Ferragosto at the Beach? Definitely an Italian Classic

Beach parties, concerts, fireworks… Below are some events you can find along the Romagna Riviera this year.

Let’s start with the beaches of Comacchio, where the sky at Lido delle Nazioni will light up with a spectacular fireworks display (August 15th, 11:45 PM).

Heading down to the Ravenna coast, there will be several fireworks shows over the sea on Ferragosto. If you love music late into the night, we recommend stopping by one of the many beach clubs in Marina di Ravenna, which will be bursting with parties and uncontrollable fun on Ferragosto night.

Staying in the area, we highlight the dawn concerts scheduled on the beaches of Ferrara, as well as the numerous events of the Spiagge Soul festival on the beaches of Ravenna.

As every year, on the evening of August 14th (9:30 PM), Milano Marittima celebrates its birthday with a gala evening at Rotonda 1° Maggio, while in Cervia, the Grande Orchestra Città di Cervia enchants the audience the next morning (August 15th, 6:00 AM) with a performance at dawn on the shores of the Adriatic. The celebration continues throughout the day with reading sessions and talk shows as part of Ferragosto with the authors, the final event of the famous summer festival Cervia Ama il Libro.

In Gatteo Mare, Ferragosto is marked by the notes and memories of the “Father” of Liscio music, the great maestro Raoul Casadei, born on August 15th, with a concert by the Mirko Casadei Big Band. Also noteworthy is the concert by Paolo Belli on August 14th at the Rubicone Arena in Gatteo Mare, followed by fireworks.

In Cesenatico, in addition to the numerous and always varied summer markets around the town, from August 15th to 18th at Parco di Ponente, ancient history comes alive with Druidia, a festival of Celtic music and culture with concerts, historical reenactments, and markets.

Dawn concerts, DJ sets, and the unmissable fireworks show: on Wednesday 14th and Thursday 15th, Ferragosto in San Mauro Mare will once again be a long marathon of events, in a festive and engaging atmosphere.

Fireworks in Bellaria Igea Marina too, inviting everyone on August 14th at 11:00 PM to the banks of the canal port for the traditional Ferragosto fireworks display. Also in Bellaria, on the evenings of August 12th, 13th, and 14th, the great concerts of Bay Fest return, while at dawn on August 15th, in Piazzale Capitaneria di Porto, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated with a rock Mass.

As every year, the city of Rimini offers a rich agenda of events and initiatives for mid-August. It starts on Tuesday, August 13th with We Will Rock You!, a concert dedicated to the music of Freddie Mercury and Queen at Parco degli Artisti, and ends on Ferragosto with an Ibiza-style party featuring national and international DJs Circoloco at the Rimini Beach Arena.

Moving further down to Riccione, the festive and fun atmosphere continues. Riccione hosts the now-traditional Riccione on Stage, the summer festival by the famous Italian radio Radio Deejay, which from August 5th to 24th brings all the protagonists of the summer hits to the renowned Romagna town.

The small town of Misano Adriatico offers shows, dances, and the traditional fireworks display, on August 14th at 11:00 PM on the municipal beach Parco Mare Nord.

Finally, Cattolica, the green pearl of the Adriatic, wishes everyone a happy Ferragosto with the Achille Lauro concert on August 14th and The Kolors concert on August 17th, both at the Arena della Regina.
For those who love tranquility and beautiful, relaxing walks along the harbor, we recommend the evening summer markets, among fishing boats and the beautiful panorama of the Romagna coast.

Who said that Ferragosto has to be spent only by the sea?
The art cities of Emilia-Romagna are always a good idea, even on August 15th!

Let’s start with the city of Piacenza; the central Palazzo Farnese will be open all day to spend Ferragosto among art collections and treasures to discover. Don’t miss the city’s Cathedral and its Kronos Museum, with the climb to the dome frescoed by Guercino.

Continuing along the Via Emilia, we reach Parma, where you can join one of the Parma City Tours scheduled daily.

The summer in Reggio Emilia offers a rich calendar of events in the city and province, and for the Ferragosto days, it includes numerous exhibitions and guided tours.

Heading down to Modena, in the cool of the Ducal Gardens as part of the I giardini d’estate series, there is an event with Beppe Zagaglia dedicated to Modenese cuisine on August 14th, while on August 15th, “Ferragosto at the Opera” returns, this year with a tribute to Giacomo Puccini.

Bologna also offers a rich calendar of evening events throughout the summer, both in the city center and the surrounding areas, with special openings, shows, music festivals, and outdoor film screenings. Among these, the evenings Sotto le Stelle del Cinema (Under the Cinema Stars, until August 14th), the traditional event in Piazza Maggiore dedicated to cinema masters curated by the Cineteca di Bologna, are not to be missed. On August 15th, the Piazza will host the Filuzzi for a dancing evening to the tunes of Liscio music!

Guided tours to discover the city are also recommended, such as the climb to the top of the two Towers or the visit to the Torre dell’Orologio, bookable directly on the Bologna Welcome website. Art enthusiasts should visit one of the many exhibitions scheduled in the city (here you can find the Ferragosto openings of city museums and many other useful ideas).

