Great May 1st Fair (Sant'Agnese Fair)

The most popular market fair in the Valdichiana

On Labor Day, Montepulciano experiences one of its busiest and most festive days of the year with the Great May 1st Fair, also known as the Sant'Agnese Fair due to its connection with the city's patron saint. It is a traditional event that attracts a significant number of visitors from across the Sienese Valdichiana and neighboring provinces every year, drawn by the combination of market stalls, popular devotion, and entertainment.

A historic center filled with stalls

For one day, the Renaissance village of Montepulciano, in the heart of the province of Siena, turns into an immense open-air market. According to the trade plan approved by the Municipality, over 200 merchant and exhibitor stalls occupy a total area of approximately 7,000 square meters. The stalls are spread along Viale Calamandrei, Piazza Don Minzoni, Piazza Sant'Agnese, Via Sangallo, the Poggiofanti Garden, Viale 1° Maggio, Via M. Cappelli, Piazza Moulins, Piazza Bracci Testasecca, and other streets in the center. You can find everything: clothing, footwear, household goods, local products, handicrafts, and gastronomy.

The parade and Holy Mass at Sant'Agnese

The day begins early in the morning with the worker's wake-up call: around 7:30 AM, the Banda Poliziana enlivens the streets of the historic center with its music. At 8:00 AM, the traditional parade begins, winding its way from Piazza Grande to the Cloister of the Church of Sant'Agnese to the notes of the Workers' Hymn. Here, at 8:30 AM, Holy Mass is celebrated, a moment of profound devotional significance for the local community.

Funfair and entertainment for everyone

Alongside the market, a funfair with over 40 attractions is set up in Piazza P. Nenni, remaining open beyond May 1st to accompany the holiday weekend. The fair thus becomes an opportunity for families, young people, and curious visitors to spend a day enjoying shopping, rides, and a festive atmosphere.

A tradition that blends commerce and devotion

The Great May 1st Fair perfectly represents the soul of Montepulciano, the city of Vino Nobile and a Renaissance jewel of southern Tuscany: an event where mercantile tradition intertwines with popular celebration and the spirituality linked to Saint Agnes. For those visiting the Valdichiana in spring, it is the ideal occasion to discover the village on its most vibrant day.