Portofino’s event calendar peaks in spring and summer. The Feast Day of Saint George in April is the largest traditional celebration. The Portofino Days film festival brings cultural programming in March. Summer brings concerts, outdoor cinema, and yachting events that draw international crowds. Portofino weather by month
Portofino Events and Festivals: Annual Calendar
Portofino Days, International Fiction Festival (Late March)
Portofino Days is a three-day festival held annually in late March, focused on television series, film fiction, and screenwriting. The 2026 edition ran March 27-29. Events include screenings, masterclasses, and panel discussions with directors, actors, and producers. Most sessions take place in venues across Portofino and Santa Margherita Ligure. Some events are free and open to the public. Check the official website for the schedule and registration details, the programme is typically published in February. best time to visit Portofino
Feast Day of Saint George (April 23)
The Festa di San Giorgio is Portofino’s most important religious and community event. Saint George is the patron saint of Portofino, and the Church of San Giorgio was built in his honour in 1154. The celebration spans April 22-23 each year. On the evening of April 22, a large bonfire is lit in the Piazzetta. On the morning of April 23, a religious procession carries the saint’s statue and relics through the village streets. Men carry two heavy wooden crucifixes in an act of penance. The day ends with music, food stalls, and fireworks over the harbour. All shops and restaurants stay open. things to do in Portofino
Sagra del Pesce, Fish Festival in Camogli (Second Sunday of May)
While technically in Camogli (8km away), the Sagra del Pesce is the area’s largest festival and easily reached from Portofino by ferry. On the second Sunday of May, the town fries thousands of portions of fresh fish in a giant 4-metre-diameter steel pan on the beach. The fish is free, donations go to charity. The event started in 1952 and now draws 50,000+ visitors. Arrive by 10am (ferries from Portofino start at 9am in season) or expect long queues. Live music and fireworks follow in the evening. Portofino neighborhoods guide
Stella Maris Festival (Last Sunday of May)
The Stella Maris (Star of the Sea) festival takes place on the last Sunday of May in Santa Margherita Ligure and nearby coastal towns. A sea procession of decorated fishing boats honours the Madonna as protector of sailors and fishermen. The boats depart from Santa Margherita harbour in the morning and sail past Portofino. Evening celebrations include live music along the waterfront. This is a deeply local event, you will see far more Ligurians than tourists. where to stay in Portofino
Estate Portofinese, Summer Events (June to September)
The Portofino summer programme (Estate Portofinese) runs from June through September with a rotating calendar of open-air concerts, art exhibitions, and evening markets. Jazz nights at Castello Brown are a highlight, held on select Fridays in July and August, EUR 15 entry including a welcome drink on the castle terrace. The programme is published in May each year. Check the Portofino tourism office near the harbour for the printed schedule. Portofino travel tips
Christmas and New Year Festivities (December to Early January)
Portofino decorates the Piazzetta and harbour with lights from early December. The Christmas Eve midnight Mass at the Church of San Giorgio draws locals and visitors. Santa Margherita Ligure hosts a Christmas market from early December through Epiphany (January 6) with food stalls and artisan gifts. New Year’s Eve sees fireworks over the harbour at midnight. Several restaurants offer set-menu NYE dinners (EUR 150-300 per person), book by mid-November. Most hotels close in January and February for the annual low-season break.
