Hotel Botticelli
Boutique Hospitality in Florence
Book

Cultural Festivals 2025: A Guide to Florence's Most Anticipated Events

In 2025, the city, cradle of the Renaissance, continues to be among the most active in terms of cultural events.

Throughout the year, a series of events will offer a wide range of experiences, hosted in historic buildings, museums, cinemas, and theaters.

Among the most anticipated cultural festivals in Florence in 2025 are:

  • Non mollare Festival: scheduled from August 31st to September 20th, organized by the theater company Chille de la balanza. The event was created to commemorate the anti-fascist newspaper “Non mollare,” a hundred years after its foundation and forced to cease publication in October of the same year. The Festival aims to highlight the events, people, and places involved in that experience. It will feature exhibitions, conferences, music, theater, performances, dance, and storytelling.
  • Florence Dance Festival: is the cultural event dedicated to the most important performing arts. This year marks its 36th edition, once again establishing itself as a benchmark in the international cultural scene. The program will feature shows, performances, and collateral events that will make Florence the center of international dance. Throughout the month of July.
Book, best rate

Art Festivals and Thematic Exhibitions in Florence

Among the most important art festivals in Florence are:

  • Lo Schermo dell’Arte: The Festival of Cinema and Contemporary Art, now in its 18th edition, will be held from November 12 to 16, 2025. The event offers a selection of the best artists’ films and documentaries on contemporary art. There will be meetings with authors, artists, and curators.
  • Florence Biennale: Contemporary art and design are the protagonists of the 15th edition of the event, which will be held at the Fortezza da Basso from October 18 to 26, 2025. The program is packed with events and will feature artists from around the world. This year’s theme is “The Sublime Essence of Light and Darkness,” which explores the intertwined opposites in art and beyond. The “Lorenzo il Magnifico” Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to director Tim Burton.
  • Lucy Festival: From September 26 to October 1, 2025, the “Lucy Festival. Technologically Oriented Stage Languages” will be held at the Teatro Cantiere Florida. This multidisciplinary project focuses on the future of contemporary theater, between technology and innovation. This truly zero edition, curated by the Bologna-based company Sblocca5 and the Elsinor Center for Theater Production, will feature workshops, talks, performances, and screenings to analyze the relationship between nature and technology, humanity and the environment.

Among the upcoming exhibitions in Florence, we highlight:

  • Beato Angelico: at Palazzo Strozzi from September 26, 2025, to January 25, 2026;
  • The Rose that Grew Form Concrete: at the Sant’Orsola Museum from September 5, 2025, to January 4, 2026;
  • Siano Natura by Haley Mellin: at the Novecento Museum, until October 29, 2025;
    Lorenzo Bonechi’s City of Women: at the Museo Novecento, until October 29, 2025.
Book, best rate
Eventi Firenze
Eventi Firenze

Music and Live Performances in Florence in 2025

Live performances, concerts, and sound festivals will continue throughout the year.

Here are the most important musical events in Florence:

