June 22, 2026

Florence Celebrates St. John 2026

The city comes alive with parades, exhibitions, and the famous fireworks

From June 15 to 24, Florence once again dresses up to celebrate its patron saint, St. John the Baptist. This event has deep roots in the city’s history and takes on an even more special significance this year: the Society of St. John the Baptist, guardian of Florentine folk traditions, is celebrating 230 years of uninterrupted activity.

This important anniversary will be marked by a rich program of cultural, religious, and folk events, culminating on June 24 with the highly anticipated Fochi di San Giovanni fireworks display—a gift that the Fondazione CR Firenze has been offering the city for over ninety years.

Among the most significant new features of this year’s event is the exhibition 230, on view through August 31 at the Museo de’ Medici, located in the former monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli. The exhibition traces the 230-year history of the Society through documents, works of art, memorabilia, and previously unpublished accounts that illustrate the role the association has played in organizing the patron saint’s celebrations, in charitable works, and in the city’s cultural life.

The exhibition also offers visitors the chance to admire the restored historic terracotta statue of St. John the Baptist, created in 1928 by the Manifattura di Signa and recently restored to its former glory thanks to meticulous conservation work carried out by restorer Barbara Bersellini.

Events in the City

The calendar of celebrations kicks off on June 20 with the 86th edition of the Conad Notturna di San Giovanni, the historic road race that will wind through the streets of the historic center.

On June 21, it will be time for the traditional Coronation of the Marzocco in Piazza della Signoria, accompanied by the Historical Procession of the Florentine Republic and a performance by the Bandierai degli Uffizi. During the ceremony, the Corona del Marzocco Award—created in collaboration with the Bottega Orafa Paolo Penko—will be presented to Ginevra Moretti, owner of Sammezzano Castle, and to Samuele Lastrucci, founder and director of the Museo de’ Medici.

On June 23, Palazzo Medici Riccardi will host the opening of the photography exhibition The Soul of Florence: Contrasts Between Past and Present, dedicated to the city’s sights and transformations.

June 24, St. John’s Day

As is traditional, St. John’s Day will be marked by solemn ceremonies and symbolic events taking place in the historic heart of Florence.

The morning will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the Procession of Homages and Candles, which will depart from Piazza de’ Peruzzi and proceed to Piazza della Signoria and then to Piazza Duomo. At 9:00 a.m. , the Uffizi Flag-Bearers will perform in Piazza della Signoria. This will be followed at 10:00 a.m. by the display of the Society’s Reliquary and the Crosses of St. John, the presentation of the candles to the Archbishop, and the Solemn Mass in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore at 10:30 a.m..

In the afternoon, at 6 p.m., the focus will shift to the Arno River for the traditional Palio Remiero of San Giovanni, organized by the Società Canottieri Firenze.

The Fires of St. John 2026

The most eagerly awaited event remains the one on the evening of June 24. Starting at 8:30 p.m., the Lungarno della Zecca Vecchia will become the heart of the festival with an evening hosted by Giulia Quercioli of Radio Toscana. Accompanying the audience toward the grand finale will be the Luigi Cherubini Conservatory Brass Ensemble, which will present a musical program inspired by the great classics of the European tradition, from Charpentier’s Te Deum to Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks.

Then, at 10:00 p.m. sharp, the sky above Florence will light up with the traditional Fochi di San Giovanni. This spectacle draws thousands of people to the banks of the Arno every year and continues to be one of the most exciting and defining moments of city life.

Combining remembrance, devotion, and collective participation, the patron saint’s festival thus remains one of the events most cherished by Florentines, capable of recounting the city’s past while looking toward the future and involving new generations in the preservation of its traditions. Here are all the places in the city where you can see them.