Santa Candida Patronal Feast

The festival that closes the Ventotene summer

Every year, from September 10th to 20th, the smallest inhabited island of the Pontine archipelago experiences its most intense moment. The Santa Candida Patronal Feast is the most cherished celebration for the people of Ventotene: eleven days of religious rites, popular traditions, and performances that attract worshippers, tourists, and curious visitors from all over Italy, traditionally marking the end of the island's summer season.

Tissue paper hot air balloons: "o pallò"

The heart of the festival is the traditional tissue paper hot air balloon competition, featuring the famous "palloni" (known in dialect as "o pallò"): an art form of Neapolitan origin that arrived in Ventotene around the mid-19th century and has been passed down through generations. Designed, built, and decorated by hand by the island's youth and schools, these true flying works of art compete in shape, size, decoration, and launch technique before fading in flight and landing gently on the sea. The balloon launches accompany the entire festival, culminating in the grand competition at the Roman Port.

The religious program

The festivities open on September 10th with a solemn mass and the exposition of the saint's statue before the faithful. In the following days, a novena in honor of Santa Candida is recited every evening, accompanied by the rosary and mass with a sermon, while the pilgrimage to the island of Santo Stefano traditionally takes place on September 11th. On September 20th, the patron saint's day, a solemn Eucharistic celebration precedes the afternoon procession through the village streets, with the statue of Santa Candida adorned with fresh, fragrant flowers, welcomed by applause and fireworks as it passes.

Games, music, and fireworks

The popular festivities, organized by the Santa Candida Committee, transform the island: street illuminations, evening concerts in the square, parades by the Ventotene brass band, traditional games at the Roman Port for children and adults, swimming races, and water games. The peak days of September 19th and 20th conclude with grand pyrotechnic displays: fireworks greet the dawn of the patron saint's day and close the festival in style late at night.

Heritage of Italy for Tradition

In 2011, the Ministry of Tourism awarded the Santa Candida Feast the recognition of "Heritage of Italy for Tradition", a seal that rewards the authenticity of a celebration that has remained faithful to its rites and its community.

Ventotene, an island between history and protected sea

The festival is also the perfect opportunity to discover the Municipality of Ventotene, in the province of Latina, Lazio: the Roman port carved into the tuff, the remains of Villa Giulia, the Bourbon prison of Santo Stefano, and the crystal-clear waters of the Ventotene and Santo Stefano Islands Marine Protected Area. In September, the island offers the last swims of the season in a quiet and authentic atmosphere, far from the August crowds.