Festa dei Navigli

The festival that inaugurates Milan's summer

The Festa dei Navigli is one of Milan's most beloved and popular events. It traditionally takes place on the first Sunday of June, coinciding with Republic Day, along the banks of the Naviglio Grande and Naviglio Pavese canals, in the famous Navigli district (Municipality 1 and Municipality 6). It is the event that, in effect, kicks off the city's summer season of festivals and cultural events.

Historical origins

The festival, born in the early seventies, has its roots in an ancient procession dedicated to San Cristoforo dating back to the 14th century. The Navigli are a historic system of artificial canals built starting from the 12th century to connect Milan to the Lombard rivers and lakes, and developed in the 15th century also thanks to Leonardo da Vinci's studies on locks. Celebrating the Navigli therefore means rediscovering a fundamental piece of Milan's identity and history.

Stalls, shows, and water races

For the occasion, the canals are specially illuminated, and the banks are filled with about 150 stalls offering crafts, food, sweets, flowers, toys, and clothing. The program is very rich: games, music, theatre and folklore shows, traditional dances, concerts, songs, fireworks, photography and painting exhibitions, and sports competitions, including a famous swimming race in the canal.

The torchlight procession

Closing the day is the charming torchlight procession along the water, a symbolic and traditional moment that gives the Navigli district a unique atmosphere. Amidst stalls of handmade artistic crafts, folklore shows, and live music, the Festa dei Navigli attracts tens of thousands of visitors from Milan and all over Lombardy every year, on one of the liveliest and most colorful days of early summer.