Settembre Gallicanese (Gallicano Festival)

A village festival spanning nearly two weeks

The Settembre Gallicanese, also known simply as the Gallicano Festival, is the most anticipated event of the year for the community of Gallicano nel Lazio, a small town in the Prenestini Mountains within the Metropolitan City of Rome. Rather than a single evening, it is a comprehensive program that, in recent years, has extended for about ten days, running from the beginning of the month well past the central date of September 8th.

The religious heart: The Nativity of Mary and the Madonna delle Grazie

The core of the celebration is the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, observed on September 8th. In Gallicano, this date is intertwined with the devotion to the Madonna delle Grazie, venerated in the town's sanctuary of the same name. The anniversary of the coronation of the Marian image is commemorated annually with a Holy Mass at the Cappelletta, one of the most heartfelt moments of the entire calendar. Liturgical celebrations also involve the Beata Margherita Colonna Parish in Acquatraversa, confirming a festival that unites both the historic center and the outlying districts.

Entertainment, comedy, and music in the square

Alongside its religious dimension, Settembre Gallicanese has built a surprisingly rich live entertainment program over the years for a town of this size. The two main venues are Piazza della Rocca, in the medieval core, and the larger Piazzale Montessori, which hosts the closing concerts. Past editions have featured:

• Comedy nights with well-known faces from Italian television;
• Dialect theater and comedies in the local Prenestino vernacular, beloved by local audiences;
• Pop music events and tributes to Roman songs, featuring guests like Maurizio Mattioli;
• Major concerts by national artists, including Michele Zarrillo;
• Youth-oriented formats like the Holi Festival - Color Party, dance nights, and DJ sets;
• Participatory initiatives such as local talent shows and photography contests dedicated to the beauty of Gallicano.

Most of these events are organized by local cultural associations in collaboration with the municipal administration, maintaining a format that remains free and open to all.

Local food and Prenestini tradition

Settembre Gallicanese is also an opportunity to sample the cuisine of the Prenestini Mountains. Throughout the evenings, food stalls and refreshment points are set up, offering traditional Lazio dishes, wines from the nearby Castelli and hills, homemade desserts, and specialties prepared by association volunteers. It is the quintessential village-festival dining experience—simple and convivial—that accompanies the shows late into the evening.

The grand finale with fireworks

As tradition dictates, the festivities conclude with a fireworks display. The pyrotechnics over the town represent the moment that draws the largest crowds and symbolically marks the end of the Gallicano summer.

Why it's worth the trip

Less than forty kilometers from Rome, Gallicano nel Lazio offers an authentic portrait of a Lazio patronal festival during these days: the procession and Marian devotion, the stage in the square, tables set outdoors, and children running among the festive lights. For those visiting the Prenestina area—with Palestrina, Zagarolo, and surrounding nature reserves just minutes away—it is the ideal opportunity to combine a day of hiking with an evening of genuine celebration.