August 15, 2026 — The major Italian holiday of Ferragosto is celebrated every year on August 15th. With ancient Roman roots, the name comes from Feriae Augusti, a festival started by Emperor Augustus in 18 BC to give agricultural workers a break after hard harvest labor. The Catholic Church later moved the celebration to August 15th to coincide with the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. In the 1930s, cheap trains helped working-class families travel, turning the holiday into a massive summer getaway tradition. At Civitella, Group 3 celebrated Ferragosto with a traditional goose lunch and watermelon dessert.
