San Gaudenzio Patronal Festival
Novara's patron saint festival, blending faith, tradition, and sport
About San Gaudenzio
The Patron Saint of Novara
The San Gaudenzio Patronal Festival is the most important event in the religious and civic calendar of Novara, the capital of the province of the same name in Piedmont. San Gaudenzio, the city's first bishop who lived between the 4th and 5th centuries, is the patron saint of both the municipality and the entire Novara Diocese. The famous Basilica of San Gaudenzio is dedicated to him, topped by the dome designed by Alessandro Antonelli, an unmistakable symbol of the city skyline.
The Flower Ceremony
The highlight of the festival is the Flower Ceremony, held on January 22nd in the basilica. According to tradition, the saint made flowers and fruits bloom in the middle of winter to honor a visit from Saint Ambrose; to this day, this symbolic gesture is renewed during the solemn celebration. The Pontifical Mass is presided over by the Bishop of Novara, Monsignor Franco Giulio Brambilla, accompanied by the Cathedral Musical Chapel, and is preceded by a Civic Procession that winds through the center with authorities, associations, and the city band.
The Fair and Chestnuts
Alongside the religious celebrations, the traditional San Gaudenzio Fair takes place: along the Baluardo Quintino Sella and in the streets of the center, dozens of stalls line up with sweets, local products from all over Italy, and the famous chestnuts (roasted "marunat"), for a day of popular celebration that attracts visitors from across the Novara lowlands.
Culture, Music, and Sport
The program is enriched every year by numerous initiatives spread across the city's iconic landmarks—the Broletto, the Visconti-Sforza Castle, the Teatro Coccia, and the basilica itself. Recurring events include the presentation of the Sigillum Communitatis Novariae and the Novarese of the Year award, as well as exhibitions, conferences, the dialect event "Cara, vègia Nuara" organized by the Pro Loco, and the Official San Gaudenzio Concert in the basilica. Closing the festivities, the Novara Half Marathon is a major running event that gathers thousands of participants every year.
A Community Celebration
Between faith, folklore, and popular traditions, the San Gaudenzio Festival is much more than a religious anniversary: it is the moment when Novara rediscovers its identity and gathers, citizens and visitors alike, around the saint who has protected the city for centuries.
San Gaudenzio — edition 2026
San Gaudenzio 2026
I festeggiamenti del patrono si sono aperti sabato 17 gennaio con l'apertura dello Scurolo della Basilica di San Gaudenzio (ore 16) e la venerazione delle reliquie, possibile per tutto il periodo della festa.
Giovedì 22 gennaio — Solennità
- Ore 9:45 — ritrovo in Piazza Matteotti per il Corteo Civico
- Ore 10:00 — partenza della sfilata verso la basilica
- Ore 10:15 — Cerimonia del Fiore e Messa pontificale presieduta dal vescovo mons. Franco Giulio Brambilla, con la Cappella Musicale del Duomo di Novara
Nella stessa giornata si è tenuta la tradizionale Sagra di San Gaudenzio, con bancarelle di dolciumi, prodotti tipici e marroni lungo il Baluardo Quintino Sella e le vie del centro.
Gli altri appuntamenti
- 20 gennaio — consegna del Sigillum Communitatis Novariae al Broletto
- Inaugurazione della mostra "Connessioni Gaudenziane" al Quadriportico di Palazzo Natta
- Quarta edizione di "Cara, vègia Nuara" al Salone Arengo del Broletto, a cura della Pro Loco
- Premio Novarese dell'Anno
- 25 gennaio — Novara Half Marathon (mezza maratona da 21,097 km e San Gaudenzio Run 10 km), edizione da record con il sold out
- 30 gennaio, ore 20:45 — Concerto ufficiale di San Gaudenzio in basilica
La chiusura dello Scurolo è avvenuta sabato 31 gennaio alle ore 18.
Programme San Gaudenzio 2026
Sabato 17 gennaio
- Ore 16:00 — Apertura dello Scurolo di San Gaudenzio e venerazione delle reliquie
Lunedì 20 gennaio
- Broletto — Consegna del Sigillum Communitatis Novariae
Giovedì 22 gennaio — Solennità di San Gaudenzio
- Ore 9:45 — Ritrovo del Corteo Civico in Piazza Matteotti
- Ore 10:00 — Partenza della sfilata del Corteo Civico verso la Basilica
- Ore 10:15 — Cerimonia del Fiore e Messa pontificale presieduta da mons. Franco Giulio Brambilla, con la Cappella Musicale del Duomo
- Tutto il giorno — Sagra di San Gaudenzio: bancarelle di dolci, prodotti tipici e marroni lungo il Baluardo Quintino Sella e nel centro storico
- Ore 11:00 — Inaugurazione della mostra "Connessioni Gaudenziane" al Quadriportico di Palazzo Natta
- Ore 15:00 — "Cara, vègia Nuara" (IV edizione) al Salone Arengo del Broletto, a cura della Pro Loco Novara
Domenica 25 gennaio
- Novara Half Marathon — mezza maratona competitiva FIDAL da 21,097 km e San Gaudenzio Run 10 km (partenza 10 km ore 9:45), edizione con il tutto esaurito
Venerdì 30 gennaio
- Ore 20:45 — Concerto ufficiale di San Gaudenzio in Basilica
Sabato 31 gennaio
- Ore 18:00 — Chiusura dello Scurolo di San Gaudenzio
Highlights San Gaudenzio 2026
Prices San Gaudenzio 2026
Practical information — San Gaudenzio
When
The festivities take place in the second half of January, with the opening of the Scurolo around January 17th and the main solemnity on January 22nd. The Fair is held on January 22nd.
Where
Basilica of San Gaudenzio (Via San Gaudenzio 21) for celebrations; Baluardo Quintino Sella and the historic center for the Fair. On the day of the Fair, the Baluardo Quintino Sella is closed to traffic from the early morning.
How to get there
Novara is accessible by train (the station is well-connected to Turin and Milan) and by car via the A4 Turin-Milan and A26 motorways. The historic center is easily walkable.
Costs and information
Free admission to celebrations. Information: [email protected], tel. +39 0321 3702755.
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Where does it take place — San Gaudenzio
Basilica di San Gaudenzio
Via San Gaudenzio 21, 28100 Novara