As the city takes on an autumnal hue, the events calendar continues catering to our cultural cravings.
Share your events with The Florentine: events@theflorentine.net
Here’s our round-up for October 2024.
As the city takes on an autumnal hue, the events calendar continues catering to our cultural cravings.
Share your events with The Florentine: events@theflorentine.net
Stories of resistance and dissidence in the Della Ragione Collection is the theme chosen for the latest show at Museo Novecento, curated by Sergio Risaliti, Eva Francioli and Chiara Toti. The rooms of the first floor will be dedicated to 20th-century artists who lived, suffered or opposed the policies of the regime in the 1930s and ‘40s, including Scipione, Mario Mafai, Renato Guttoso and Emilio Vedova.
See morePhotographs of the former tobacco factory by Massimo Listri go on display in Building 11 until November 14. Shots of famous sites like the Uffizi Galleries and the Vatican Museums are also on show, as well as monuments from further afield like the Shanghai Himalayas Museum. Museo Novecento presents the WONDERFUL! Art Research Programme – 1st Edition Maria Manetti Shrem results in the Caveau space until November 10, in an exhibition titled Even in a castle you can fall. Artists on show include Friedrich Andreoni, Lucia Cantò, Benedetta Fioravanti and Giovanna Repetto. Finally, the Toast Project Space sees Amitai Romm’s Influencer Sarcophagus until November 3, alluding to the design of systems for organizing matter.
See moreThe recently relaunched historic theatre under the direction of Hershey Felder intrigues with a fascinating programme that includes ‘Rhapsody and the Blues’ featuring Jens Lindemann and a musical play titled ‘I Found My Horn’ starring Jonathan Guy Lewis. An evening with world women leaders will be moderated by former Prime Minister of Canada, Kim Campbell, and ‘Musica Differenziata’ finishes off the month.
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Over 200 works bring visitors through Katsushika Hokusai’s mesmerizing masterpieces, with a deep dive into Ukiyoe, the artistic genre linked to the lifestyle and tastes of the emerging classes of Edo, now Tokyo. The show reveals refined and poetic woodcuts featuring sacred and legendary animals immersed in alluring landscapes.
Find out moreThe Annapolis-born artist is the subject of a monographic show that consists of 60-plus artworks inspired by time spent in Rome, Milan, Genoa, and along the Tuscan coast, with an at times explicit approach to the paintings covering household items and everyday queer life.
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Villa La Massa, the five-star hotel near Florence, gears up for the second edition of Villa La Massa Excellence, taking place from October 11-13. The three-day event, launched in 2023 in partnership with Canossa, provides the finest hospitality and iconic supercars manufactured between the 1990s to the present day. Saturday is open to the public with a special day pass, which includes the car show, brunch and car parade. Connoisseurs will be beguiled by the beautiful cars, their sporting pedigree and modern design and visitors will be called upon to vote for their favourite.
See moreThe British Institute of Florence (lungarno Guicciardini 9) starts off the month through a literary lens as Alexandra Lawrence commences a six-week guided reading of Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Decameron, held on Tuesdays from 6-7.30pm, October 1-November 5. The Wednesday Lectures Series continues with David Stork discussing ‘When computers look at art’ on October 2, followed by Ian Bickerton on ‘Italy and the American imagination’ on October 9. Alan Pascuzzi speaks about ‘The Forger’s Craft: Drawings’ on October 16, while Fabrizio Ricciardelli lectures on ‘The emotional language of justice in Renaissance Italy’ on October 25. Lynn Catterson then gives a talk titled ‘Photography, artists and the art markets in late 19th century Florence’ on October 30. The Musica al British series features a piano recital by Nicolò Giuliano Tuccia on October 10, with pianist Jack Tyndale-Biscoe and mezzo-soprano Rachel Payne on October 26. Lungarno Chats on October 21 sees Morgan Fiumi in conversation with Sir Rocco Forte. Alan Pascuzzi begins a series of five half day hands-on sessions focusing on ‘Making the Renaissance’, from 9.30am-1pm on Saturdays. Bridge is weekly on Tuesdays, with afternoon tea served on Wednesdays.
Sotto al British (lungarno Guicciardini 15) hosts life drawing led by Tom J. Byrne weekly on Mondays from 7-9pm, with Lori Hetherington steering ‘Brainstorming for writers’ at 7pm on October 15.
The Social Hub Florence continues live music every Thursday at their Rooftop Bar, providing the perfect chance to check out their Sevi pop up restaurant that brings Peru to Florence with a menu by Chef Francys Salazar, all while enjoying a view of the Florentine skyline.
Creative People in Florence (via dei Serragli 58r) hold a monster-mask making workshop from 5-6.30pm on October 30 for little ones (aimed at ages 3-11), putting together skeletons, spooky spiders and great ghosts using lots of recycled materials. Book via WhatsApp: +39 329 4755006. Something for the grown-ups: two local fashion designers share their Autumn/Winter collections during two exclusive PopUps. Eva di Franco takes us through her Yin and Yang inspired works from October 3-5, and New Kid Shoes and More show off their new collection for adventurous dressers from October 17-19.
