Grado Events 2026 — Sabo Grando, Perdòn di Barbana, Sardelada & Ferragosto Fireworks
The Grado events calendar 2026 is curated by the Consorzio Grado Turismo and combines religious traditions with food events, a literature festival and summer fireworks. The season opened with the Grado Airshow featuring the Frecce Tricolori (7 June); three further dates stand out: the town’s main festival Sabo Grando / Perdòn di Barbana in early July (4–5 July 2026), the fish festival Sardelada and the Ferragosto fireworks on 15 August.
Grado Airshow — Frecce Tricolori over the beach
| Date 2026 | Sunday 7 June, 4pm–6pm (dress rehearsal: Saturday 6 June) |
|---|---|
| Location | Litorale / main beach + Lungomare Nazario Sauro |
| Character | Air show with the Frecce Tricolori, CAP 231 & co. — free admission |
During the Grado Airshow the beach becomes an open-air auditorium: aerobatic teams and the Frecce Tricolori, the national display team of the Italian Air Force, fly directly above the coastline. Temporary restrictions apply at sea and on some streets during the rehearsal and the show. All details, the 2026 programme and the next Frecce dates on the Adriatic (Lignano 12 July, Jesolo 12 September) on our Airshow page.
Sabo Grando and Perdòn di Barbana
| Date 2026 | Saturday 4 July (Sabo Grando) + Sunday 5 July (Perdòn di Barbana) |
|---|---|
| Location | Old town + boat procession to the island of Barbana |
| Character | Town festival with a religious core, fireworks on Saturday night |
Sabo Grando is Grado’s most important weekend. On the Saturday (always the first Saturday in July) the old town fills with market stalls and tastings; around 8:30 pm the town band “Città di Grado” plays the traditional Sabo Grando concert, followed by a big firework display over the sea at around 10:30 pm.
The next day, the Perdòn di Barbana (first Sunday in July), a procession of decorated boats sails in the morning from the Basilica of Sant’Eufemia across the lagoon to the small Marian pilgrimage island of Barbana. The pilgrimage dates back to a vow made in 1237 and is one of Italy’s oldest religious boat processions. If you are in Grado that day, head for the harbour or the Diga — the many decorated boats are an impressive sight.
Sardelada
The Sardelada is a food event in late July: thousands of fresh sardines are grilled on the beach and served with lagoon wine. The festival goes back to old fishing traditions, when the community of fishing families would wind down together at the end of the season. Free entry; food for a contribution on site. The 2026 date is confirmed in June.
Ferragosto fireworks, 15 August
Like many Italian beach towns, Grado has a big beach firework display on Ferragosto evening (15 August). It usually starts at 11 pm from the Diga and lasts around 25 minutes. The best spots are the eastern tip of the Diga and the central beach clubs, both freely accessible.
“Books and Authors in Grado” — literature series on the beach
In July and August, evening readings with Italian authors take place in the Parco delle Rose and on the Diga. Free entry. The series is organised by the Consorzio Grado Turismo and is aimed primarily at an Italian audience, but the beach atmosphere is worth soaking up even without the language. The 2026 programme is published in June.
Grado’s summer carnival
A Grado peculiarity: the traditional carnival also happens here in summer. The “Carnevale Estivo” with masked parade and music takes place in July — a tourist attraction that the traditional February carnival in wintry, quiet Grado cannot match. The date varies, usually mid to late July.