Festival of the CeriFesta dei Ceri di Gubbio
Gubbio, Umbrian, Italy
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🎟 Free entry
FestivalAtlas
The Festa dei Ceri of Gubbio is an annual civic-religious festival held every May 15 in honor of St. Ubaldo, the city’s patron saint 1 2. It is famous for its “Corsa dei Ceri”, a barely-organized footrace in which teams of men carry enormous wooden tripods (ceri) topped with statues of Saints Ubaldo, George, and Anthony up a 4.3 km course to the Basilica of San Ubaldo on Monte Ingino 1 2. The event includes church services, flag processions, and communal meals.
This is a central tradition of Gubbio. Entire families (“ceraioli”) prepare year-round to carry the Ceri and participate in rituals. The festival reinforces community identity and unity; citizens take pride in their respective saint’s Cero. The motto is one of communal devotion and friendly competition between the city’s guilds and neighborhoods.
Venues and routes
Piazza Grande di Gubbio · Gubbio
The dates that shape the visit.
Opening day · Sat, May 16
Visitors can join the large crowd in the historic square for the opening ceremonies; respectful silence is customary during blessings.
People line the narrow streets; outsiders should wear quiet colors, avoid obstructing bearers, and seek local permission to photograph.
A compact reference once the trip is real.
High crowds