Baccanale Festival (with San Marco Fair and Palio delle Contrade)
The great spring festival of Campagnano di Roma: San Marco Fair, grilled artichokes, and the Palio delle Contrade
About Baccanale Festival
The Baccanale Festival in Campagnano di Roma
In the heart of the Monti Sabatini, just a few kilometers from Lake Bracciano and on the outskirts of Rome, the Baccanale Festival has been the signature event of Campagnano di Roma—a town in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital in Lazio—for over sixty years. Rooted in the farming and winemaking traditions that give the festival its name, echoing ancient celebrations in honor of Bacchus, the event combines a mercantile fair, seasonal gastronomy, and historical re-enactment into one grand spring celebration that reaches its 66th edition in 2026.
The San Marco Fair and grilled artichokes
The festivities traditionally kick off on April 25th with the San Marco Fair, one of the oldest in the area: around two hundred exhibitors fill the historic center and the town streets with local products, handicrafts, and stalls. The absolute star is the Campagnano artichoke, thousands of which are cooked on the grill for the Scarciofata alla campagnanese, accompanied by Sarcicciata alla panonta—roasted sausage served on seasoned bread. The event also features the lighting of bonfires and the re-enactment of ancient local rural traditions.
The Palio delle Contrade and the donkey race
The spectacular heart of the festival is the Palio delle Contrade, which sees the eight local districts (Contrade) compete against each other. The main days are filled with the blessing of the Contrade, the presentation of the Palio banner, evening historical costume parades, and a fireworks display. The most anticipated moment is the grand Renaissance historical pageant, which commemorates the visit to the castle of Campagnano by Prince Paolo Giordano I Orsini and Isabella de' Medici, followed by the donkey-back challenge, the famous Palio dei Somari, along Corso Vittorio Emanuele.
A community-wide event
The Baccanale Festival is organized by the Municipality of Campagnano di Roma in collaboration with the Pro Loco, the Aps Baccanale, and the eight Contrade, who spend weeks working on floats, costumes, and food stalls. The result is an authentic popular event that weaves together faith, history, flavors, and competition, attracting thousands of visitors from the Roman area and the nearby Tuscia region every year.
- Where: Historic center of Campagnano di Roma (RM), Lazio
- When: Between late April and early May
- Don't miss: The Scarciofata, the San Marco Fair, the historical pageant, and the Palio dei Somari
Baccanale Festival — edition 2026
2026 Edition
The 66th edition of the Baccanale Festival brought Campagnano di Roma to life from April 25 to May 3, 2026, confirming its rich calendar of fairs, gastronomy, and historical re-enactments.
On April 25, the San Marco Fair filled the center with around two hundred exhibitors, while thousands of artichokes were grilled for the Scarciofata alla campagnanese, accompanied by Sarcicciata alla panonta. The weekend of May 1st–3rd was dedicated to the Palio delle Contrade, with the blessing of the eight districts, evening costume parades, a fireworks display, and the grand finale on Sunday with the Renaissance historical pageant and the Palio dei Somari along Corso Vittorio Emanuele.
Programme Baccanale Festival 2026
April 25 - San Marco Fair and gastronomic tradition
- San Marco Fair with about 200 exhibitors in the historic center
- Scarciofata alla campagnanese: artichokes cooked on the grill
- Sarcicciata alla panonta
- Lighting of bonfires and re-enactment of rural traditions
April 30 - Culture and promotion
- Conference on the Campagnano artichoke and future prospects
May 1 - Tradition, spirituality, and entertainment
- Blessing of the Contrade and delivery of the Palio
- Official presentation of the 2026 Palio
- Evening historical costume parade in the historic center
- Final fireworks display
May 2 - The Night of the Contrade
- Opening of the Contrade food and wine stands
- Tastings of traditional cuisine, music, and street performers
- Drawing of the Palio heats
May 3 - The big day of the Palio
- Renaissance historical pageant along Via Roma and Corso Vittorio Emanuele (2:30 PM) commemorating the visit of Paolo Giordano I Orsini and Isabella de' Medici
- Palio delle Contrade with the donkey-back challenge - Palio dei Somari (4:00 PM)
- Award ceremony for the winning Contrada
Highlights Baccanale Festival 2026
- 66th edition of the historic spring festival
- San Marco Fair with about 200 exhibitors
- Scarciofata alla campagnanese: thousands of grilled artichokes
- Renaissance historical costume pageant
- Palio delle Contrade and Palio dei Somari
Prices Baccanale Festival 2026
Practical information — Baccanale Festival
How to get there
Campagnano di Roma is located in northern Lazio, within the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, along the Via Cassia. By car, it can be reached via the A1 motorway (exit Roma Nord/Magliano Sabina) or the SS2 Cassia road. It is connected to Rome by Cotral bus lines. The nearest airport is Rome Fiumicino.
Admission
Access to the fair and events in the center is free; the Contrade food stalls and the Scarciofata operate on a pay-per-consumption basis. The historic center is largely pedestrianized during the event: it is recommended to park in the outer areas and continue on foot.
Tips
The peak days are April 25th (San Marco Fair) and the weekend of the Palio delle Contrade (May 1st–3rd). For the historical pageant and the donkey race, it is advisable to arrive early along Corso Vittorio Emanuele.
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Where does it take place — Baccanale Festival
Centro storico di Campagnano di Roma