Italy’s events calendar stays busy through the summer holidays, with historic horse races, religious processions and open-air music festivals taking over town squares and arenas. August also coincides with Ferragosto, the national holiday on 15 August, so popular destinations can be particularly busy, and travel plans benefit from a little planning.
These are some of the standout events taking place across Italy in August 2026, covering the Marche, Emilia-Romagna, Sardinia, Tuscany and Puglia.
Cavalcata dell’Assunta in Fermo
Fermo, in the Marche region, holds the Cavalcata dell’Assunta, described as Italy’s oldest historical re-enactment, with documentary references dating back to 1182. The 2026 programme marks the 45th modern edition.
The main event is the Palio dell’Assunta, a horse race between Fermo’s ten contrade, or historic neighbourhood districts, held on 15 August 2026, Ferragosto. The evening before, on 14 August, more than 1,000 costumed participants take part in a historical procession inspired by the 15th century.
Fermo’s position inland from the Adriatic also makes it possible to combine the event with time on the coast, although accommodation around the Ferragosto holiday can be in high demand.
Ferrara Buskers Festival
The Ferrara Buskers Festival returns for its 39th edition in 2026, running from 26 to 30 August in Ferrara’s UNESCO-listed historic centre. A preview event is scheduled for 23 August in nearby Comacchio, a lagoon town often visited alongside Ferrara.
Founded in 1988, the festival centres on street performance. Musicians, jugglers and other performers use Ferrara’s streets and squares as open-air stages, without a fixed performance schedule. The 2026 edition has an East Asian focus, with artists expected from South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and India, among other countries.
La Discesa dei Candelieri in Sassari
In Sassari, northern Sardinia, La Discesa dei Candelieri takes place on 14 August. In the local Sassarese language, it is called Faradda di li Candareri. The event is Sassari’s most important religious celebration and has been recognised as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2013.
Its origins are medieval and linked to a vow to the Assumption of Mary after the city was freed from plague. The central figures are the gremi, historic guilds representing different trades. Members carry enormous wooden columns, called candelieri, through the city in a procession that combines ritual, music and a distinctive swaying movement.
The procession leaves Piazza Castello in the afternoon and travels through the old town towards the church of Santa Maria di Betlem, where it concludes late at night. Earlier in the day, the candles are carefully dressed and decorated in a ceremony known as the vestizione.
Palio dell’Assunta in Siena
The Palio dell’Assunta is Siena’s second annual Palio horse race, held in honour of the Assumption of Mary, the city’s patron. In 2026, it takes place on Sunday 16 August in Piazza del Campo.
Ten of Siena’s contrade compete in three laps of the square on horses allocated by draw. The race is expected to begin at around 7 pm, although the build-up begins days earlier. From 13 August, when the horses are allocated, Siena hosts six official trial races alongside district celebrations.
On the day of the race, the corteo storico, a historical parade with more than 600 costumed participants, takes place before the Palio. Piazza del Campo and the streets around it become extremely crowded, particularly during the August race, so the event is best approached as a full-day occasion rather than simply an evening spectacle.
Red Valley Festival in Olbia
The Red Valley Festival takes place at the Olbia Arena in Sardinia between 13 and 15 August 2026, across three consecutive evenings during the Ferragosto period.
The 2026 line-up includes Achille Lauro, Sfera Ebbasta, Annalisa, Ernia, Shiva, Kid Yugi and Bresh, alongside other artists. Single-evening tickets and a full-festival pass are available.
Olbia is a major arrival point for north-eastern Sardinia, particularly for visitors travelling by air or ferry. That convenience also means demand tends to rise sharply around mid-August.
La Notte della Taranta in Salento
La Notte della Taranta returns to Salento in August 2026. Founded in 1998, the festival celebrates pizzica, the traditional folk music and dance associated with southern Puglia, as well as the cultural traditions of the Grecìa Salentina area.
The main Concertone takes place on Saturday 22 August 2026 in Melpignano, near Lecce, in the square beside the former Augustinian convent. The festival reaches its 29th edition in 2026, with singer-songwriter Ermal Meta taking on the role of Maestro Concertatore, or musical director. The Mediterranean is the central theme for this year’s programme.
The wider festival begins on 30 July and moves through around 20 locations across Salento. Several stops are in villages where Griko, an ancient dialect with Greek roots, is still spoken.
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