Carnival
February
Bologna locals flood out onto the streets to watch the carnival's colourful float parade thread its way through the city. It's a great time to be here if you want to witness local culture.
Festival of San Luca
May
This local religious festival sees an effigy of San Luca paraded through the streets of Bologna and carried to San Pietro Cathedral by a colourful procession of priests.
Angelica International Music Festival
May-June
One of Italy's biggest festivals dedicated to contemporary music, this annual event stages a vast programme of concerts in venues throughout the city. The wide-ranging variety of performances on offer takes in the full scope of modern music.
Artelibro Festival
September
One for art lovers, the Artelibro Festival sees the galleries and design spaces of Bologna stage a series of special exhibitions across a four-day period. A programme of art lectures and events runs concurrently, and the city's main piazzas host huge art markets where you can purchase work from up-and-coming artists.
Bologna Jazz Festival
October/November
This musical extravaganza attracts both big-name performers from across the world and up-and-coming musicians for a series of concerts which bring the wild rhythms of jazz onto Bologna's streets.