Feast of the Most Holy Mary Bambina and the Dance of the Signoraccia

The most anticipated event in Sambuci

Around September 8th, the liturgical feast of the Nativity of Mary, the small village of Sambuci celebrates its patron saint with the Festivities in honor of the Most Holy Mary Bambina, the most important annual event for the community. For three days—traditionally the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday closest to September 8th—the village is immersed in religious rites, musical performances, games, and evening festivities in the square, blending the sacred and the profane in the typical style of Lazio's patronal feasts.

The Dance of the Signoraccia

The moment that makes the Sambuci feast unique is the Dance of the Signoraccia, the closing ritual of the celebrations. The Signoraccia is a towering papier-mâché puppet with feminine features that is brought to Piazza Roma and made to dance among the crowd. At the peak of the evening, the effigy is set on fire amidst singing, dancing, and music, often accompanied by fireworks. According to local tradition, this is a re-enactment of an ancient pagan ritual: a farewell to summer and a good omen for the coming cold season.

Between legend and castle: who is the Signoraccia?

The puppet's name is rooted in the legends of Castello Theodoli, the 13th-century fortress that dominates the village. It is said that within its halls—such as the famous Sala della Gerusalemme Liberata, frescoed with scenes from Tasso's poem—wanders the ghost of a woman known to all as «the Signoraccia», the guardian of a hidden treasure that no one, not even Maria Theodoli, the castle's last owner, was ever able to find. Burning the Signoraccia in the square is thus a playful and liberating way for the village to exorcise its most famous ghost.

The religious program of the Nativity of Mary

Alongside the entertainment, the feast maintains a rich devotional calendar. The statue of the Most Holy Mary Bambina is carried in procession through the village streets by the G. Verdi Musical Band of Sambuci, accompanied by solemn masses, an evening candlelight procession, traditional blank-cartridge shots fired in honor of the Madonna, and a tribute at the War Memorial. A special ritual links the feast to the festaroli, the families who host the statue from year to year and take on the honor of organizing the festivities.

Estate Sambuci: a month of shows

In recent years, the Festival Committee has expanded the program: in 2025, Estate Sambuci was born, offering nearly a month of events from August 14th to September 7th under the patronage of the Lazio Region and the Municipality of Sambuci. Between Piazza Roma and the gardens of Villa Theodoli, the program features cabaret nights, tribute bands, DJ sets, and concerts by national guests—in 2025, performers included Anna Tatangelo, Manuela Villa, L'Orchestraccia, and comedians Martufello and Dado—leading up to the grand finale with the Signoraccia.

Sambuci, a village in the Giovenzano Valley

The Municipality of Sambuci, with just over 900 inhabitants in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, is located in the green Giovenzano Valley, between Tivoli and the Monti Ruffi, about 50 kilometers from Rome. The village preserves the Castello Theodoli with its Italian-style garden and a compact historic center: the September feast is the perfect opportunity to discover this authentic corner of the Lazio Region, where popular traditions remain alive and deeply felt.