Isiah Christie 
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that Hoboken knows how to throw a festival. The Hoboken Italian Festival has been one of the city’s biggest annual events for many years, celebrating the Madonna Dei Martiri (Madonna of the Martyrs), as part of a tradition originally from Italy. The festival will be hosted this year from Thursday, September 10th to Sunday, September 13th. Read on to learn about the Hoboken Italian Festival happening in 2026.
About the Festival
The Hoboken Italian Festival is a tradition that dates back to the early-20th century, when it began as an honoring of the Italian Madonna Dei Martiri tradition in the city. The Madonna Dei Martiri is a tradition that started in 1399 to celebrate the Miracle and blessings of the Madonna. The festival occurs every year on the weekend after Labor Day and is a 4-day event.
Some of the festival’s highlights include a wide variety of authentic Italian dishes available to try, live entertainment, fireworks, and on Saturday, a day-long procession through the city, where an 800-pound statue of Madonna Dei Martiri is carried through the streets of Hoboken, starting at the St. Francis Church at 308 Jefferson Street. Afterwards, a re-enactment of the historic “Blessing of the Fleet” tradition is done at the Hudson River.
This year’s event will also feature a 100th Anniversary Drone Show over the Hudson River.
Festival Schedule
- Thursday, September 10th | Country Music Night | Features live country music, country line dancing, a mechanical bull, and tequila + bourbon tasting.
- Friday, September 11th | Salute to America | Features a live memorial service to pay tribute to those who lost their lives on 9/11.
- Saturday, September 12th | Our Feast Day | Features the day-long procession featuring the Madonna Dei Martiri statue and Blessing of the Fleet tradition
- Sunday, September 13th | Feast Finale | Features an NFL kickoff watch party and live music.
To learn more about the festival and its planned programming, visit its website here.
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