In August, every second Sunday of each year, Zafferana Etnea celebrates
Festa della Madonna della Provvidenza. It is the most important religious and folkloric celebration of the year and celebrates the Patron Saint of Zafferana Etnea, "Madonna della Provvidenza". In October, the municipality of Zafferana Etnea organises a unique festival called
Ottobrata Zafferanese. It is celebrated every Sunday in October and is an opportunity to partake of local pastries and cakes as well as typical products of the city, such as grapes, bottled fruit, mushrooms, honey, liquor, wine, and chestnuts. Handcrafted products made by local artisans are also on display. The festival also presents exhibitions, documentaries about the Etna volcano, shows, and dance performances. The citizens of Zafferana Etnea start preparing in mid-September. Zafferana, along with
Nicolosi, is now regarded as a major tourist stopping point for summer and winter expeditions to the summit of Mt. Etna. During the
1991–1993 eruption of Mount Etna, the town was seriously threatened by advancing lava flows. In April 1992, Italian civil protection authorities, assisted by the
United States Marine Corps and
United States Navy, carried out
Operation Hot Rock, a joint mission that used explosives and concrete blocks to divert the lava away from Zafferana. The intervention succeeded in saving the town from destruction. == Notable people ==