Events: | |

Dates for your diary

Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

These holidays are observed all over Italy.

January 1 - New Year's Day
January 6 - Epiphany
Early April - Easter Monday
April 25 - Liberation Day and St. Mark's Feast Day
May 1 - Labour Day
June 2 - Day of the Republic
August 15 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
November 1 - All Saints' Day
December 8 - Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
December 24 - Christmas Eve
December 25 - Christmas Day
December 26 - Boxing Day / St. Stephen's Day

New Year's Eve / Day (Capodanno) - there are celebrations throughout Florence to welcome in the New Year
Fashion Shows (Florence) - held throughout January, the prestigious events feature leading Italian designers presenting their spring and summer collections [Back to top]

Viareggio Carnival - one of Italy's biggest carnivals, lasting for almost three weeks in February. Elaborate floats are paraded every Sunday [Back to top]

Feast of San Giuseppe (Siena) - this festival includes donkey races, floats and tournaments [Back to top]

Explosion of the Cart / Scoppio del Carro (Florence) - Easter Sunday, at noon a dove descends on a wire from the high altar of the cathedral and starts a large firework display from a cart
Exposition of the Virgin's Girdle (Prato) - this precious relic is displayed from Donatello's pulpit in the facade of the cathedral on several occasions during the year - Easter Sunday, 1st May, 15th August, 8th September and Christmas day
Festa degli Aquiloni - Kite Festival (San Miniato) - first Sunday after Easter, kite lovers perform aerial acrobatics on the Prato della Rocca, the grassy common above San Miniato
Sagra Musicale Lucchese (Lucca) - this extensive festival of sacred music is held in the city's numerous Romanesque churches
Mostra Mercato Internazionale dell'Artigianato / Exhibition of Crafts (Florence) - last week in April, this important European exhibition displays work of artists and artisans in the Fortezza da Basso [Back to top]

Festa del Grillo / Cricket Festival (Florence) - this festival takes place on the Sunday after Ascension day in the Cascine Park and stallholders sell crickets in tiny woven straw cages, which are traditionally released by their new owners in the park for good luck
Maggio Musicale (Florence) - the city's major arts festival lasting until early June, with concerts by the Orchestra Regionale Toscano and dance, including ballet performances
Balestro del Girifalco / Falcon Contest (Masso Marittima) - first Sunday after 22nd May, preceded by a long procession throughout the streets, marksmen try to shoot a mechanical falcon on a wire with their crossbows. Also held again in August
Palio della Balestra / Crossbow Contest (Sansepolcro) - last Sunday, this contest originated in a dispute between the crossbowmen of Sansepolcro (in Tuscany) and those of Gubbio (in Umbria). The participants all dress in period costume [Back to top]

Gioco del Ponte / Game of the Bridge (Pisa) - this game involves two groups of people, representing the two halves of the city, one on each side of the river Arno, trying to push a seven tonne cart on rails to the opposite side
Calcio in Costume / Football in Costume (Florence) - mid to late June, usually held in the Piazza di Santa Croce, this ancient game is a combination of football and rugby
Estate Fiesolana / Fiesole Summer (Florence) - mid-June to the end of August, this is a festival of music, arts, drama, dance and film
Regata di San Ranieri (Pisa) - 17th June, boat races in costume and stunning processions of colourfully decorated boats are held on the River Arno [Back to top]

Corsa del Palio (Siena) - 2nd July and 16th August, this is one of Tuscany's most famous events in the Campo. It is a bareback horse race watched by thousands of people and was first recorded in 1283
Feast on San Paolino (Lucca) - a torchlight parade in period costume held in honour of the city's patron saint. There is also a crossbow contest
Joust of the Bear (Pisa) - 12 riders, three from each quarter of the city, gallop with a lance and attempt to spear two targets in the form of bears
Pistoia Blues (Pistoia) - early July, this famous international festival of blues music takes place in the Piazza del Duomo [Back to top]

Balestro del Girifalco - 2nd Sunday in August in Massa Marittima
Pucciniano - two men from each district in Montepulciano push a very heavy barrel uphill to the cathedral. The bravio, or banner representing Montepulciano, is presented to the winners. Last Sunday in August
Festival Pucciniano (Puccini) - throughout August, performances of the composer's operas in an open-air theatre by the lake (Torre del Lago) where he once lived
Rodeo (Albrese) - throughout August, cowboys of the Maremma demonstrate horse training and cattle herding
Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte (Montepulciano) - first half of August, this is an important festival of new work by leading composers, dramatists and coreographers
Festa della Bistecca (Cortona) - 15th August, this is the festival of beefsteak, a local speciality
Il Baccanala (Montepulciano) - penultimate Saturday, this is a feast of wine and food, celebrating the local Vino Nobile [Back to top]

Crossbow tournament - 2nd Sunday in September in Sansepolcro
Grape Festival - large procession of floats in Impruneta - the last Sunday in September
Giostra del Saraceno / Joust of the Saracen (Arezzo) - first Sunday in September and throughout the summer, this medieval-style joust begins with a colourful parade of locals in period costume who proceed to the Piazza Grande
Festa della Rificolona (Florence) - 7th September, children from all over the area converge at the Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, carrying candlelit paper lanterns to honour the eve of the birth of the Virgin
Feast of Santa Croce (Lucca) - 13th September, another torchlight parade in honour of the Volto Santo or 'Holy Face' wooden crucifix figure, which is usually kept in the cathedral, but on this day is paraded around by torchlight
Palio della Balestra / Crossbow Contest (Sansepolcro) - second Sunday, this contest originated in a dispute between the crossbowmen of Sansepolcro (in Tuscany) and those of Gubbio (in Umbria). The participants all dress in period costume
Rassegna del Chianti Classico (Chianti) - second week, this is the biggest Tuscan celebration of local wines
Mostra Mercato Internazionale dell'Antiquariato (Florence) - September to October, a major biennial antiques fair
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Fiera di San Luca - 3rd week in October in Impruneta
Amici della Musica (Florence) - October to April, the 'Friends of Music' concert season
Sagra del Tordo / Festival of the Thrush (Montalcino) - last Sunday, this archery contest is set in the grounds of the 14th-century Fortezza (castle) [Back to top]

Feast of Santa Cecilia (Siena) - a varied programme of concerts takes place in honour of the patron saint of music
Festival dei Popoli (Florence) - November to December, this is Tuscany's most important film festival and is open to everyone, showing films in their original languages with Italian subtitles, at the Piazza dei Congressi [Back to top]

Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Bagni di Lucca) - 8th December, this important feast day is celebrated by a fair in the Fornoli quarter
Burning of the Tree (Camporgiano, near Lucca) - 24th December, an immense bonfire of evergreen branches burns, accompanied by the great bell of San Giacomo
Feast of San Stefano (Prato) - 26th December, a feast celebrating the patron saint, St. Stephan
Feast of San Lucia (Siena) - ceremonies in the church of Santa Lucia are followed by an outdoor poetry and ceramic fair
New Year's Eve - 31st December, masses are celebrated in churches and there are also many parties and general celebrations [Back to top]