Rificolona 2026: Florence’s Festival of Lights

The Rificolona, Florence’s Festival of Lights, will take place on Monday, September 7.

The tradition has its origins in the 17th century, when farmers would arrive in Piazza Santissima Annunizata on the eve of the Nativity of the Vìrgin Mary (September 8, in the Catholic tradition) with their produce to sell in the square, bearing candle-lut paper lanterns to light the way.  Florentines called the lanterns rificolone, and still today residents carry illuminated paper lanterns in the evening around the city.  Locals meet in Piazza Santa Felicita at 7 pm to join a procession of pilgrims — all carrying round, brighly-colored paper lanterns — who started out from the sanctuary dedicated to Mary in town of Impruneta (8mi/13 km from Florence) departing at 4 pm.

From Santa Felicita the group will walk to Piazza Signoria, piazza Duomo, ending in Piazza Santissima Annunziata, where there will be entertainment for kids starting at 8:30 pm.  The paper lanterns will be blessed by Florence’s Archbishop Gambelli at 9:30 pm, followed by live music in the square by Tommaso Imperiali & Five Quarters. Prizes will be awarded to the most attractive rificolone. 

The Santissima Annunziata basilica will be exceptionally accessible to visitors to the end of the festivities.