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Novara’s calendar runs from a 1,600-year-old patron-saint feast in January to an international jazz festival in early summer and an opera season that fills the Teatro Coccia from autumn to spring. These are the dates worth building a trip around. For the best months to visit, see our best time to visit Novara.
Novara Events: Festa di San Gaudenzio (22 January)
The feast of Saint Gaudentius, first bishop of Novara and the city’s patron, is the oldest event in the calendar, held every 22 January. The centrepiece is the Cerimonia del Fiore in the Basilica of San Gaudenzio, where a large chandelier of flowers is lowered from the dome to honour the saint’s relics. Streets around the basilica host a fair with food stalls. It is cold in late January, averaging about 3°C, so dress warmly. Our things to do in Novara covers the full list of sights and day trips in detail.
Novara Events: Novara Jazz Festival (late May to early June)
Novara Jazz is the city’s biggest cultural event, running from the last weekend of May through the first two weeks of June. Concerts take over the Broletto courtyard, the castle grounds and small venues across the historic centre, mixing international headliners with free afternoon sets. Some shows are ticketed and others free; the full programme goes online each spring at novarajazz.org. Book hotels early, as this is the busiest period of the year. For the district-by-district rundown, see our Novara neighborhoods.
Novara Events: Teatro Coccia Season (October to May)
The Teatro Coccia opera and ballet season runs from October to May, with a winter programme of opera productions and a December programme of concerts that tends to sell out. The theatre also runs reduced-price tickets for under-30s. Check the box office or the theatre’s site for the current season. Our where to stay in Novara covers hotel picks by area in detail.
Novara Events: Food and Rice Festivals in the Province
The province of Novara is rice country, and towns around the city hold sagre (food festivals) across the year. The risotto festivals cluster in September and October around the rice harvest, with towns like Vercelli, 15 km southwest, hosting dedicated risotto events. Dates shift year to year, so check the local Comune noticeboards or PiemonteInVacanza listings a few weeks ahead. These are day-trip events, best reached by car or regional train. For airport, transport and packing advice, see our Novara travel tips.
Novara Events: Christmas Markets (December)
From late November to 24 December, Piazza Martiri della Libertà and Corso Italia host Christmas markets with food, crafts and a small ice rink in some years. The lights go up in early December. This is a good time to combine shopping with a visit to the dome and the Duomo, which hold Christmas concerts. For weather around these dates, see our Novara weather by month page.
