September 4, 2026

The Feast of Rificolona in Florence

Sunday 7 September the city fills with coloured lanterns

The origin of this magical feast of the Rificolona is all Florentine and has been handed down among the boys of Florence the custom of carrying around coloured paper lanterns, modelled in the most varied and bizarre shapes, with a small light inside, hanging from the top of a cane, dates back in all probability to the mid-seventeenth century, and is linked to the arrival in the city of many farmers and mountain dwellers who, with their women, They came to the city to celebrate the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in the Basilica of Santissima Annunziata in Florence, taking advantage of the occasion to sell their wares at the market fair held the next day in the square in front of the Basilica, in Via dei Servi and in the immediate vicinity.

In order to find a good place to sell their wares, these settlers would leave their homes long beforehand and, at night, would light up their uncertain path with lanterns of various shapes hanging from sticks, canes or poles. And it was with these multicoloured paper or cloth lanterns, open at the top to allow the candle or tallow from the bowl to burn, that they arrived in Florence the evening before the fair, bivouacking at night in the loggias of the church of Santissima Annunziata and the other buildings in the square where, by the flickering light of their lanterns, they sang lauds to the Virgin until late at night.

Must-See Events for Rificolona 2026 in Florence

The main event of the Rificolona is scheduled for Monday, September 7, in Piazza Santissima Annunziata. From 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., the square will come alive with music and colorful rificoloni. The evening will feature performances by Nedo & The Bello’s and Maghero DJ, while the official highlight of the event is scheduled for 9:45 p.m., in the presence of the Gonfalone Family of the City of Florence.

The festivities, however, begin as early as Sunday, September 6, at the Mercato Centrale, where a creative workshop organized by Labsitters is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.. Children will be able to discover the history of this Florentine tradition, make their own rificolona, and participate in a small final lantern parade. A snack will also be provided for participants. Reservations are required.

The National Archaeological Museum of Florence is also taking part in the celebrations on Monday, September 7, with an event dedicated to ancient Egyptian culture. At 6:30 p.m., there will be a guided tour titled The Festival of the Lamps of the Goddess Neith in Ancient Egypt and the Myth of Osiris’s Rebirth, exploring lesser-known works in the Egyptian section and the cults associated with Osiris’s rebirth. This will be followed by an educational workshop for children ages 6 to 11. Reservations are required via email, and the activities are included in the museum admission fee.

At the Circolo delle Vie Nuove, located at Viale Donato Giannotti 13, workshops to make “rificolone” will be held on Friday, September 4, and Monday, September 7, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Participation is free, though reservations are recommended. At Galluzzo, meanwhile, on Monday, September 7, at 5 p.m. in Piazza Acciaiuoli, there will be a free workshop for children and families. The evening will continue at 9 p.m. with the blessing of the rificolone, a performance by the Misericordia di Malmantile band, and the traditional parade. Also on Monday, September 7, at 5 p.m., the S.R.M.S. Nave in Rovezzano is organizing a workshop for children, followed at 9 p.m. by a procession in which local residents are invited to participate with their own rificolone.

At the Parco del Gasometro, starting at 5:00 p.m., children can make their own lanterns at the Casa del Bello. At 5:30 p.m., the show La Mosca Parapiglia will take place, while at 9:00 p.m. the evening will continue at the Centro Età Libera with a DJ set and free ice cream for the children. At the Baracche Verdi, located at Via delle Mimose 12, the festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m. with ice cream for the little ones. At 7 p.m., dinner and music will take center stage, while at 9 p.m. the parade of rificolone will set off toward the church for the blessing. The Vogel Bistrot, in Villa Vogel Park, will also celebrate the tradition starting at 9:00 p.m. with lights, a kids’ dance party, and games, leading up to the traditional procession of illuminated rificolone. Finally, at the BiblioteCaNova Isolotto, the event begins at 5:00 p.m. with children’s storytime and a creative workshop to make a rificolona. Reservations are required.

On Monday, September 7, starting at 5 p.m., the SMS di Rifredi will host a children’s party featuring Teatro Arboreo, face painting, free ice cream, games, balloons, workshops to make rificolone, and performances. At 9:00 p.m., at Atletica Castello, the traditional parade of illuminated “rificolone” will take place, with a prize awarded to the three most beautiful lanterns. The festivities will continue in the following days. Tuesday, September 8, in Brozzi, a parade is scheduled to depart at 8:45 p.m. from the Church of San Martino and arrive at the Circolo MCL at 9:30 p.m. Finally, Thursday, September 10, at 8:30 p.m., Santa Maria a Novoli will host a new parade through the streets of the parish, accompanied by the flag-wavers from Calenzano.