Ferragosto at the beach? A true Italian classic.
Beach parties, concerts and fireworks: here are some of the events taking place along the Romagna Riviera this year.

Let us start with the beaches of Comacchio, where the sky above Lido delle Nazioni will light up with a spectacular fireworks display on 15 August at 11.30 pm. Meanwhile, the mornings of 14, 15 and 16 August will begin with sunrise concerts at the Ferrara beach resorts.

Moving south towards the Ravenna coast, several fireworks displays over the sea are scheduled for Ferragosto. Those who love music that carries on late into the night should stop at one of the many beach clubs in Marina di Ravenna, where Ferragosto night bursts into life with parties and non-stop entertainment.

In Cervia, the Grande Orchestra Città di Cervia will enchant audiences on the morning of 15 August at 6.00 am with its traditional sunrise performance on the shores of the Adriatic. The celebrations continue throughout the day with readings and talk shows at Ferragosto con gli autori, the closing event of the popular summer festival Cervia Ama il Libro.

In Cesenatico, in addition to the many different summer markets held throughout the town, do not miss the traditional fishermen’s rustida on the evening of 14 August, the Alfa concert on 15 August and, to bring the celebrations to a fitting close, the sunrise concert on Sunday 16 August at the public beach in Piazza Spose dei Marinai.

Between Cesenatico and Gatteo Mare, Ferragosto is also celebrated through the music and memory of the “Father of liscio”, the great Raoul Casadei, who was born on 15 August. The Balamondo World Music Festival will feature a concert in Piazza Romagna Mia by the Mirko Casadei POPular Folk Orchestra Big Band, joined by Neri per Caso.

Also worth adding to your calendar is the Alex Britti concert on 14 August at the Arena Rubicone in Gatteo Mare, followed by a fireworks display. The same venue will host the Vasco Rossi Tribute Concert on 16 August.

In San Mauro Pascoli, the Ferragosto celebrations begin at dawn with a concert by the sea and continue at sunset with a Radio Bruno DJ set and the Dancing Fountains show in Piazza Cesare Battisti.

In Bellaria Igea Marina, the countdown to Ferragosto is accompanied by local flavours at Onde di Vino. On 14 August, the night will light up with fireworks, while at dawn on 15 August a rock-style Mass will be celebrated at 6.00 am in Piazzale Capitaneria di Porto.

In Rimini, this year’s Ferragosto weekend features Dire, mare, mangiare: three days of meetings, guided tastings and traditional street food in Piazzale Kennedy and along the Parco del Mare.
But the entire Rimini Riviera will come alive with music, performances and events. Naturally, there will also be traditional fireworks in Miramare, near beach clubs 138, 139 and 140, on the evening of 13 August 2026.

Moving on to Riccione, do not miss the free Eiffel 65 concert in Piazzale Roma. Those looking for something more relaxing can choose Cinema nel Parco or Le albe dello yoga, with a sunrise yoga session scheduled for 15 August at 6.30 am in the park of Villa Mussolini.

In Misano Adriatico, the eve of Ferragosto will be celebrated with Friday Night – Rock in Movie, a show bringing iconic film soundtracks to the stage in new rock arrangements. The evening will lead up to the traditional midnight fireworks display at the public beach in Parco Mare Nord.

Finally, Cattolica, the Green Pearl of the Adriatic, wishes everyone a happy Ferragosto with two evenings of music and entertainment in Piazza Primo Maggio: a DJ set by Lorenzo Eclettico on Friday 14 August, followed by Remember Disco Dance on Saturday 15 August.

Who says Ferragosto has to be spent only by the sea?
Emilia-Romagna’s Cities of Art are always a good idea – even on 15 August.

Let us begin in Piacenza. Among the city’s Ferragosto initiatives, the centrally located Palazzo Farnese will remain open throughout the day, offering visitors the chance to spend the holiday surrounded by art collections and treasures waiting to be discovered.
For Ferragosto, Kronos – Museo della Cattedrale will also offer a special visit to the domes by Guercino and Pordenone, starting at 4.00 pm. Booking is required.

Continuing along the Via Emilia, we reach Parma, where visitors can join one of the Parma City Tour guided visits. Tours take place every day and will be available both in the morning and afternoon on 15 August. The city will also host a performance by Ino Kollektiv as part of the Tutti matti in Emilia festival.

Summer in Reggio Emilia offers a calendar filled with events, exhibitions and guided tours in the city and surrounding province. Further along in Modena, the packed Estate Modenese programme once again includes Ferragosto all’Opera, taking place in Piazza Sant’Agostino at 9.30 pm with a tribute to Verdi’s Popular Trilogy.

Bologna also offers a busy programme of evening events throughout the summer, both in the city centre and in the surrounding area, including special openings, performances, music festivals and open-air film screenings.

Among these, the evenings of Sotto le Stelle del Cinema – running until 14 August – are not to be missed. This traditional event in Piazza Maggiore, dedicated to the great masters of cinema, is curated by the Cineteca di Bologna.

Guided tours exploring the city are also highly recommended, including the visit to the Clock Tower, which can be booked directly through the Bologna Welcome website. Art lovers can also visit one of the many exhibitions being held around the city.

