Rome Festivals

From June to August, thousands (often over 30,000) celebrate all things Latin American at Fiesta, in the Ippodrome delle Capannelle. Famous artists like Ricky Martin help Romans enjoy la vida loca. (Reach the venue using A-Colli Albani or bus #664. For advance tickets, call ☎06 71 82 139, or visit www.fiesta.it.) Music lovers enjoy an auditory feast at the Cornetto Free Music Festival Roma Live, which showcases popular international acts. Past performers have ranged from Pink Floyd and the Cure to the Backstreet Boys. (Enter to win free tickets at www.cornettoalgida.it.) On May 1 of every year, Romans are joined by hundreds of thousands of Italians for the Festa della Primo Maggio (Festival of the First of May). With roots dating back to the late 1800s, this festival has transformed over the past century from an often violent celebration of labor rights to a crazy, Woodstock-like music mania. Featuring big-name Italian artists like Elisa, Carmen Consoli, Tiromancino, and Articolo 31, this festival continues late into the night, with close to one million students packed into P. di S. Giovanni in Laterno. Don’t be surprised to see a pot-smoking, communist-flag-waving Italian youth rocking out next to you. September brings an end to Rome’s summer festivals with the traditional La Notte Bianca (The White Night), typically held during the first week of the month. Rome’s “White Night” refers to an evening when the Metro, shops, museums, and restaurants remain open all night for one last hurrah, thereby leaving the city’s streets illuminated all night. Most museums offer free admission.