The ancient Romans celebrated many holy days; probably more than is practical for we modern Pagans to attempt to emulate. They didn't have weekends so these feast days were their only days off from work, though Sunday was declared a day of rest by Constantine in the 4th century BCE. Feast days allowed Romans to come together to share what their labor wrought and spend time with their neighbors, as well as take in state sponsored entertainment, and of course serve their Gods. Festivals often included a sacrifice and a communal meal which meant that the poorest people of the city had the opportunity to eat well once in awhile.
A great deal of information about the feast days celebrated by the ancient Romans can be gotten from Ovid's Fasti
Veneralia -Veneralia is an ancient Roman celebration of Venus that took place on the Kalends of Aprilis, that is, the first of April. Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome, considered Venus to be his ancestor and Mars to be his father, so the ancient calendar of Rome began with the month of Mars (March) followed by the month of Venus, beginning with the celebration of the Goddess to whom it was dedicated.
Volturnalia -Volturnalia was the Roman festival of the Volturnus, the God of fountains and the river Volturno. It took place on August 27th. The details of the feast day have not survived, but it is reasonable to assume it included feasting, games and sacrifices.
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