The city sets itself up for a spectacular summer with four months of activities making up the seasonal programme from June 1 to September 30. 15 festivals, 137 projects, 118 widespread events, 3 special projects and 14 summer spaces ensure there’s never a dull moment in the city and surroundings as the sun comes out to shine.
Erriquez, literature and the eighties
This year’s edition pays tribute to Enrico Greppi (1960-2021), aka Erriquez, the Florentine singer-songwriter and musician who co-founded the Bandabardò musical group. Lyrics by the band, “Tre Passi Avanti” (Three steps forward), form the title of the festival, with a concert dedicated to the artist inaugurating the festival on May 27 at the Cascine Ernesto De Pascale Amphitheatre. Literature and the 1980s are the main themes this year, and the festival’s creative image is by Giulia Ursenna Dorati (Gud), in collaboration with Lungarno.
Much of the cultural programme is a throwback to the creativity of the Eighties through various artistic expressions, while ‘Literature 1922-2022’ honours six of the greatest writers and intellectuals of the Italian twentieth century who were born in 1922: Luigi Meneghello, Beppe Fenoglio, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Raffaele La Capraia, Giorgio Manganelli, and Luciano Bianciardi. Taking our eyes up from our devices and looking around the various piazzas and places in the city from July 1 to 10, pick any of the bookstalls that will pop up all over to bring back a love for reading, with ‘Le piazze dei libri’ bringing booksellers to piazza della Repubblica, piazza Strozzi, piazza Santa Maria Novella, and via de Cerretani/piazza Duomo, and many bookstores involved in presentations, debates, readings and literary meetings.
Music, dance, cinema + theatre
Piazza Santo Spirito fills with music and events from Officine Creative, Giorgio Gaber is focused on for July 19 and there’s widespread cinema from Anconella Movies to Cinema Tascabile. Theatrical performances bring Compagnia delle Seggiole, Zauber Teatro, Compagnia Lombardi-Tiezzi, Murmuris and more to the stage, while dance will be by Opus Ballet, Virgilio Sieni and Versilia Danza. Outdoor music concerts set us soaring with performances by the Florentine Chamber Orchestra and Amici della Musica, as well as shows in San Salvi, Fosca, Balagan Café and Krypton.
15 festivals
Each year, Florentine festivals return with busy calendars that keep us entertained throughout the summer months. Firenze Jazz Festival takes place from September 14-18, bringing the best of the genre to venues all over. Secret Florence (June 4-15) presents its seventh edition, with art, cinema, dance and music in surprising settings. Open Cinema puts screens in picturesque places for outdoor viewings from June 27-August 7. Genius Loci offers an interdisciplinary culture fest at Santa Croce from September 22-24. Firenze dall’alto takes in the prettiest panoramic points from June 30 to September 29, and Musart features big names in concerts in the atmospheric piazza Santissima Annunziata from July 13 to 26. Florence Dance Festival calls contemporary dance lovers together from June 22 to July 24, with this year’s programme titled ‘Indossare l’arte’ (Wear Art). Concerti sui Sagrati from June to August create charming occasions for concerts in sacred settings, while La Città dei Lettori is for literature lovers (June 9-12). Festival au Désert (September 21-23) is a multicultural music fest and Lattexplus looks at innovative music and avant-garde performances (June 30-July 3). Copula Mundi (September 16-18) is open to everyone with a wide-ranging line-up, and both Florence Folks Festival (July 21-23) and Italian Brass Week (July 24-30) get fingers clicking and spectators swaying with top-quality performances. Finally, Cirk Fantastik (September 8-18) brings some circus cheer to our summer, with daring escapades and jaw-dropping skills delighting audiences.
Summer spaces
Seeking a hot spot to chill in? Bars and events find temporary homes in Giardino dell’Orticoltura, Anconella Park, Lungarno del Tempio, Ponte San Niccolò, the Rose Garden, Cascine’s Amphitheatre, piazza San Marco, Fortezza da Basso, Le Murate, Niccolò Galli garden, piazza Tasso, piazza dei Tre Re, and Parterre, for a cool way to spend summer serate, no matter where you are in the city.
See the full programme: Estate Fiorentina 2022 Tre Passi Avanti
