San Giovanni 2026: Traditions, Sports & Fireworks

With the arrival of June in Florence, the city is preparing once again to celebrate San Giovanni Battista, St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of Florence, with four days of traditions, cultural events, sports, and the beloved “Fochi” fireworks display.

Running from June 20 to 24, the festivities honor one of Florence’s oldest traditions and bring together residents and visitors for celebrations that combine history, religion, and community spirit. June 24, the feast day of Saint John the Baptist, is also an official holiday in Florence.

This year’s celebrations also highlight the completion of the restoration of the historic terracotta statue of St. John the Baptist. Created in 1928 by the Manifattura di Signa and donated by Augusto Cui, the statue recently underwent careful conservation work by restorer Barbara Bersellini, preserving an important piece of Florence’s cultural heritage.

The program begins on Saturday, June 20, with the 86th edition of the Notturna di San Giovanni, 10k and 4k races.  Starting at 9 pm, the historic night competition, starting from Piazza San Giovanni will wind through the streets of the city center.  The event will be accompanied by an exhibition of vintage motorcycles in piazza del Duomo.

On Sunday, June 21, Piazza della Signoria will host the traditional Coronation of the Marzocco (the lion statue, a city symbol) outside Palazzo Vecchio. The ceremony will feature the Historic Parade of the Florentine Republic and performances by the Bandierai degli Uffizi. Following the ceremony, the Premio Corona del Marzocco will be presented to Ginevra Moretti, owner of Castello di Sammezzano, and 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 at 4:30 pm. The exhibition will move to the via Ginori 14, where it can be visited through June 30.

The main celebrations take place on June 24, a legal holiday in Florence, with historic parades, performances by the Bandierai degli Uffizi flag throwers at 9 am in Piazza della Signoria and at 5 pm in Piazza Santa Croce, the traditional offering of candles at 10 am, and a solemn Mass in the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore at 10:30 am.  

Later in the day, attention shifts to the Arno River for the Palio Remiero di San Giovanni boat race among city neighborhoods, organized by the Società Canottieri Firenze boat club starting at 6 pm.  Concurrently, the final of the Calcio Storico historical sports tournament will pit the Rossi (Reds) of Santa Maria Novella against the Azzurri (Blues) of Santa Croce. The evening concludes with one of Florence’s most anticipated traditions: the Fochi di San Giovanni. Beginning at 10 pm, fireworks will illuminate the sky above the Lungarno della Zecca Vecchia, bringing four days of celebrations to a spectacular close.

More than just a festival, San Giovanni remains one of Florence’s strongest expressions of local identity and a tradition that continues to connect generations through the city’s history and culture. (Maquinna Peglow/additional reporting by R.C.)