San Giovanni Festival

Sagra di San Giovanni: The Night of a Thousand Lanterns and Historic Fires

The grand fireworks display is scheduled for the evening of Saturday, June 27, 2026, with the solemn religious celebrations and historic procession following on Sunday, June 28, 2026.

This legendary festival takes place on Isola Comacina and along the shores of Ossuccio and Tremezzina. While the feast of San Giovanni Battista (St. John the Baptist) officially falls on June 24th, the main events are traditionally celebrated on the following Saturday and Sunday to allow everyone to take part in the festivities.

The Legend of the Isola Comacina Festival

The origins of the Sagra dei Lumaghitt are rooted in a 17th-century legend. Locals, desperate to stop devastating June hailstorms that destroyed their harvests, sought the protection of San Giovanni. They began a solemn boat procession to the island’s ancient church, and when the storms finally ceased, the tradition was born. To celebrate, it became customary to eat polenta and snails. Creative locals began filling the empty snail shells with oil and a wick, transforming them into tiny floating lanterns—the lumaghitt—which still illuminate the lake today.

Amazing fireworks on Isola Comacina

Over time, the fires ignited on the island and floating rafts took on a deeper meaning. They serve as a dramatic reenactment of the Great Fire of 1169, when the people of Como razed Isola Comacina in a bloody vendetta, destroying its nine churches and fortifications. Today, the lumaghitt begin to twinkle at dusk, followed by a world-class firework and music show that typically starts after 10:00 PM, lasting nearly an hour in a breathtaking display of light and history.