Estate a Suso

A community festival in the hills of Sezze

Estate a Suso — abbreviated by the organizers as EaS — is the summer festival that brings life to Suso, a hillside hamlet in the Municipality of Sezze, in the province of Latina, Lazio. It is organized by the village's two parish communities, San Francesco Saverio and Santi Sebastiano e Rocco, united under the SUSO APS ASD association. Launched in 2018, the event has grown with each edition to become one of the most anticipated highlights of the Sezze summer, earning a spot in the official municipal «Estate Setina» calendar, which features over forty events from June to September.

Two parishes, two moments of celebration

The format remains true to its origins: the festival is split into two parts, hosted on the grounds of the hamlet's two churches. In late July, the San Francesco Saverio parish on Via Chiesa Nuova takes the lead with three evenings of music and a singing competition for children and teenagers, concluding with a Sunday Mass accompanied by the choir and a spectacular fireworks display. Around Ferragosto, the festivities move to the Santi Sebastiano e Rocco parish, where live music evenings culminate on August 16th with a procession, solemn Mass, the distribution of the Bread of Saint Roch, fireworks, and the lottery draw.

Music for everyone, from kids to bands

The heart of the festival is popular and square-style music: orchestras and bands playing ballroom and pop music take the stage night after night, drawing families and vacationers from Sezze and the surrounding towns of the Lepini Mountains. A singing competition is reserved for the youngest, reaching its fourth edition in 2026 under the title «Voci di pace» (Voices of Peace), alongside appearances by local motorcycle clubs and religious-themed performances.

The Bread of Saint Roch and religious tradition

Alongside the concerts, Estate a Suso maintains a strong devotional soul. The most heartfelt moment occurs on the evening of August 16th, the liturgical feast of Saint Roch: the procession winds through the hamlet, followed by Mass and the traditional distribution of the Bread of Saint Roch, a gesture rooted in popular devotion to the pilgrim saint, invoked for centuries against epidemics and as a protector of rural communities.

Food stalls and conviviality

Each evening is accompanied by food stalls set up by volunteers, where you can enjoy local dishes in the atmosphere of a true village festival. The parish lottery, with the final draw on the closing night, helps support the activities of the two parishes.

Suso, a balcony over the Lepini Mountains

Suso stands just a few kilometers from the historic center of Sezze, one of the oldest towns in the Lepini Mountains, overlooking the Pontine Plain. Attending Estate a Suso is also an opportunity to discover this authentic corner of Lazio: the medieval alleys of Sezze, the panoramic views of the hills, and a peasant culinary tradition that features the Sezze artichoke as its signature product.