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

2021

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

October 9–December 5: 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 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 29–January 2: Umbria Jazz Winter, Orvieto

2022

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/March: Carnevale di Viareggio, Tuscany (about six somewhat sporadic days)

February 12–March 1: Carnevale, Venice (most festive on weekends; particularly quiet during first week)

February 27–March 1: Ivrea Carnevale (orange-throwing free-for-all on last three days; smaller festivities in week prior)

March 27: Rome Marathon

April/May: Settimana della Cultura, across Italy (Cultural Heritage Week)

April 10–13: Vinitaly, Verona (wine festival)

April 15: Good Friday (processions across Italy, including Procession of I Misteri in Trapani, Sicily)

April 17: Easter Sunday (and Scoppio del Carro fireworks, closures); also Rome's City Birthday Celebration (parades, fireworks)

April 18: Easter Monday (closures)

April 21: Rome's City Birthday Celebration (parades, fireworks)

April 21–24 (likely): Artichoke Festival, Chiusure (near Pienza)

April 25: Italian Liberation Day (closures), also St. Mark's Day, Venice (traghetto races, concerts)

May 1: May Day/Labor Day (closures)

Early May–early July: Festival del Teatro Greco, Siracusa, Sicily (Greek plays in the city's ancient theater)

May 13–15 (likely): Infiorata di Noto, Sicily (flower festival)

May 21 (likely): Sagra del Limone, Monterosso, Cinque Terre (lemon festival)

May 26: Ascension

May 27–29: Feast of San Giorgio, Ragusa Ibla, Sicily (processions, fireworks, mostly on final day)

May 28: Festa delle Madonna delle Milizie, Scicli, Sicily (processions, Norman battle reenactments)

May 29: Cricket Festival (Festa del Grillo), Florence (music, entertainment, food, crickets sold in cages)

Late May or early June (1 day): Vogalonga Regatta, Venice (noncompetitive rowing "race" celebrating traditional Venetian boats)

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

June: Fashion conventions, Florence

June–August: Verona Opera season

Early June (2 days): Kastelruther Spatzen Open Air, Castelrotto/Kastelruth (concert series featuring hometown Schlager group)

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

June 16: Corpus Domini (festivals and processions across Italy, especially in Rome, Orvieto, and Castelrotto/Kastelruth)

June 18–19 (likely): Le Infiorate, Spello (giant flower-carpet competition near Assisi; similar infiorate are also common elsewhere in Italy this weekend)

Mid-June–late July: Florence Dance Festival

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)

June 25: Gioco del Ponte, Pisa (colorful parade and "battle" for control of the Ponte di Mezzo)

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

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

June 27–July 14 (likely): Ancona Jazz Summer Festival

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

Mid-July: Marostica Summer Festival (music concerts)

July 8–17 (likely): Umbria Jazz, Perugia

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

July 16–17: Festa del Redentore, Venice (Feast of the Redeemer; regatta, fireworks)

Mid-July & late August: Stresa Festival, Lake Maggiore (classical music)

July 29–31 : Unicorn Festival, Vinci, Tuscany (fantasy concerts, parades, exhibitions)

July 30–August 14 (likely): Locus Festival, Locorotondo (contemporary music)

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 4: 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)

Mid-September–mid-November: Musica dei Popoli, Florence (ethnic/folk music and dance)

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

September 23–25 & September 30–October 2 (likely): Pistachio Festival (Sagra del Pistacchio), Bronte (near Mount Etna), Sicily

October 7–9 (likely): Kastelruther Spatzenfest (concert series featuring hometown Schlager group), Castelrotto/Kastelruth

October 8–December 4 (likely): International White Truffle Fair, Alba (between Turin and Genoa; cooking demonstrations, historical reenactments, truffles by the pound)