Activities and cultural events
Holy Week: Procession of the Dead Christ (Good Friday) and the Madonna who runs across the square (“Madonna che scappa in piazza”) (Easter Sunday morning)
20th March: “Dies natalis” of Ovid (Celebration of Ovid’s “birthday”)
March/April: Fires Feast, age-old rural celebration with parade, traditional folk games and gastronomic stands
28th April: Celebrations in honour of St. Panfilo, the patron saint of Sulmona
April: Freedom Trail (“Il Sentiero della Libertà”) , escape route to Allied lines during the second world war
April (October 2012): Certamen ovidianum (international Latin competition with an Ovid theme)
1st May: National Vespa Rally “Città di Sulmona”
May: the “Giuseppe Capograssi” National Jurisprudence Prize
June: Sulmona Prize for Journalism and Art Criticism
June:Cordesca (Kids Jousting)
23rd June: Folk Festival “Passar l’acqua”
July (last weekend): Joust of the Knights (Giostra Cavalleresca di Sulmona)
August (first weekend): European Joust of the Knights (Giostra Cavalleresca d’Europa)
August: Assumption fair (Fiera dell’Assunta) – markets in the historical centre
End of August: Celebration of St Peter Celestine commemorating the journey on foot of the Hermit Pope Pietro da Morrone from the Hermitage of Saint Onofrio in Sulmona to L’Aquila, where he was consecrated pope
August: “Zampanella” festival ( a simple but tasty Abruzzo dish made from bread, tomatoes, oil and oregano)
September:Awarding of the “Sulmona Prize at International Exhibition of Contemporary Art”
October: “Maria Caniglia” International Opera Song Competition
Autumn: “Sulmonacinema” Film Festival
November: Winter bugs rally
December: Ars, Eros, Cibus (gastronomic festival in the city of Ovid)
December: “Augusto Daolio” National Prize for Emerging Singer-Songwriters