Here are some of the top festivals you'll find in Italy in September.
Venice Film Festival - Venice's popular film festival continues through the first week of September. Film Festival Information
MITO International Music Festival - Milan and Torino host a variety of musical performances during the month of September. MITO SettembreMusica
Palio di San Rocco in Figline Valdarno is said to be one of the first palio competitions (definition of palio) in Tuscany. The palio includes five days of medieval competitions with jousting, archery, and a horse race during the first week of September.
Regatta Storica - Venice's historic boat race takes place the first Sunday in September with four race categories - children, women, men in 6 oar boats, and the champions racing in boats with 2 oars. The races are preceded by a parade. Regatta Storica
Feast of Saint Efisio is celebrated in Sardinia in the city of Oristano on September 3. There's a traditional costume parade and four days of folklore and music. (Sardinia Map)
Macchina di S. Rosa is a big festival in Viterbo in Northern Lazio map held on September 3. A historic procession takes place the day before with participants wearing costumes from the 13th to 18th century. The Macchina is a lighted tower about 30 meters tall topped by a statue of Santa Maria Rosa, the patron saint. More than 100 porters carry it on their shoulders (it weighs nearly 5 tons) through the streets of the town.
Saint Vito Day is celebrated the first Sunday of September in the Sicilian town of Ciminna in the Palermo province. There's a huge period recalling the life of Saint Vito with people in period costumes. A livestock fair also coincides with the celebrations.
Festival of the Madonna of the Sick is also celebrated the first weekend of September in Sicily in the town of Misterbianco. The festival commemorates the miracle of the sanctuary being saved from destruction during Mt. Etna's eruption in 1669. Festivities run for 5 days starting Thursday evening. More about the festival from Italy Magazine.
Rievocazione Storica - Cordovado, in the Friuli-Venezia region, recreates a noble wedding from 1571 the first Sunday in September. Festivities include a procession followed by an archery competition and tournaments where the districts of the town compete. Historic Re-enactment of Cordovado The town of Cormons in the same region also has a Renaissance pageant and parade the first Sunday of September.
Corsa degli asini - A historic donkey race in the Fruili-Venezia Guilia town of Fagagna takes place the first Sunday in September. Teams from four regional hamlets compete.
Feast of Rificolona is believed to be one of the oldest festivals in Florence. You'll find outdoor festivities September 6 and 7 including a big fair in Piazza Santissima Annunziata. The celebrations close the evening of September 7 with a procession from Piazza Santa Croce led by the Cardinal. You may also find Feast of Rificolona celebrated in other parts of Tuscany September 7.
La Notte Bianca, White Night, in Rome is an all night festival the second Saturday of September. Music and entertainment fills Rome's squares, theaters, and public places and shops and museums are open at night and public transport runs all night with bargain fares. La Notte Bianca schedule Note: May be cancelled for 2008
Festival of the Madonna a Mare, Madonna of the sea, is celebrated the second Sunday of September in Sicily in the village of Patti, Mesina province. The golden Madonna statue is carried to the sea in a procession, then put on an illuminated boat to lead a boat procession. Dancing, music, food, and wine follow.
Juliet's Birthday (of Romeo and Juliet) is celebrated September 12 in Verona. The day will be filled with parades, dances, and street entertainment.
Luminara di Santa Croce, illuminations of the holy cross, is a beautiful procession in Lucca, Tuscany, on September 13. The city is illuminated with thousands of candles at night as the procession goes through Lucca's historic center. (Lucca travel resources)
Feast of Saint Cipriano and Saint Cornelio, the Patron Saints of the Sardinian town of Dorgali, is celebrated for 8 days with traditional dancing and costume parades, starting the middle of September to commemorate the coming of autumn.
The Feast of San Gennaro, patron saint of Naples, celebrates the liquefying of San Gennaro's blood in Naples Cathedral on September 19, followed by eight days of processions and celebrations. (Naples Travel Planning) If you're in the US, you'll find big San Gennaro festivals in New York and LA - read more in Italian American Festivals.
Burano Regatta - Similiar to Venice's historic regata, this one takes place off the island of Burano, near Venice, the third weekend of September. Burano Regatta
Commemoration of Padre Pio is celebrated with a torchlight procession and religious ceremonies September 23 in San Giovanni Rotondo in Puglia (see Puglia map). Hundreds of stalls sell religious items and there are celebrations for several days around September 23. Visiting Padre Pio Shrine and San Giovanni Rotondo
Saint Greca Festival, is the last Sunday in September in the Sardinian town of Decimomannu near Cagliari. Festivities, lasting 5 days, include parades in costume and poetry and dialect competitions.
Feast Day of San Michele on September 29 is a popular saint's day celebrated many places in Italy, often with an agriculture festival.
