In October, arts, theater, and museum calendars begin filling up. Here are the festivals and events that happen each October in Rome. For news on temporary exhibits, concerts, or other occasional events, visit Martha's Italy Travel Blog.
Early October – Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. The feast day of Saint Francis of Assisi is celebrated on or about October 3, the day in 1226 when the Umbrian saint died. In Rome, the religious festival for San Francesco is celebrated with a wreath-laying near the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano. Another special place to observe the holiday is at the church of San Francesco a Ripa in Trastevere. Saint Francis stayed in a hospice here in 1219.
Mid-October – Opera and Theater Season begins. The theater season in Rome, which includes dance, opera, and plays, typically starts in October. Look to the Auditorium Parco della Musica and the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma for schedules.
Late October - International Rome Film Festival. A young festival as far as international film festivals go, the International Rome Film Festival takes place over a fortnight at the Auditorium Parco della Musica. Past guests of the festival have included big name Hollywood players, such as Wes Anderson, Jonathan Demme, and Martin Scorcese, as well as many other Italian and foreign directors and actors.
Halloween Although Halloween is not really an Italian holiday, it's becoming pretty popular, especially amongst young adults. You'll find Halloween costume parties in many of Rome's nightclubs. Read more about Halloween in Italy or plan to visit some of these Scary Places in Rome.