May 1st at the Tevere Magliana and Marconi Parks

A neighborhood May Day on the banks of the Tiber

The May 1st at the Tevere Magliana and Marconi Parks event is a Labor Day celebration promoted by the Municipio XI Arvalia Portuense of the City of Rome, in the heart of the Lazio Region. Unlike the large-scale events in the historic center, this May Day takes the form of a community festival: two parks overlooking the river, dozens of neighborhood associations, and thousands of citizens peacefully occupying public space from morning until sunset.

The day takes place simultaneously on both banks, at Parco Tevere Magliana and Parco Tevere Marconi, with distinct yet complementary programs. Admission is free and open to everyone.

Two parks as symbols of environmental reclamation

The two spaces hosting the festival are no ordinary locations. Parco Tevere Magliana, along the Lungotevere della Magliana, was born from the recovery of a long-abandoned river area and is now the capital's first river-facing park, featuring playgrounds, sports facilities, and green paths. Parco Tevere Marconi, on the opposite bank, was inaugurated in 2022 as an environmental and landscape regeneration project supported by the Lazio Region, Roma Capitale, and Municipio XI.

Choosing these two parks for Labor Day carries an explicit symbolic value: a memory of the fight for rights on one hand, and collective rebirth and the reappropriation of common spaces on the other. It is a perspective on May Day that speaks of labor, the environment, and citizenship all at once.

How the day unfolds

The festival begins in the early morning with the setup of association stands along the park paths. From 10:00 AM until sunset, the following activities take place continuously:

• Live music on stages set up in both parks, featuring local bands and artists;
• Debates and discussions on labor, rights, the environment, and neighborhood life;
• Creative, artistic, and educational workshops for children, teenagers, and adults;
• Sports activities and outdoor games, organized by local sports clubs;
• Theater and street performances;
• Information booths for volunteer associations, neighborhood committees, and third-sector organizations.

A network of over fifty local entities

The program is the result of joint work between Municipio XI, Habicura, and CSV Lazio (Lazio Volunteer Service Center), along with over fifty associations, social cooperatives, committees, and informal groups active in the Magliana, Marconi, and Portuense neighborhoods. It is this network that gives the day its character: not an event imposed from above, but a tapestry of grassroots initiatives involving different generations and cultures.

Who it is for

The festival is designed for families and the local neighborhood, but it is easily accessible from all over Rome. Visitors from outside the area will find a non-touristy, highly authentic way to experience the Roman May Day: no massive concert crowds, but instead lawns, the river, food from local associations, music at a human volume, and the chance to talk with those who truly inhabit the territory. Children have access to large green spaces, equipped playgrounds, and dedicated workshops throughout the day.

Good to know

As this is a free event organized by the Municipality, the detailed program—including schedules, stages, and participating associations—is usually published a few days in advance on the official Roma Capitale website in the form of downloadable flyers, one for Parco Tevere Magliana and one for Parco Tevere Marconi. It is recommended to check these on the eve of the event to navigate between the two banks.