September Festivals and Holiday Events inTuscany

Tuscan Festivals, Holidays, and Special Events in September

In September Italians return from their vacations. Many festivals take place the first Sunday in September as summer comes to an end. You’ll still find small food festivals throughout Italy during the month of September. Look for brightly-colored posters (like the one in the picture) for a festa or sagra, where you can usually sample inexpensive regional food.

Here are some of the top festivals you’ll find in Tuscany in September.

Palio di San Rocco in Figline Valdarno is said to be one of the first palio competitions (definition of palio) in Tuscany. The palio includes five days of medieval competitions with jousting, archery, and a horse race during the first week of September.

Feast of Rificolona is believed to be one of the oldest festivals in Florence. You’ll find outdoor festivities September 6 and 7 including a big fair in Piazza Santissima Annunziata. The celebrations close the evening of September 7 with a procession from Piazza Santa Croce led by the Cardinal. You may also find Feast of Rificolona celebrated in other parts of Tuscany September 7.

Luminara di Santa Croce, illuminations of the holy cross, is a beautiful procession in Lucca, Tuscany, on September 13. The city is illuminated with thousands of candles at night as the procession goes through Lucca’s historic center. (Lucca travel resources)

Feast Day of San Michele on September 29 is a popular saint’s day celebrated many places in Italy, often with an agriculture festival.