Capri’s event calendar runs year-round, from glamorous winter film festivals to summer religious feasts with fireworks over the sea. While the island’s tourism peaks in July and August, several of its best events happen in the shoulder months of May, June, and September when the weather is still warm but the crowds are thinner. See our Capri weather by month for more details. Here are the annual Capri events and festivals worth planning a trip around, with dates, locations, and what to expect. For an overview of the island, read our complete Capri travel guide.
Capri Events and Festivals: Spring (March to May)
Feast of San Costanzo (May 14)
Capri’s patron saint day honors San Costanzo, a 7th-century bishop credited with protecting the island from Saracen raids. The celebration begins with a morning Mass at the Chiesa di San Costanzo in Marina Grande, followed by a procession carrying the saint’s silver bust through the streets from Marina Grande up to Capri town. The evening brings a fireworks display over Marina Grande visible from the entire waterfront and from the travel tips as it approaches the island. Restaurants stay open late and the Piazzetta fills with locals and visitors into the night. This is the biggest local religious event of the year and one of the best times to experience Capri’s community traditions rather than just its luxury tourism side.
Capri Tango Festival (Early June)
A week-long tango festival now in its second decade, bringing Argentine tango masters and dancers from across Europe to Capri. Events include daytime workshops in hotel ballrooms (Hotel La Palma and others), evening outdoor milongas on the Piazzetta and at the Certosa di San Giacomo, and a closing gala dinner. The outdoor milongas are free to watch. Workshop passes start at about 150 EUR. See our best time to visit Capri for more details. The 2026 dates are expected June 3-8 (check capritangofestival.com closer to the date).
Capri Events and Festivals: Summer (June to August)
Festival of Sant’Anna (July 26)
A maritime festival in Marina Grande celebrating Saint Anne, the protector of fishermen. The evening begins with a boat parade: fishing vessels decorated with flags and lights circle Marina Grande’s harbor. A statue of Sant’Anna is carried on a lead boat while spectators watch from the waterfront and the ferry pier. The night ends with a large fireworks display over the bay at about 10:30pm. Food stalls selling fried seafood and local wine (5 to 10 EUR per plate) line the Marina Grande promenade. See our things to do in Capri for more details. This is a local, unpretentious event that contrasts with Capri’s luxury image, and it draws mostly island residents and Italian visitors.
Capri-Napoli Marathon Swim (Mid-September)
One of the world’s premier open-water marathon swims, crossing 36km (22 miles) from the Lido Ondine in Naples to Marina Grande on Capri. First held in 1954, the event draws elite marathon swimmers from 20+ countries. The fastest finishers complete the crossing in roughly 6 hours. Spectators can watch the start from Naples and the finish from Marina Grande pier. Registration is limited and requires qualifying times. See our best neighborhoods in Capri for more details. The event typically falls on the second or third weekend of September.
Capri Events and Festivals: Autumn (September)
Settembrata Anacapri (First Two Weekends of September)
Anacapri’s harvest festival is the island’s most fun and accessible event. For two weekends in early September, the streets of Anacapri fill with food stalls, live folk music, grape-stomping demonstrations, and handicraft vendors. Local families set up stands selling homemade limoncello, caprese salad, ravioli capresi, and torta caprese (the local almond-chocolate cake). A parade of traditional costumes and decorated floats runs on the first Saturday evening. The festival began in the 1980s to revive Anacapri’s agricultural traditions and has grown into the island’s largest community event. Free entry. The 2026 dates are expected to be September 5-6 and 12-13. See our where to stay in Capri for more details. Take the bus from Capri town to Anacapri (10 minutes, 2 EUR) or walk up the Phoenician Steps (Scala Fenicia, about 800 steps, 30-40 minutes).
Capri Events and Festivals: Winter (December to January)
Capri Hollywood International Film Festival (December 27-January 2)
Founded in 1995, this winter festival screens independent films, documentaries, and international features at the Cinema Paradiso and various hotel venues around Capri. Despite the name, it is more a boutique festival than a Hollywood-scale event, though it does attract Italian and European film industry figures. Screenings and panels run daily, with the closing awards ceremony on January 1 or 2. Festival passes start around 100 EUR. The festival keeps luxury hotels like JK Place and Capri Tiberio Palace busy through New Year, making late December the most expensive winter week on the island. Book hotels 3+ months ahead if visiting during the festival window.
New Year’s Eve on the Piazzetta
Capri celebrates New Year’s Eve with an open-air party on the Piazzetta featuring live music, a midnight countdown, and a fireworks display over the bay. Restaurants offer prix-fixe New Year’s Eve dinners (150 to 300 EUR per person at the higher-end places). The funicular runs extended hours until about 2am. This is the one winter night when the island feels genuinely busy, and it attracts mainly Italian visitors from Naples and Rome.
