San Giuseppe Fair

A fair with over 130 years of history

The San Giuseppe Fair is one of Tivoli's oldest and most cherished traditions. It was established by a City Council resolution on February 2, 1895, under Mayor Giovanni Battista Giannozzi, as a market for goods and livestock to be held on March 19, 20, and 21, with the aim of boosting the local economy. The first edition took place in the area between Porta Santa Croce, Prato San Giovanni, and the towers of the Rocca Pia, and was inaugurated in grand style: a lottery with 111 prizes—the first being a clock with two metal candelabras donated by King Umberto I—historical tournaments, horse races at Villa d'Este, concerts in the main squares, and even hot air balloon launches.

From a livestock market to a major city event

Suspended during the Second World War, the fair resumed in 1949 thanks to Mayor Ignazio Missoni, to whom one of the streets on the fair route is now dedicated. In the 1970s, the event moved to the historic center, and the presence of livestock gradually faded until it was banned in 1987. In 1995, for the centenary, the historic division by product categories that still characterizes the event today was restored. Now concentrated into a single day, March 19th, the fair remains one of the most authentic symbols of Tivoli's identity.

The fair route: a category for every square

The heart of the fair beats between Piazza Garibaldi and the streets of the historic center, with an organization by thematic areas that makes the visit a true itinerary:

• Piazza Plebiscito: plants and flowers;
• Via Palatina: agro-food products and crafts typical of the Tivoli area and the Aniene Valley;
• Via Ponte Gregoriano and Via dei Sosii: artisan works and decorative lamps;
• Piazza Rivarola: wood, wrought iron, and wicker crafts, and home decor;
• Via Colsereno: costume jewelry;
• Piazza San Vincenzo: books;
• Piazze Garibaldi and Colonna: sweets, dried fruit, and street food;
• Via Ignazio Missoni, Via del Governo, and Piazza del Comune: street food and household goods.

The route is completed by Piazza Campitelli, Piazza Domenico Tani, and Vicolo del Melangolo, featuring clothing, accessories, paintings, and local food products.

Saint Joseph the Artisan and Father's Day

The fair falls on the feast day of Saint Joseph, the patron saint of artisans, which in Italy coincides with Father's Day. It is the perfect occasion to enjoy the traditional zeppole di San Giuseppe, the day's signature pastry, and to rediscover the artisan crafts that have always animated the workshops of Tivoli and the Aniene Valley: woodworking, wicker weaving, and copper and wrought iron work.

More than just stalls: families, music, and culture

Alongside the market, the day offers entertainment for everyone: the Animal Farm on Via di Vesta for the little ones, creative workshops, live music concerts in the historic center, and the FierArte section dedicated to art. The Municipality of Tivoli supports the event with free special openings of the Rocca Pia and the City Museum, while just a few steps away, Villa d'Este and Villa Gregoriana remain open for visits, heritage sites that make Tivoli one of the most famous destinations in the Lazio region.

A defining event for Tivoli and Lazio

Organized by the Municipality of Tivoli, in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, the San Giuseppe Fair attracts thousands of visitors every year from the Aniene Valley, Rome, and the entire Lazio Region. More than just a market, it is a day of collective memory: as the locals say, "it is a tradition that must not be lost."