Sagra delle Rose Festival
The grand festival of the Santa Lucia districts, featuring allegorical floats, concerts, and food stalls
About Sagra delle Rose
A tradition spanning nearly half a century
The Sagra delle Rose is the premier event of the Municipality of Fonte Nuova, in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the heart of the Lazio Region. Born in the late 1970s in the Santa Lucia district, it has spanned nearly fifty years of local history, reaching its 48th edition in 2026. This is not an event imposed from above; it is built from the ground up, year after year, by the residents of the districts and an army of volunteers who gather every spring to set up the square, the floats, and the kitchens.
The six districts and the challenge of the allegorical floats
The heart of the Sagra is the parade of allegorical floats, which winds along Via Palombarese to Piazza delle Rose. Six historic districts compete for the title, each with its own banner blessed during the opening mass: Santa Lucia, San Giuseppe, Lo Sport, La Brocca, Le Molette, and Monte Bianco. Each district works for weeks in makeshift workshops, bringing together blacksmiths, carpenters, plumbers, artisans, and local youth. The floats reach impressive dimensions—eight meters long by four wide is not uncommon—and address themes of current events, satire, and fantasy. In 2025, the Le Molette district won with the float Petals and Circuits, dedicated to the contrast between authentic nature and artificial intelligence, ending a thirty-six-year drought.
Music, cabaret, and entertainment
The evening schedule is packed and intentionally popular, designed for an audience of all ages. It features a mix of tribute bands and local groups, dance nights, DJ sets, cabaret shows with comedians known to the Roman public, dance performances, and themed evenings. The closing ceremony includes the lottery draw, the district awards, and a grand finale with a concert and fireworks over Piazza delle Rose.
The food stalls
The food stalls open every evening at 7:00 PM and are managed directly by the volunteers of the Quelli della Sagra association. The cuisine is rooted in Roman and Lazio traditions: fried foods, pasta dishes, grilled meats, and homemade desserts. One of the most beloved events is the Supplì Festival, accompanied by Roman folk singers, celebrating one of the absolute symbols of Roman street food.
More than just entertainment: sports and community
The Sagra also hosts sports and social initiatives: district football tournaments, the ICS Volley festival, mini-volleyball in the square, children's games, and activities organized by the parish summer camp. At the end of June, the ecosystem of events is completed with the Trail dei Fontanili, a road and off-road race organized with Lazio Runners.
A recognized local event
The event takes place under the patronage of the Municipality of Fonte Nuova and the Lazio Region and is supported by a network of local commercial sponsors. Every year, the municipal administration adopts a specific ordinance for decorum and safety, including restrictions on the sale of beverages in glass containers during the evening hours: a sign of the event's now supra-municipal scale, attracting visitors from the entire Tiburtina area and the north-east outskirts of Rome.
Sagra delle Rose — edition 2026
48th edition: two weeks of celebration
The 2026 edition of the Sagra delle Rose confirmed the formula that made the Fonte Nuova event famous: thirteen consecutive days of events in Piazza delle Rose, with food stalls opening every evening at 7:00 PM and a different show every night. The highlight was Saturday, May 30, with the parade of the six districts' allegorical floats along Via Palombarese.
The musical lineup ranged from tribute bands to DJ sets, including cabaret and live tarantella, while daytime events engaged children and families with games, mini-volleyball, and entertainment. The Supplì Festival on June 2, with Roman folk singers, represented the most iconic moment on the gastronomic front.
Programme Sagra delle Rose 2026
Sunday, May 24
- 7:00 PM — Opening Holy Mass with blessing of district banners
Wednesday, May 27
- 4:00 PM — Mini-volleyball in the square
- 7:00 PM — Food stalls open
- 8:00 PM — Dance night with Giuliano and Ilenia
Thursday, May 28
- 7:00 PM — Food stalls open
- 8:00 PM — Concert by I Fiori Neri (Nomadi Tribute Band)
Friday, May 29
- 7:00 PM — Food stalls open
- 9:00 PM — DJ set by Molella
Saturday, May 30
- 7:00 PM — Food stalls open
- 8:30 PM — Allegorical float parade along Via Palombarese
Sunday, May 31
- 4:00 PM — Children's games
- 7:00 PM — Food stalls open
- 9:00 PM — Cabaret with Carmine Faraco
Monday, June 1
- 7:00 PM — Food stalls open
- 8:00 PM — Concert by Daje Gas
Tuesday, June 2
- 7:00 PM — Food stalls open
- 7:00 PM — Supplì Festival with Roman folk singers
Wednesday, June 3
- 7:00 PM — Food stalls open
- 8:00 PM — ICS Volley Party
- 9:00 PM — Battiato Rock Concert
Thursday, June 4
- 7:00 PM — Food stalls open
- 9:00 PM — Live Tarantella with Tequila & Montepulciano Band
Friday, June 5
- 4:00 PM — Summer camp entertainment
- 7:00 PM — Food stalls open
- 9:00 PM — Cabaret with Gemelli di Guidonia
Saturday, June 6
- 7:00 PM — Food stalls open
- 9:00 PM — Concert by Jolly Blu
Sunday, June 7
- 7:00 PM — Food stalls open
- 9:00 PM — 'Danzando tra le Rose' show
Monday, June 8
- 8:00 PM — Lottery draw
- 9:00 PM — District awards ceremony
- 10:00 PM — Grand finale with concert and fireworks
Highlights Sagra delle Rose 2026
- Allegorical float parade of the six districts along Via Palombarese, Saturday, May 30 at 8:30 PM
- DJ set by Molella, Friday, May 29
- Cabaret with Carmine Faraco and Gemelli di Guidonia
- Supplì Festival with Roman folk singers, June 2
- Grand finale on June 8 with awards, concert, and fireworks
Prices Sagra delle Rose 2026
Practical information — Sagra delle Rose
Location
Piazza delle Rose and surrounding streets, Santa Lucia district, Fonte Nuova (RM). The float parade travels along Via Palombarese.
How to get there
By car: from Rome, take Via Nomentana (SS4) to Fonte Nuova, then Via Palombarese; approximately 20 km from the Grande Raccordo Anulare. Parking is available in the surrounding areas, but on parade nights, it is advisable to arrive well in advance as central streets are closed to traffic.
By public transport: Cotral bus lines from Rome Ponte Mammolo towards Mentana/Palombara Sabina, stop at Santa Lucia di Fonte Nuova.
Admission and costs
Free entry to the festival area and all shows. Food at the stalls, funfair attractions, and lottery tickets are paid.
Tips
Stalls open at 7:00 PM: for the night of the parade, it is recommended to arrive by 8:00 PM to find a spot along the Palombarese. The event is suitable for families with children.
Information
Associazione Quelli della Sagra — tel. +39 342 7311381 — official website sagradellerose.it
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Where does it take place — Sagra delle Rose
Piazza delle Rose - Santa Lucia di Fonte Nuova
Piazza delle Rose, 00013 Fonte Nuova