The feast of the patron Saint Ermete

The height of the summer season

This is the true crescendo of summer. The carefree joy of vacation time. The very height of the summer season. For Forte dei Marmi, the feast of Sant’Ermete, the town’s patron saint, is far more than a deeply felt and long-standing religious observance, but also the most colorful and happiest day of the year. A symbolic turning point between all the beauty already lived and the beauty still to come. A day dearly loved by locals, by the people of Versilia, and by the many visitors who, in late August, still fill the Riviera.

The festivities unfold over several days leading up to August 28. The celebrations traditionally begin on August 26 with the historic religious procession, a heartfelt tribute paid by the community to Sant’Ermete. Nearly five hundred participants – including civic authorities, representatives from neighboring Versilia towns, religious confraternities, folkloric groups, and figures in period costume – set off from Piazza Dante, winding through the town center before reaching the Church of Sant’Ermete for a final act of reverence to the saint’s relic. On the evening of August 27, attention shifts to the area around the Fortino, where the Focata (a large ceremonial bonfire) creates an evocative atmosphere, followed by the open-air tombola in Piazza Garibaldi. It is the perfect prelude to the main event. August 28 transforms the town into a lively open-air fair: streets filled with market stalls, artisan goods, local treats, and festive energy from morning until night. The celebrations reach their spectacular finale around 10:00 p.m., when an extraordinary fireworks display lights up the beach and the sea – an unforgettable closing act to Forte dei Marmi’s most iconic, always eagerly awaited summer celebration.