  • Genius Loci: The eighth edition will take place from September 24th to 28th at the monumental complex of Santa Croce. Genius Loci: Discovering Santa Croce is an experience combining memory, history, and contemporaneity, defined through talks, concerts, and performances.
  • Lattexplus Festival: The eighth edition of the event will be held at the Cavea of ​​the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, featuring Acib Arab, Adiel, and Helena Hauff, who are redefining the languages ​​of contemporary electronic music.
    The second event is scheduled for October 31st at the Stazione Leopolda.
  • Fabbrica Europa Festival: The 32nd edition of this event, dedicated to the most innovative national and international performance scene, will take place from September 13th to October 12th. Major figures in dance, music, and theater will be present;
  • Leviosa Quartet: Meet the Leviosa Quartet on Saturday, September 13th at the Oratorio Santa Maria Vergine della Croce for a tribute to Tchaikovsky with the concert “Pas de Quatre”;
  • Florence Jazz Festival: From September 2nd to 14th, jazz will take center stage, with over 100 artists performing in 30 events at 9 different locations. This event, now in its ninth year, is a widespread festival, rooted in the local area yet also looking to the future;
  • Festival au desert: Taking place in July at the Parco delle Cascine, part of the Estate Fiorentina, this is a meeting of different cultures made possible by music;
  • La Gaberiana: An event dedicated to the memory of Giorgio Gaber will take place in July, featuring meetings, music, and opportunities for reflection and sharing with leading intellectuals, artists, and figures from the entertainment world;
  • Firenze Rocks: Since 2017, the Visarno Arena, in the Cascine Park, has hosted one of the most important rock music events in Italy. Lasting between two and four days, it has always attracted some of the world’s leading rock artists.
  • Firenze Jazz Festival: Another regular event in Florence, scheduled for September. The jazz festival features classical and contemporary jazz concerts, cross-pollination, and collateral cultural events.

Film Festivals and Reviews

The seventh art takes center stage in the city, with a rich series of reviews scheduled every season.

Here are the most important film festivals in Florence:

  • Festival dei Popoli: Taking place in early November, it is the most important international documentary film festival in Italy and the oldest in Europe. It is organized by the association of the same name and is divided into the sections “International Competition,” “Italian Competition,” “Special Events,” “Out of Competition,” “Habitat,” “Let the Music Play!”, “Popoli for Kids and Teens,” “Diamonds are Forever,” and “Doc at Work – Future Campus.” It is part of the “50 Days of Cinema in Florence” program.
  • Middle East Now: The 16th edition of the festival dedicated to the contemporary Middle East will be held from October 7th to 12th. It features films, documentaries, but also theater, art, exhibitions, meetings, and cultural projects. It is part of the “50 Days of Cinema in Florence.”
  • FánHuā Chinese Film Festival: October 15th to 19th. Great classics and new films dedicated to the Chinese universe. As part of the “50 Days of Cinema in Florence”;
  • Festival of Cinema and Women: From October 22nd to 26th, a festival dedicated to international female directors will be held. As part of the “50 Days of Cinema in Florence”;
  • France Odeon: Contemporary French cinema will be featured from October 30th to November 2nd. As part of the “50 Days of Cinema in Florence”;
  • Florence Queer Festival: From November 26th to 30th, films focusing on LGBTQIA+ themes will be featured. As part of the “50 Days of Cinema in Florence”;
  • River to River Florence Indian Film Festival: From December 5th to 10th, a festival dedicated to Indian cinema will be held.

International Literary and Cultural Events

Literature and culture are also among the highlights of the Florence 2025 events:

  • Festival of Florentine Cultural Associations: From October 3rd to 17th, the 11th edition of this event brings together all of Florence’s cultural associations. It’s a major showcase with over 20 events, book presentations, workshops, exhibitions, tours, special openings, and music of all genres;
  • Cirk Fantastik: From September 11th to 21st, the Cascine Park hosts a series of contemporary circus performances. Through dance, storytelling, circus, and clowning, the essence of humanity is explored.
Book, best rate
Eventi Firenze
More from magazine
Firenze settembre

What to do in Florence in September

Discover how to experience Florence in September with cultural events, grape harvests, festivals, museums, and activities perfect for exploring the city.

Firenze agosto

What to do in Florence in August

Find out what to do in Florence in August: events, exhibitions, festivals, outdoor activities, and tips for experiencing the city in the hottest month of the year.

Firenze Carnevale

Carnival of Florence

Experience the magic of the Florence Carnival firsthand, discover the origins of this ancient celebration, and all the events scheduled for 2026.

Firenze luoghi cinema

Florence: Places in Film and on TV

Discover the locations in Florence that have been featured in film and TV: from masterpieces like “Amici Miei” and “Tea with Mussolini” to the international series “Medici.”