This is only a selection of the many events that take place in Pisa and surrounding area every year.

February

Viareggio Carnival
The carnival in Viareggio is one of the most spectacular in Italy. Celebrations include costume parade on Viareggio’s seafront, street dancing, music and lots of “frittelle”.
Various groups work all year round to create original costumes and allegoric carts that are usually a satiric representation of recent events and public figures especially Italian and International politicians.
 

May – June – July

Luminaria
It is the candlelit parade that takes place on the eve of Saint Ranieri (17th of June) with a lots of candles are lit outside the buildings along the Arno River and thousands of lit floating candles flow on the river itself.

Historic Regatta
The Regatta of Saint Ranieri, which dates back to the 13th century, takes place on the 17th of June. It consists of four boats, each one representing a district of Pisa, S. Maria, S. Francesco, S. Antonio and S. Martino. The crews must row against the current on a 1,500 meter-long stretch of the Arno. The boats are manned by eight oarsmen, one steersman and an additional man who, upon arrival at the finish line must climb a 25 foot long rope in order to grab the Palio (flag) of victory.

The Game of the Bridge
The first edition of the Game of the Bridge, which takes place at the end of June, dates back to1568 when rival teams from different quarters of Pisa fought for symbolic possession of a bridge over the Arno River. Today the festival starts with a seventeenth century costume parade, the two sides of Tramontana, situated north of the Arno river, and Mezzogiorno, south of the Arno, parade along the two banks of the river, forming two big processions followed by the game itself. The two formations establish themselves in their squares, at the two ends of the bridge. The game consists of two teams of 20 men each who push a wooden trolley on the bridge in opposite directions.

Ancient Sea Republics Regatta
The regatta of the ancient sea republics, Pisa, Venice, Amalfi and Genoa, which take it in turns to organise the events, takes place between May and July every year with a different scenario. Every former republic sends out its galleon in mock combat and to race alongside other craft.