San Rocco Festival of Gorizia

One of the oldest festivals in Friuli

Overlooking the border between Italy and Slovenia, Gorizia cherishes a festival tradition rooted in the heart of Borgo San Rocco, the historic working-class district known in dialect as the borc dai ufiei. The Sagra di San Rocco is one of the oldest folk events in all of Friuli: it has been held for over five centuries and every August transforms the streets of the borgo into a large shared space for stalls, dancing, and gatherings.

It is organized by the Center for the Preservation and Enhancement of Popular Traditions of Borgo San Rocco, in close collaboration with the parish of San Rocco and with the patronage of the Municipality of Gorizia. It is a festival born from the grassroots, from the voluntary work of the borgo's inhabitants, and for this reason, it retains an authentic flavor that is hard to find elsewhere.

Ten days of celebration with stalls and traditions

The program unfolds over about ten days in August. The official inauguration is a ritual in itself: the mayor presents the wine, payment is made with ancient Gorizian coins, the ribbon is cut, and the first stroll among the stands takes place, accompanied by the dances of the folk group and the marches of the local philharmonic bands.

The core identity of the festival is the Gara dei Scampanotadôrs, the international bell-ringing art competition that attracts bell ringers from Gorizia, Friuli, and neighboring Slovenia: a unique event that best illustrates the cross-border nature of this land. Alongside the competition, evenings offer concerts, dance orchestras, DJ sets, and shows, while afternoons are dedicated to workshops for children and gatherings under the tree, with book presentations, tastings, and local history talks.

Charity, gastronomy, and patronal feast

The charitable dimension is an essential part of the festival: each edition features large charity raffles with prize pools of thousands of euros, and the traditional charity lottery. The food stalls serve dishes from Gorizian and Friulian cuisine, in Gorizia, which was recognized as the European Capital of Culture along with Nova Gorica.

The religious and identity-focused moment culminates on August 16th, the day of the patronal feast of San Rocco, with a solemn mass and the awarding of the Mattone su Mattone (Brick by Brick) prize, an award dedicated to those who have distinguished themselves for the borgo community. The festival concludes with multilingual performances and poetry readings, in a finale that celebrates the plural soul of this corner of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.