In Ferrara, Ferragosto evening can be spent sailing along the Po di Volano aboard the boat Nena, enjoying a pleasant sunset aperitif and admiring the stars. Boats depart from the Darsena at Molo Wunderkammer.
On Saturday 15 August, visitors can also take advantage of special openings at several of the city’s museums and historic buildings, including the Cathedral Museum, Palazzina Marfisa d’Este, Spazio Antonioni, the National Archaeological Museum and the National Picture Gallery at Palazzo dei Diamanti.
Guided tours are another excellent way to discover Ferrara. Options include a walking tour among the monuments and streets of its UNESCO-listed historic centre, as well as visits to the Este Castle and Palazzo Schifanoia. Tours can be booked directly through the inferrara.it website.

In Ravenna, Ferragosto is all about art. All the city’s UNESCO monuments will be open to visitors, not only during the day but also at night, thanks to the evening guided tours offered as part of Mosaico di Notte, some of which will coincide with special musical events.

In Faenza, the evening of 14 August 2026 will come alive with the Ferragosto sotto le stelle concert. On the afternoon of 15 August, at 4.30 pm, visitors can take part in the guided tour Ferragosto a Palazzo Milzetti.

For information on the opening hours of all state-run museums in Emilia-Romagna, visit www.musei.emiliaromagna.beniculturali.it. Many cultural sites will be open for Ferragosto and will organise events, themed exhibitions and special guided tours.

What if you would rather spend Ferragosto surrounded by nature and the villages of Emilia-Romagna?

For anyone wishing to escape the summer crowds of the best-known resorts, the small towns in the hills offer a peaceful retreat without sacrificing interesting things to see and do. These include the many villages belonging to the Castelli del Ducato di Parma e Piacenza network.

In the province of Piacenza, we recommend the programme of events in the village of Bobbio, featuring music, entertainment and a fireworks display near the famous Ponte Gobbo on 15 August.

Another option is dinner in the garden at Gropparello Castle. The castle is also the finishing point of a special, atmospheric hike that begins at the fascinating archaeological site of Veleia Romana.

The beautiful villages of Grazzano Visconti and Castell’Arquato are also well worth a visit.

In the province of Parma, the events held in local castles include the Torrechiara Sunset Walk, a guided sunset walk through the vineyards surrounding Torrechiara Castle and along the Sentiero dell’Arte. The experience ends with an aperitif featuring local products.
The Labirinto della Masone, near Fontanellato, will also be open and will host the exhibition Erté. Lo stile è tutto, and Bedonia will come alive with the rock and blues music of the Daniele Tenca Band, performing as part of MIC Fest 2026.

In the hills around Reggio Emilia, a guided visit to Bianello Castle, in the municipality of Quattro Castella, is highly recommended, and numerous events are also scheduled throughout the Reggio Emilia Apennines as part of the Estate in Appennino programme.

In Brescello, visitors can spend the Ferragosto weekend taking part in guided tours of the filming locations associated with Don Camillo and Peppone.

We now move to the Bologna Apennines, where the Crinali Festival brings concerts and other initiatives to mountain valleys, trails and villages, following some of the area’s most scenic routes.

Meanwhile, the Ferrari Circuit in Imola will be open to pedestrians for its Open Days on 14 and 15 August, from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm.

On 14 August, do not miss the candlelit guided tour of the Rocca di Riolo, in the province of Ravenna. On 15 August, Riolo Terme will offer guided visits to the Grotta del Re Tiberio at four different times: 10.00 am, 12 noon, 3.00 pm and 5.00 pm.

At dawn on 15 August, at 6.15 am, the Rocca di Meldola will host an evocative sunrise concert as part of the programme of the 2026 Entroterre Festival.

In Santa Sofia, in the province of Forlì-Cesena, the international performing arts festival Di strada in strada will take place from 11 to 15 August.

In Sarsina, evenings around Ferragosto will be enlivened by the Plautus Festival, while in Castrocaro Terme the holiday will be celebrated on the evening of 15 August with a concert by The Rebel Cats, a rockabilly band from Forlì.

Bagno di Romagna will also celebrate Ferragosto with music, hosting two concerts from 9.30 pm in Piazza Ricasoli.

Just a few kilometres from the Adriatic Sea and Rimini, surrounded by the beautiful scenery of the Valmarecchia, the village of Verucchio will host Aperitivo dal Balcone del Sasso on 14 August, together with the guided tour Intrighi e passioni alla corte dei Malatesta.

Those searching for an unusual Ferragosto experience in the area can take a sunrise hot-air balloon flight above the Valmarecchia, departing from Talamello.

Food lovers, meanwhile, should look out for the Sagra della Pappardella al cinghiale in Gemmano, in the Val Conca, taking place from 12 to 15 August.

For those who enjoy hiking and walking, Ferragosto is an excellent opportunity to explore one of Emilia-Romagna’s many natural parks or follow its spiritual routes, which organise numerous daytime and nighttime activities during the summer.

A few examples?
A sunset bike ride among the flamingos of the Po Delta Park, or a boat or cycling excursion to discover the Cervia Salt Pan.