Best events in Florence this week September 12-19, 2024

Artigianato e Palazzo

The acclaimed arts and crafts fair, Artigianato e Palazzo, returns to the Corsini Gardens at Palazzo Corsini al Prato from September 13 to 15, marking a 30-year milestone under the theme of Restoration. This year’s fair features a group exhibition promoted by Artex and curated by Jean Blanchaert, set up in the Limonaia, designed by Studio Lavanguardia. Elisa Guidi, coordinator of Artex, elaborates, “The theme celebrates the important milestone of the 30th anniversary. We worked on the number 30, which in numerology symbolizes creativity as an expression and development of the intellect, and the number 3, which symbolizes perfection…We chose 30 Tuscan companies that will exhibit three pieces each.” To inspire the younger generation, the Ferragamo Foundation is organizing free workshops, giving children a glimpse into the world of craftsmanship through wicker weaving and wallpaper making. When lunchtime arrives, head to Orto delle Monache, where you’ll find a generous selection of food trucks. A minimum donation of 10 euro is requested with free admission for those under 30.

Vino al Vino

Winemaking excellence is celebrated as prestigious wineries reveal their stories and passion in a series of events organized across 23 participating venues of the Unione Viticoltori di Panzano in Chianti, with over 80 high-quality wines available for tasting.

Fabbrica Europa

Contemporary creativity is at the core of the multidisciplinary fest that seeks to share arts and knowledge, via an international lineup of shows, concerts, performances, site-specific installations, talks, workshops, and theatre. This 31st edition marks a new collaboration with the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Foundation for the inaugural weekend, bringing together some of the most acclaimed international artists and companies on the contemporary scene.

Mixology in the hills

A mixology evening in the panoramic setting on September 19 is in collaboration with Portofino Dry Gin, with creative cocktails served in the cascading gardens, accompanied by a live performance by The Moochers. Email: concierge.vsm@belmond.com or T: +39 055 5678 200.

Dining + show at Daisy's

Spanish Fiesta

Hotel Indigo Florence, in collaboration with El Duomo Magazine, hosts a lively Spanish Fiesta at the Binomio restaurant from 6pm on September 19. The event promises an authentic experience with typical Spanish dishes such as Paella and Tortilla de Patatas and a Sangria lesson, followed by lots of partying and many other surprises. 25 euro per person. IG @hotelindigoflorence and @elduomo_magazine.

Scienzestate

It’s test tubes, pipettes and fossils galore for the science fest organized by OpenLab, with various campuses taking turns to offer talks and activities on topics like volcanoes, prehistoric monsters, alien plants, sharks and dinosaurs. Take part in visits to places like the Natural History Museum and the Botanical Gardens, with the Social Sciences campus in Novoli offering more games, demonstrations and workshops.

Italian Postcard

In celebration of a decade of creative collaboration, Villa Lena Foundation and Fondazione Il Bisonte present an exhibition that highlights the artistic achievements of thirty resident artists who have participated in this partnership.

E fu sera e fu mattina

Works by nature photographer Valter Bernardeschi go on display in the Sala Pistelli, with his animals and landscapes mesmerizing viewers. The exhibition shares some of his shots that have been published in magazines such as National Geographic, inviting audiences to deepen their ecological awareness.

Cirk Fantastik

International contemporary circus is at the centre of this fun-filled fest, with companies like Circo El Grito, Chapiteau Instabile and Samova RoulotteTeatro delighting audiences with awe-inspiring acrobatics and creative tricks. Concerts, cabaret, DJs, workshops and even the Jugglers’ Olympics intrigue audiences.

Festival delle Associazioni Culturali

Concerts, shows, talks, tours and more make up the programme for the tenth edition of the all-encompassing culture fest. Forming part of the calendar The Sala Sibilla Aleramo at the Oblate hosts a travelling photographic exhibition that celebrates the two great Tuscans, Frosco Mariani and Tiziano Terzani, twenty years after their deaths. On display from September 5-20 will be 66 images that trace places of the East and Far East, where the two artists lived and worked. The exhibition will then move to Isolotto’s BiblioteCAnova from September 23-October 16.

Culture at BIF

The British Institute of Florence returns with its popular cultural programming, kicking off with a piano recital by Kyle Hutchings on September 10. The Wednesday Lectures Series resumes with Mark Roberts’ ‘How Florence won my heart’ on September 11, followed by Anne Copley delivering a talk titled ‘The Girl with a Peach’ on September 18. Alexandra Lawrence then details ‘Boccaccio’s Decameron in Florence’ on September 25. The Lungarno Chats episode on September 17 sees Morgan Fiumi speak with Bill Emmott, former Editor-in-Chief of The Economist. A Poggio Torselli wine tasting is on September 19, with Phelan Burgoyne and Edoardo Ferri performing a jazz concert on September 26. Bridge is weekly on Tuesdays, with afternoon tea served on Wednesdays.