Daisy’s Dinner Shows at the Hotel Number Nine Bistro delight on Thursdays and Fridays, taking you to enjoy a dining experience like no other, savouring the seasonal menu while tapping to the sounds of top-class performers.
A songwriter’s showcase titled When Austin Met Florence comes to Nana Bianca, piazza Cestello 10, on October 4. Singers include Charlie Sexton, Jane Bryant, Clader Allen and Janie Price aka Bird. Free entry.
St. James Episcopal Church hold a blessing for animals at 11am on October 6 to commemorate the feast of St. Frances and his love of animals. Everyone is invited to bring their beloved pets or creatures, whatever they may be, as long as they are contained or on a lead.
Ellevate Her hosts its inaugural silent auction fundraising gala at Hotel Number Nine on October 26. Taking place from 8pm-12am, the gala will showcase works by world-renowned photographer Robert Farber, alongside Melissa Ferrer Burke and artist Myra Fiori, with funds raised going towards supporting programmes for women to heal, grow and thrive.
International Down Syndrome Day on October 13 is marked through a series of initiatives, led locally by Trisomia 21 Aps, with events working towards informing and creating better inclusion.
Cib’aria curates evenings dedicated to getting to know cultures through its cuisine. This month’s sessions focus on Japan (October 10) and the Balkans (October 30). Info and booking: cibaria.fi@gmail.com.
Lady Kendra of The Art of Style on via Romana 142/via dei Serragli 137 hosts intimate conversations on Mondays from 7-9pm, treating a different subject every week. Mindfulness & Movement is on Wednesdays from 9-11am, with meditation and yoga followed by a sound bath with a focus on a different chakra each session. Aperitivos are hosted from 7-10pm on Fridays to introduce potential members to the space/gallery as a safe place for the community. A 20-euro donation to The Substitute Society is requested for participation. A free entry gallery showcase for the local artist of the month, Giulia Gray, is from 7-10pm on October 31, along with a halloween party. A psychadelic breathwork session with Kristin Adams takes place at 7pm on October 27.
The highly anticipated festival brings fans to the city donning all kinds of cosplay, with the fun and games filling the streets to celebrate comics, games, video games, cinema, TV and illustrations. Keep an eye out for areas like ‘Japan Town’ and the manga section, with events this year under the theme of ‘The Butterfly Effect’.
Find out morePhotographs by Scottish artist Grace Lambert Phillips, curated by French art historian Thierry Morel, director and curator of the Hermitage Museum Foundation in St. Petersburg, go on display in the restaurant by the Ponte Vecchio. The works reveal the subtle elegance of hidden perspectives, with the exhibition also including two paintings by Jack Vettriano, on show for the first time.
Find out moreTaking place from October 5-6, the 25th edition of the International Ceramics Fair in piazza Santa Croce hosts over 90 Italian and European ceramists who present a wide variety of ceramic techniques, from stoneware and porcelain to majolica and lustre. Each artisan shares their creative flair and unique style through a series of workshops and demonstrations that bring visitors closer to the craft.
Only Usato continue their popular second hand and vintage clothing markets at Orti Dipinti on October 5, Il Conventino on October 13, and the Limonaia of Villa Strozzi on October 27.
The traditional San Luca Fair takes places in piazza dell’Impruneta from October 10-20 on the occasion of the feast of Impruneta’s patron saint. The programme features exhibitions, markets, workshops, cultural events and tastings of typical products, including a livestock fair, fireworks, and a fairground for all ages.
The Marradi Chestnut Festival on October 6, 13, 20 and 27 is an unmissable taste of tradition and Tuscany. Food stands entice with chestnut tortelli, castagnaccio (typical chestnut cake), marrons glacés and, of course, roasted chestnuts for the perfect fall experience.
It’s truffles galore at the Truffle market-exhibition in the centre of Barberino di Mugello from October 26-27. Numerous stands display fresh, fragrant black and white truffles, with plenty of local food and wine products to accompany the delicacy.
La Fierucola brings the best of biodiversity with crafts and homemade products by small-scale producers filling up stalls in popular piazzas. The Fierucolina takes place in piazza del Carmine from 9am to 2pm on October 13 and in piazza Santo Spirito on October 20.
Pimp my Vintage pops up in The Social Hub (viale Spartaco Lavagnini 70-72) from 11am to 8pm on October 20 for a special event with clothes, food, music, jewellery, crafts and more, with upcycling and uniqueness at the core.
Live of the Annual Match from the Caesars Superdome, New Orleans (Louisiana) on February 9, 2025. Hip-hop and Modern dance show by Florence Dance Center from 11:00pm on. Live streaming starts at 12:00am ...
Following 8 years of restoration, the world famous Vasari Corridor has finally reopened to the public! Let’s have a walk inside this historic gallery. Visits are in small groups of ...
Welcome to The Art of Style, where art, fashion, wellness, and personal transformation come together. The gallery is designed as an immersive experience—from rotating art exhibits and transformative clothing to ...
Create your personalized perfume with perfumer Silvia Madari as she guides you through the secrets of fragrances. Book into one of our open workshops or create a private experience for ...