San Gennaro Festival (Patronal Feast of Notaresco)

The Patronal Feast of Notaresco

The San Gennaro Festival is the main civil and religious celebration in Notaresco, a hillside village in the province of Teramo, Abruzzo. Every year, around September 19th — the liturgical date of the bishop and martyr — the community gathers around its patron saint with a program that weaves together devotion, music, and conviviality. San Gennaro, most famous as the patron saint of Naples, is also venerated in Notaresco, where his feast day has marked the end of summer and the return to village life for generations.

Faith and Procession

The religious heart of the festival is the solemn procession that winds through the streets of the historic center: the statue of the saint is carried on shoulders through decorated streets, accompanied by clergy, confraternities, and the faithful. Celebrations take place in the parish church dedicated to Saints Peter and Andrew the Apostles, with Holy Masses marking the most solemn moments of the patronal day. It is a rite that renews the bond between the Notaresco community and its identity every year.

Music, Illuminations, and Shows

Alongside the religious dimension, the festival offers the traditional flair of Abruzzese patronal feasts: illuminations lighting up the main street and squares, brass band concerts and evening musical performances, entertainment for all ages, and the spectacular fireworks that conclude the festivities. The village streets fill with stalls, sweets, and local products, creating a joyful atmosphere that involves all generations.

The Territory

Notaresco is a small town nestled in the Teramo hills, a short distance from the Adriatic Sea and the Vomano valley. A member of the National Association of Wine Cities, the village is also known for its winemaking tradition and the hamlet of Guardia Vomano, home to the famous Romanesque abbey of San Clemente al Vomano. The patronal feast is the perfect opportunity to discover this authentic corner of Abruzzo, far from the major tourist circuits but rich in history and flavor.

A Community Gathering

Like many patron saint festivals, the San Gennaro feast in Notaresco is above all a moment of reunion: for the town's inhabitants, for those who have emigrated and return home, and for visitors from neighboring towns. The combination of the sacred and the profane, of reflection and celebration, makes it one of the most vibrant traditions in the September calendar of the Teramo area.