Event Details
Welcome to the Festa della Rificolona 2026 in Florence
On September 7, 2026, Florence once again celebrates the Festa della Rificolona, one of the city's oldest and most beloved folk festivals. On the eve of the feast of the Nativity of Mary, thousands of children and families carry colorful paper lanterns through the historic center until the procession reaches Piazza Santissima Annunziata in the evening.
Highlights and Attractions at the Festa della Rificolona in Florence
- A pilgrimage of around 600 people walking on foot from the Basilica in Impruneta to Florence
- The main lantern procession through the historic center, passing Ponte Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria and Piazza del Duomo
- Colorful handmade paper lanterns, known as rificolone, carried by children on sticks through the streets
- A formal welcome by the city's civic and religious authorities at Piazza Santissima Annunziata
- The blessing of the lanterns and the participants that closes the ceremony
- Numerous smaller processions and lantern making workshops held in Florence's neighborhoods in the days before
- Music, entertainment and children's activities around the main square
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Program and Schedule: What to Expect in 2026
The pilgrimage from Impruneta sets off in the afternoon and joins the city procession at Piazza Santa Felicita around 7 pm. From there, the route continues along Via de Calzaiuoli to Piazza San Giovanni and finally to Piazza Santissima Annunziata, where the official opening, speeches and the blessing of the lanterns take place around 9:30 pm. In the days beforehand, several neighborhoods host their own lantern workshops and smaller processions.
Tickets and Admission for the Festa della Rificolona in Florence
The Festa della Rificolona is a public folk festival with no admission fee. The procession, the neighborhood workshops and the closing celebration at Piazza Santissima Annunziata are all free for every visitor to attend.
Visitor Tips: Travel and Accommodation in Florence
- Since parts of the historic center are closed to traffic during the procession, arriving on foot or by public transport is recommended
- Comfortable shoes are useful, as the event spreads across several squares and streets in the city center
- Visitors who want to carry their own lantern can join one of the many free lantern making workshops held in the city's neighborhoods
- For a good view of the procession, it is worth arriving early along Piazza della Signoria or around Piazza Santissima Annunziata
- Accommodation in Florence should be booked well ahead, since early September falls within the busy tourist season
