Festa del Quartiere San Rocco

A neighbourhood festival in the heart of the Marche

The Festa del Quartiere San Rocco is one of the most beloved neighbourhood festivals of the summer in Matelica, a town in the Marche hinterland in the province of Macerata, in the Marche Region. For over twenty years, the San Rocco district has come together around its festival: born in the early 2000s, in 2026 it will reach its 23rd edition, a sign of rare continuity for an event organized entirely by volunteers from the Comitato Feste Quartiere San Rocco.

When and where

The 2026 edition is scheduled from Thursday 20 to Sunday 23 August, at the Bocciofila square in Matelica, the outdoor space that has hosted the festival for years. Four evenings that beautifully close the Matelica summer, in a period of the year when the town experiences a season rich in neighbourhood events, sagre (local festivals), and traditional gatherings.

The spirit of the neighbourhood festival

Neighbourhood festivals like this represent an important piece of the popular tradition of the small towns of the Marche: not grand spectacular events, but occasions for meeting where the inhabitants of the district roll up their sleeves to cook, set up, and liven up the evenings. Around the outdoor tables, between a dish of traditional Marche cuisine and an evening of dancing, the sense of community that characterizes the life of the Apennine villages is strengthened.

What to expect

• Food stalls with local dishes served by the committee's volunteers
• Live music and dancing evenings in the square
• Family atmosphere, suitable for adults and children
• Free admission to the festival area

The detailed program for each evening, with times and musical events, is usually published by the Committee on its social media pages and in the Pro Matelica event calendar in the weeks preceding the event.

Matelica and its territory

Visiting Matelica during the festival is also an opportunity to discover a town with a compact historic centre, famous for its Verdicchio di Matelica DOC, one of the great white wines of the Marche, and for a summer calendar that intertwines neighbourhood festivals, historical reenactments, and food and wine events. An ideal destination for those who love the authentic Italy of small towns.