In Imola, motorsport enthusiasts will appreciate the traditional walk on August 15th along the historic Enzo and Dino Ferrari racetrack, which will be open for pedestrians only from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with the option to combine it with Walking Tours that allow access to technical and restricted areas.

And here we are in Ferrara, where for Ferragosto nights you can go to the Darsena, along the Molo Wunderkammer. Here, Un Fiume di Musica (A River of Music) is scheduled, a series of live music events organized by the teachers of the Modern Music School. On Thursday, August 15th, you can also take advantage of the special openings of city museums and palaces such as the Estense Castle, the Schifanoia Museum, and the Cathedral Museum.

Ferragosto in Ravenna is in the name of art. All the city’s UNESCO monuments are open and visitable, not only during the day but also at night, thanks to the guided night tours of Mosaico di Notte (Mosaic by Night), also in conjunction with special music events.

In Rimini, there are numerous opportunities to discover the cultural side of the city, thanks to the scheduled summer guided tours, including “The Wonders of Rimini,” the “Art Nocturnes,” and the Fellini tours.

Finally, if you want to know all the openings of the state museums in Emilia-Romagna, we recommend visiting www.musei.emiliaromagna.beniculturali.it. Many cultural sites are open for Ferragosto and organize events, themed exhibitions, and special guided tours.

And what if we wanted to spend Ferragosto immersed in nature and the villages of Emilia-Romagna?

For those who prefer to escape the summer chaos of the more famous locations, the small hilltop towns offer a secluded but no less interesting retreat, such as the many villages of the Castles of the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza.

In Trebbia Valley, the Appennino Festival throughout August offers concerts, meetings, shows, and special walks in the most picturesque places of the valley.

Remaining in the province of Piacenza, we recommend the event program in the village of Bobbio, which includes music, entertainment, and a fireworks display at the famous Ponte Gobbo (August 15th), as well as a garden dinner with live music and a nighttime guided tour of the Gropparello Castle. Don’t miss the visits to the charming villages of Grazzano Visconti and Castell’Arquato.

In the province of Parma, among the events in the castles, we highlight the falconry show Eagles and Owls in Flight at the Castle of Tabiano, guided tours with tastings of local products at the Castle of Torrechiara, and the “Calici al Tramonto” aperitif on the grass or terrace of the Castle of Contignaco, all scheduled for August 15th.

For those looking for activities to do with children, the Castle of Contignaco organizes a treasure hunt for families among ancient fables and Dantean monsters, while the Castle of Scipione dei Marchesi Pallavicino offers an animated visit to discover the secrets of the castle.

On the hills of Reggio Emilia, we recommend the guided tour of the Castle of Bianello in the municipality of Quattro Castella, while many events are scheduled in the Apennines as part of the Summer in the Apennines series, including the dawn concert at the Castle of Sarzano.

Now let’s move to the Bolognese Apennines, where throughout August the Crinali Festival animates the valleys, paths, and mountain villages with concerts and initiatives along the most scenic routes (such as the Alta Via dei Parchi, the Via della Lana e della Seta, the Via degli Dei, and the Via Mater Dei).

In the province of Ravenna, in Lugo, on the evening of 14 August, Elementi – a festival of music, performance, and contemporary visual arts – will be staged at the Francesco Baracca Airport.

On August 14th at the Torre di Oriolo in Faenza, Oriolo di Sera is scheduled, a dinner under the stars with typical local products and wines, a guided moonlit tour, and live music, while at the Rocca di Riolo, don’t miss the candlelit guided tour on August 15th.

In Santa Sofia, in the province of Forlì-Cesena, the international performing arts festival Di strada in strada is very suggestive, scheduled from August 11th to 15th, while in Sarsina, the Plautus Festival animate the evenings around August 15th.

In Verghereto, preparations are underway for Ferragosto (August 10th and 11th) with the Donkey Palio, while in Castrocaro Terme, the evening of the 15th is celebrated with a concert by the Zanca Soundtracks Quintet.

A few kilometers from the Adriatic Sea and Rimini, in the beautiful setting of Valmarecchia, the village of Pennabilli offers the traditional events of the Summer in Pennabilli series.

In the village of Verucchio on August 15th, you can join a guided tour to discover the heritage of the so-called Rocca del Sasso or the archaeological museum. In the evening, there will be music in Sant’Agata Feltria, with a concert by Filippo Malatesta on the evening of Wednesday, August 14th.

For food lovers, we recommend the Wild Boar Pappardelle Festival in Gemmano from August 12th to 15th and the Potato and Gnocchi Festival on August 10th and 11th in Montescudo-Montecolombo.

Finally, in Mondaino from August 15th to 18th, the traditional Palio del Daino returns, a historical reenactment with parades and competitions among the districts of the medieval village to celebrate the historical event that marked the peace between the Malatesta and Montefeltro families.

If you love hiking and walking, Ferragosto is an excellent opportunity for an excursion in the many natural parks of Emilia-Romagna or along the spiritual paths that organize numerous daytime and nighttime events during the summer.

A few examples?
The guided eco-shuttle tour at sunset at the Campotto Oasis, the sunset hike in the Boscoforte Peninsula, the sunset flamingo bike ride in the Po Delta Park, and the boat or bike excursions to discover the Cervia Salt Pans.