Saint Joseph Festival

The patronal feast of Santa Marinella

The Saint Joseph Festival is the main patronal feast of Santa Marinella, an elegant seaside town in the province of Rome known as the Pearl of the Tyrrhenian. Every year, around March 19th, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, the town center is transformed: Piazza Trieste, Piazza Civitavecchia, Via della Libertà, and the square in front of the Church of Saint Joseph become the stage for four days of religious celebrations, concerts, and events for all ages. It is a tradition deeply rooted in the community for decades, uniting devotion to the Patron Saint with the joy of gathering at the start of spring.

The procession and the Facchini di San Giuseppe

The most heartfelt moment of the festival is the solemn procession on March 19th, when the statue of the Saint travels through the streets of the center accompanied by the town band and the parish community, moving between the Church of the Carmelo and the Church of Saint Joseph. In 2026, the procession marked the return of one of the city's most beloved traditions: the Facchini di San Giuseppe (porters of Saint Joseph), who carry the statue of the Patron on their shoulders—a symbol of the festival that has come back to life after years of absence. The Saint's day is also marked by morning Holy Mass and the recitation of Vespers in the afternoon.

Music and entertainment in the square

Alongside the religious program, the festival offers a rich lineup of live music: concerts by local and Roman bands, performances by the town band, Latin American sounds, tribute acts, and evening DJ sets that particularly engage the younger crowd. There are also events organized by the parish, such as organ concerts in the Church of Saint Joseph, as well as cabaret performances and folk shows that have enriched the program over the years.

A festival for families and the community

The Saint Joseph Festival is designed for the entire community: art workshops for adults and children, vintage Vespa exhibitions, charity initiatives, and projects with local schools. In 2026, for example, fifth-grade students drew their vision of Saint Joseph, with their work collected in a book and a calendar kept in the church and library to build a shared historical memory.

Who organizes the festival

The 2026 edition was promoted by the local business association Perla in Rete, led by Giorgio Bianchi, in collaboration with the Parish of Saint Joseph and the Municipality of Santa Marinella. The stated goal is to promote and enhance the city, stimulate the local economy, and offer quality entertainment with modern staging and lighting that highlights the route between the squares.

Santa Marinella and the Lazio coast

The festival is also an opportunity to discover Santa Marinella, in the heart of the northern Lazio coast, between Civitavecchia and Ladispoli: the small harbor, the Odescalchi Castle, and the seafront provide the backdrop for an event that, with the arrival of spring, brings the city back to its most authentic identity.