Saint Patrick's Day - Summer Edition

A slice of Ireland in the province of Rome

The Saint Patrick's Day - Summer Edition is the Irish-themed festival of Montelibretti, a town in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital overlooking the Sabina region in Lazio. Although the name recalls the March 17th celebration, the main edition of the event is held every year at the end of June: a choice made to enjoy live outdoor music during summer evenings, when the Parco della Resistenza can host the stage, stands, and food area without the winter chill.

The Parco della Resistenza in Celtic style

For two evenings, the municipal park is decorated like a landscape from the Emerald Isle: greenery, warm lights, and scenery inhabited by fairies and leprechauns that accompany visitors along the path of the stands. It is a setup that focuses heavily on atmosphere, making the festival a recognizable fixture in the summer calendar of the Tiber Valley and Roman Sabina towns.

Folk music, dancing, and bagpipes

The heart of the program is Irish and Celtic folk music, with live concerts taking place over the two evenings. Alongside the musical groups, there are Irish dance schools, which do not just perform but also involve the public by teaching the steps of the island's traditional dances. Another highly anticipated moment is the bagpipes: the art of playing the bagpipes has been recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage since 2017, and the pipe band parades remain among the most photographed images of the event.

Vikings, crafts, and entertainment

The festival goes beyond just concerts. In recent years, the program has been enriched with a Viking historical camp, featuring combat demonstrations, crafts, and the daily life of the Northern peoples who colonized Ireland: an educational and spectacular section that is highly appreciated by families. For children, there is entertainment from the moment the stands open in the early afternoon/evening.

• Live folk and folk-rock concerts
• Irish dance performances and open lessons
• Bagpipe shows with pipe bands
• Viking-Gaelic historical camp
• Children's entertainment and themed scenery
• Irish beer and food stands

Beer and cuisine from the Emerald Isle

The food and wine aspect is an essential component: draught beer and dishes inspired by Irish cuisine are served at the stands, which remain open for the duration of the evenings, with street-food style options that allow for dining outdoors between sets. In recent editions, there has also been a late-night DJ set that extends the party for younger audiences.

Organizers

The event is managed by the cultural association Il Veliero, which is active in the Montelibretti area, also managing natural spaces such as the sulfur oasis and the municipal picnic area. Saint Patrick's Day has become its flagship event, capable of attracting visitors from neighboring towns in the Sabina and Tiburtina areas.

Why attend

It is a free-entry, open-air festival that works well for those looking for quality folk music as well as those wanting to spend an evening with the family. The scale remains that of a town of just over five thousand inhabitants, with the hospitality and prices that come with it: a genuine alternative to the large summer festivals of the capital, less than an hour's drive from Rome.