St. John's Festival - The Night of the Witches

A night of magic in the heart of San Giovanni

The St. John's Festival - The Night of the Witches is one of the most characteristic events of the Roman summer. It takes place at the Giardini di Via Sannio, just a few steps from the Basilica of St. John Lateran, in the territory of Municipio VII of the City of Rome, capital of the Lazio Region. The event celebrates the eve of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, the night of June 23rd, considered for centuries to be the most magical night of the year.

The roots of a Roman tradition

According to popular belief, on the night between June 23rd and 24th, witches would gather on the Lateran plain to collect herbs with extraordinary powers. To keep them away, Romans would light bonfires, make noise with cowbells and trumpets, and stay awake until dawn eating snails: it was said that consuming them on that very night would ward off trouble and keep betrayal at bay, as the snail's horns symbolized the discord to be cast away. A ritual that unites Christian religiosity and a pagan substratum linked to the summer solstice.

The festival program

The event offers a dense, multidisciplinary open-air schedule designed for all ages and spread throughout the green space of the gardens. Recurring highlights include:

• Concerts of folk and traditional Roman music, featuring local artists;
• Theatrical performances dedicated to the figures of witches and the memory of herbalists;
• Contemporary circus, aerial acrobatics, stilt walkers, and street performers;
• Guided walks in the neighborhood, along the walls, and towards the Caffarella Valley;
• Workshops for children and families, readings, book presentations, and author meetings;
• the St. John's Water Workshop, prepared with medicinal herbs harvested according to traditional practices and left to infuse under the night dew;
• the fire show and the great propitiatory bonfire that closes the evening at midnight.

A popular and free event

The festival is promoted by the Municipio VII of Rome Capital together with local cultural entities such as Argillateatri, Lodi Circus, and other neighborhood associations. Admission is completely free for all activities, thanks to the collaboration between municipal institutions and the local community. Over the years, the event has grown to become one of the highlights that symbolically open the Roman Summer in the south-east quadrant of the city.

Why it's worth attending

The Night of the Witches is a rare opportunity to experience an authentically Roman tradition far from the most beaten tourist paths. Those who arrive in the late afternoon can stroll among the stalls, take part in a workshop, listen to the tales of Lateran legends, and then stay until midnight for the bonfire. The urban context—the popular gardens next to the historic Via Sannio market, in the shadow of the Aurelian Walls and the Lateran Basilica—makes the evening a small journey into the neighborhood life of Rome, the one that still preserves its seasonal rituals.

Not to be confused with the Lateran festivities

The Night of the Witches at the Giardini di Via Sannio is a distinct event from the major patronal festivities that take place in front of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Municipio I. Here, the atmosphere is more intimate and local, with a strong emphasis on folklore, workshops, and the participation of neighborhood families: it is the festival of Municipio VII, not the city's institutional celebration.