celebrations where the entire island gathers in the piazza.
Today's Usticesi are largely descended from the families sent by the Bourbons to repopulate the island in the mid-eighteenth century, many arriving from the Aeolian Islands. During the twentieth century, many departed, and an Usticese community still lives overseas in Louisiana, bound to the island by family ties and memories. Summer culminates on August 24 with San Bartolomeo, the patron saint: the statue is carried through the town in a procession amid music and fireworks. Throughout the year, associations, volunteers, and the Pro Loco keep island life vibrant: festivals, exhibitions, and the dedication of those who safeguard its heritage. For visitors, the community is the warmest part of the journey.
Highlights
- Feast of San Bartolomeo, August 24
- Eighteenth-century Aeolian roots
- Usticesi of America
- Associations and volunteer work