Saint James Patronal Festival
The patronal feast of Pollena Trocchia, at the foot of Mount Vesuvius
About Saint James Festival
Saint James the Apostle, patron of Pollena Trocchia
The Saint James Patronal Festival is the most anticipated event of the year in Pollena Trocchia, a Vesuvian town in the province of Naples, Campania. The town is under the protection of Saint James the Greater, whose liturgical feast day falls on July 25th. Every summer, a four-day calendar is built around this date, blending religious celebrations and civic events, organized by the Saint James the Apostle Parish in collaboration with the festival committee and the municipal administration.
Four days of community
The festival begins in the church with evening Eucharistic celebrations led by different priests each night, continuing on the Saint's feast day with three masses from morning until sunset. The highlight occurs on Sunday, when the evening mass marks the beginning of the solemn procession with the statue of Saint James through the town's streets. It is the emotional heart of the festival: decorated streets, faithful walking in prayer, and hymns accompanying the Saint as he passes by homes, with families, the elderly, and children stepping outside to greet him or offer a prayer.
The civic program: bands, firecrackers, and music in the square
Alongside the liturgical events, the civic program in Pollena Trocchia follows a well-established tradition:
- The arrival of the brass band, traditionally the Città di Marigliano, which marches through the town streets bringing the festive spirit to every doorstep;
- the wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial in Piazza Donizetti, a civic moment that unites remembrance and celebration;
- the firecrackers at dawn on July 25th, the sound signal that wakes the town and announces the patron saint's day;
- the grand evening concert in Piazza Amodio, which over the years has featured well-known names from the Neapolitan and Italian music scene.
A town at the foot of Vesuvius
Pollena Trocchia is located on the northern slopes of Mount Vesuvius, within the National Park perimeter, just a few kilometers from Naples and the Vesuvian towns of Sant'Anastasia, Cercola, and Massa di Somma. It is a territory where popular devotion is not just a postcard-worthy tradition but a living, daily practice: patronal festivals mark the year, involve entire families, and remain one of the few moments when the whole community gathers in the same public space. Those familiar with the Vesuvian area know that the patronal feast here is simultaneously a religious rite, a social appointment, and an occasion for collective identity.
What to expect
Visitors will find an authentically local festival, free from tourist filters: illuminations along the main streets, stalls selling sweets, nougat, and toys, groups chatting on the church steps after mass, and young people waiting for the evening concert since the afternoon. There is no ticketing or fencing: access to all religious and civic events is free and open to all, making the festival particularly suitable for families with children.
When to go
The reference period is always the last ten days of July, centered on July 25th, the feast of Saint James the Greater, with the procession usually scheduled for the Sunday closest to the date. The detailed program is released by the parish, the committee, and the municipality a few days before the festivities begin and is quickly shared by the local Vesuvian press. Those wanting to experience the most intense day should choose the Sunday of the procession; those looking for the most festive and musical atmosphere should opt for the evening of the concert in Piazza Amodio.
Saint James Festival — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of the Saint James Festival
The festivities for Saint James the Greater, patron of Pollena Trocchia, took place from Thursday, July 23 to Sunday, July 26, 2026, with a calendar that alternated liturgical moments and civic events between the Church of Saint James the Apostle, Piazza Donizetti, and Piazza Amodio.
The religious heart of the festival was Saturday, July 25th, the Saint's feast day, with three holy masses, and Sunday, July 26th, when after the evening celebration presided over by Monsignor Francesco Beneduce, auxiliary bishop of Naples, the traditional procession with the image of Saint James began through the streets of the municipal territory.
On the civic side, the festival opened on Friday with the arrival of the Città di Marigliano brass band and the wreath-laying ceremony at the war memorial in Piazza Donizetti, continued at dawn on Saturday with the firing of firecrackers, and reached its most crowded moment with the concert by Gianni Fiorellino in Piazza Amodio.
The 2026 edition was dedicated to the memory of Pasquale Busiello, the historic vice-president of the festival committee who passed away in March 2026. The parish priest, Father Giuseppe Cozzolino, and the committee emphasized how the festivities represent one of the moments when the town's sense of community is most alive, capable of holding together faith and joy, spectacle and homage to the Saint.
Programme Saint James Festival 2026
Religious program - Church of Saint James the Apostle
- Thursday, July 23 - 7:00 PM: Eucharistic celebration presided over by Father Michele Madonna
- Friday, July 24 - 7:00 PM: Eucharistic celebration presided over by Father Riccardo Sansone
- Saturday, July 25 (Feast of Saint James the Greater) - Holy masses at 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 7:00 PM, the latter presided over by Father Gennaro Busiello
- Sunday, July 26 - Holy masses at 8:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 7:00 PM; the evening celebration is presided over by Monsignor Francesco Beneduce, auxiliary bishop of Naples
- Sunday, July 26, at the end of the evening mass: solemn procession with the image of Saint James through the streets of the territory
Civic program
- Friday, July 24 - 7:45 PM: Arrival of the Città di Marigliano brass band and wreath-laying at the war memorial in Piazza Donizetti
- Saturday, July 25 - 7:30 AM: Firecrackers announcing the patron saint's day
- Saturday, July 25 - 9:30 PM: Concert by Gianni Fiorellino in Piazza Amodio
Highlights Saint James Festival 2026
- Concert by Gianni Fiorellino in Piazza Amodio, Saturday, July 25 at 9:30 PM
- Solemn procession with the image of Saint James, Sunday, July 26 after the 7:00 PM mass
- Mass presided over by Monsignor Francesco Beneduce, auxiliary bishop of Naples
- Città di Marigliano brass band and wreath-laying at the war memorial in Piazza Donizetti
- Firecrackers at dawn on July 25, the Saint's feast day
- Edition dedicated to the memory of Pasquale Busiello, vice-president of the festival committee
Prices Saint James Festival 2026
Practical information — Saint James Festival
How to get there
Pollena Trocchia (NA) can be reached by car via the SS268 del Vesuvio or the A3 Naples-Salerno motorway. By train, the reference station is Pollena Trocchia on the EAV Circumvesuviana network, with direct connections from Naples Porta Garibaldi in about 18 minutes; the station is also served by several bus lines.
Where it takes place
Religious celebrations are held in the Church of Saint James the Apostle. Civic events are concentrated in Piazza Donizetti, where the war memorial is located, and in Piazza Amodio, the venue for the evening concert. The procession travels through the streets of the town center and the municipal territory.
Costs
Admission is free and open to all events, both religious and civic. No advance booking is required.
Practical tips
On concert evenings, the streets around Piazza Amodio may be closed to traffic: it is advisable to leave your car on the outskirts and reach the center on foot. For overnight stays, the widest range of options is available in Naples, Herculaneum, or Sant'Anastasia, all less than half an hour away. Bring water: at the end of July, Vesuvian evenings remain warm and the procession is long.
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Where does it take place — Saint James Festival
Chiesa di San Giacomo Apostolo, Piazza Amodio e Piazza Donizetti