Upcoming Holidays and Festivals in Italy

Wearing a Venetian mask — Venice becomes a city of masks and mystery every February during carnevale.

Beware: Festival dates are often not posted online until just before the event (or may even be posted incorrectly, especially in Italy). Verify the correct festival dates before planning a trip around a specific festival. For more information about these and other events, visit the official tourism site for Italy.
This list includes major festivals in major cities, plus national holidays observed throughout Italy. Many sights and banks close down on national holidays — keep it in mind when planning your itinerary. Note that this isn't a complete list; holidays can strike without warning.
See upcoming holidays and festivals across Europe

2024

Through November 24: Venice Biennale (international art exhibition)

Through December 8: International White Truffle Fair, Alba (between Turin and Genoa; cooking demonstrations, historical reenactments, truffles by the pound)

November 21: Feast of Our Lady of Good Health, Venice (religious festival, bridge built over Grand Canal)

November 30–December 20: Feast of Santa Lucia, Siracusa, Sicily (culminates with procession of the saint's statue and relics to the cathedral on December 13)

December: Christmas Market on Piazza Navona, Rome; crèches in churches throughout Italy

December 7: Feast of St. Ambrose, Milan (special street markets, closures)

December 8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception (closures)

December 25: Christmas (closures)

December 26: St. Stephen's Day (closures)

December 28–January 1: Umbria Jazz Winter, Orvieto

2025

January 1: New Year's Day (closures)

January 6: Epiphany (and Epiphany Fair religious festival in Rome; closures)

January–March: Carnival celebrations throughout Italy (street parties)

February 3–5: Festa di Sant'Agata, Catania (processions and fireworks)

February 3, 8, 11, 13, 18, 24: Carnevale di Viareggio, Tuscany

February 14–March 4: Carnevale, Venice (most festive on weekends; particularly quiet during first week)

March 2–4: Ivrea Carnevale (orange-throwing free-for-all on last three days; smaller festivities in week prior)

March 16: Rome Marathon

April 6–9: Vinitaly, Verona (wine festival)

April 18: Good Friday (processions across Italy, including Procession of I Misteri in Trapani, Sicily)

April 20: Easter Sunday (and Scoppio del Carro fireworks, closures); also Rome's City Birthday Celebration (parades, fireworks)

April 21: Easter Monday (closures)

April 21: Rome's city birthday celebration (parades, fireworks)

April 23–27 (likely): Artichoke Festival, Chiusure (near Pienza)

April 25: Liberation Day (parades across Italy, particularly big in Rome; some closures); also St. Mark's Day, Venice (traghetto races, concerts)

May 1: May Day/Labor Day (closures)

May 7–10: Calendimaggio, Assisi (medieval-themed celebration of spring)

May 16–20: Infiorata di Noto, Sicily (flower festival)

May 17: Sagra del Limone, Monterosso, Cinque Terre (lemon festival)

May 23–25: Feast of San Giorgio, Ragusa Ibla, Sicily (processions, fireworks, mostly on final day)

May 24: Festa delle Madonna delle Milizie, Scicli, Sicily (processions, Norman battle reenactments)

May 29: Ascension; biggest event is Venice's Festa della Sensa (parade of traditional boats and ritual of Venice's "marriage" to the sea); also Florence's Cricket Festival (Festa del Grillo; music, entertainment, food, crickets sold in cages)

June: Fashion conventions, Florence

June–August: Verona opera season

June 2: Anniversary of the Republic (cross Italy but with grandest festivities in Rome; closures)

June 8: Vogalonga Regatta, Venice (noncompetitive rowing "race" celebrating traditional Venetian boats)

June 13–14 (likely): Kastelruther Spatzen Open Air, Seis (concert series featuring hometown Schlager group)

June 16–17: Feast of St. Ranieri, Pisa (illuminated facades, candles on the Arno, fireworks, regatta)

Mid-June–late July: Florence Dance Festival

June 21–22: Le Infiorate, Spello (giant flower-carpet competition near Assisi; similar infiorate are also common elsewhere in Italy this weekend)

June 24: Feast of St. John the Baptist, northwestern Italy, especially Florence (water lanterns, boat races, dancing, medieval tournaments, fireworks; many celebrations held on nearby weekends; some closures), and Calcio Storico, Florence (Renaissance ball game played on Piazza Santa Croce)

Late June–early September: Outdoor cinema season, Florence (contemporary films)

June 27–July 13: Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi (visual arts and performances from US and across Europe, near Orvieto)

June 28: Gioco del Ponte, Pisa (colorful parade and "battle" for control of the Ponte di Mezzo)

June 29: Sts. Peter and Paul Day (most fervently celebrated in Rome with fireworks and flower carpet in St. Peter's Square, and with three-day festival in Modica, Sicily)

July 2: Palio horse race, Siena

Early July: Marostica Summer Festival (eclectic concert series, northwest of Venice)

July 10–15: Feast of Saint Rosalia ("U Fistinu"), Palermo, Sicily (huge processions on last two days; fireworks on July 14)

July 11–13: Unicorn Festival, Vinci, Tuscany (fantasy concerts, parades, exhibitions)

July 11–20: Umbria Jazz, Perugia

July 15–September 5 (likely): Stresa Festival, Lake Maggiore (classical music)

Mid-July: Noantri Festival, Trastevere district, Rome (music and folklore)

July 18–20: Festa del Redentore, Venice (Feast of the Redeemer; floating bridge across Giudecca Canal, fireworks on Saturday night, gondola regatta on Sunday); consider booking ahead for a fireworks-viewing spot

August 15: Ferragosto (Feast of the Assumption; closures)

August 16: Palio horse race, Siena

September–October: Chestnut festivals (chestnut roasts and related festivities; most towns, mainly north of Rome)

September 7 (likely): Historical Regatta, Venice

September 7: Festa della Rificolona, Florence (children's procession with lanterns, street performances, parade)

September 13: Volto Santo, Lucca (procession and fair)

September 19: Feast of St. Januarius, Naples (La Festa di San Gennaro; closures)

Likely last weekend of September/first weekend of October: Pistachio Festival (Sagra del Pistacchio), Bronte (near Mount Etna), Sicily

October 10–12 (likely): Kastelruther Spatzenfest (concert series featuring hometown Schlager group), Castelrotto/Kastelruth

October 11–December 7 (likely): International White Truffle Fair, Alba (between Turin and Genoa; cooking demonstrations, historical reenactments, truffles by the pound)

November 1: All Saints' Day (some closures)

November 1–9 (likely): Festival dei Popoli, Florence (documentary films)