May Day, May 1, is a public holiday all over Italy as the day of the worker. Many services will be closed but you may find interesting parades and festivals to celebrate the day.
Cantine Aperte, open cantinas, is a big wine celebration throughout Italy the last weekend of May. Read more about Cantine Aperte 2006.
Ring Race and Procession, re-enactments of 14th century contests and parades, continues in Narni in the Umbria region through May 12 (starts near the end of April).
The Sagra di Sant Efisio on May 1 is an important religous festival in Cagliari, Sardinia. Decorated oxcarts and horsemen accompany the saint's statue in a parade followed by food and dancing.
The Risotto Festival the first Sunday in May in the Piedmont town of Sessame is a huge feast of a special rice dish dating back to the 13th century.
The Snake Handlers' Procession is the first Thursday in May in Cocullo in the Abruzzo region.
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The Wedding of the Trees, Sposalizio dell’Albero, takes place May 8 in the northern Lazio town of Vetralla. A couple of oak trees are decorated with garlands, horsemen offer bouquets of the first spring flowers and new trees are planted while everyone enjoys a free picnic lunch. The ceremony revives Vetralla's sovereignty over the forests and continues the right of each citizen to a cubic meter of firewood annually.
The Fish festival of Saint Fortunato, patron saint of fishermen, is celebrated in the beautiful fishing village of Camogli, south of Genoa, the second Sunday in May. Saturday night there is a huge fireworks display and bonfire competition followed by free fried fish on Sunday.
Polenta Festival, also the second Sunday in May, is celebrated in the main square of the Piedmont town of Avigliana.
La Barabbata is celebrated May 14 in Marta on the shores of Lake Bolsena. In this procession, men wear costumes representing the old trades and carry their tools while white buffalo pull floats carrying the fruits of the trades.
The Festa dei Ceri, a candle race and costumed parade in Gubbio takes place May 15 and is followed by a Historical Cross-Bow Exhibition on the last Sunday of May.
St. Rita's Procession and Candle Festival is May 21-22 in Cascia in Umbria.
The Flower Festival of Bucchianico in the Abruzzo includes a re-enactment of a 13th-century military stratagem with a parade, the third Sunday in May.
Pinocchio's Birthday is celebrated May 25 in the Tuscan town of Pescia.
Roman Fest is a 3-day re-enactment of a typical ancient Roman festival in the Piedmont town of Alesandria, the last weekend of May. The festival includes parades, feasts, staged gladiator combat and chariot races.
The Chianti Wine Festival, the last Sunday in May and first Sunday in June, takes place in Montespertoli in the Chianti wine region of Tuscany.
Medieval Parade and Jousting Tournament in Emilia Romagna's town of Grazzano Visconti is the last Sunday in May.
The Daffodil Festival in the Abruzzo town of Rocca di Mezzo celebrates spring with folk dancing and a parade the last Sunday in May.