Milan Events and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Milan, Lombardy, Italy)

Leading magazines for numerous Milan festivals and events are readily available and there are popular Milanese event guides published every week. Full of up-to-date listings of events and festivals throughout Italy, with a focus on Milan, they are aimed specifically at tourists and visitors to Milan. These magazines provide you with a huge choice of things to see and do in Milan, Italy.

National Public Holidays

• 1st January - New Year's Day
• 6th January - Epiphany
• Early April - Easter Monday
• 25th April - Liberation Day and St. Mark's Feast Day
• 1st May - Labour Day
• 29th June - Local Feast Day
• 15th August - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• 1st November - All Saints Day
• 8th December - Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• 24th December - Christmas Eve
• 25th December - Christmas Day
• 26th December - Boxing Day / St. Stephen's Day

January

• Corteo dei Re Magi - January 6th, traditional procession from the Duomo to Sant'Eustorgio
• Fiera di Senigallia - every Saturday throughout the year, a colourful market with ethnic handicrafts, records and bicycles along the Darsena
• Mercato dell'Antiquariato di Brera - third Saturday of the month, a market with stalls selling books, jewellery, antiques and much more

February

• Carnavale Ambrosiano - the longest carnival in the world, with many floats and Milanese characters parading to the Piazza del Duomo. Ends on the first Saturday in lent

March

• MODIT-Milanovendemoda - early March, the autumn / winter collections of leading international fashion designers
• Milano-SanRemo - third Saturday, prestigious international bicycle race in the city centre
• Oggi Aperto - third weekend, historic buildings and monuments that usually remain closed are opened to the general public
• BIT - The Fiera (Milan's Exhibition Centre) hosts a large international tourist trade show

April

• Fiera dei Fiori - Monday after Easter, near the San Franciscan convent, in and around Via Moscova, large fair devoted to flower growing
• Bagutta-Pittori all'Aria Aperta - third week, the famous Via Bagutta hosts an outdoor art exhibition
• Stramilano - mid-April, popular marathon for both professionals and amateurs, attracting around 50,000 competitors each year

May

• Milano Cortili Aperti - courtyards of some of the city's private houses are opened to the public
• Pittori sul Naviglio - outdoor art exhibition, along the Alzia Naviglio Grande canal
• Estate all'Idroscalo - summer sporting events, water entertainment and concerts at Milan seaplane airport, situated near to Linate Airport
• Sagra del Carroccio - parades in costume and festivities celebrating the commemoration of the battle of 1176, at Legnano, 30 km / 19 miles from Milan

June

• Festa del Naviglio - first Sunday, festival in the illuminated Naviglio canals with street artists and performers, sports, general handicrafts, cooking, concerts and an antiques market
• Milano d'Estate - June to August, concerts, exhibitions and various cultural events in the Parco Sempione, marking the beginning of summer entertainment in Milan
• Sagra di San Cristoforo - third Sunday, St. Christopher, the patron saint of travellers, is celebrated along the Naviglio canals, in the square opposite the church
• Estate all'Umanitaria - cinema, dance, music and theatre festival hosted by The Humanitarian Association
• Fotoshow - photography, video and optics show in the Fiera Exhibition Centre
• Orticola - gardening show, with flowers, plants, general garden furnishings and a market in the Porta Cenezia public gardens
• Sagra di San Giovanni - celebration of the patron saint's feast day with sporting and cultural events at nearby Monza, to the north of Milan

July and August

• Festival Latino-Americano - popular and lively festival of American music, cuisine and handicrafts hosted by the Forum di Assago
• Arianteo - some of the year's most important films are shown outdoors at the Rotonda della Basana
• Concerts in the Park - mid-July to mid-August, summer concerts held on Thursday evenings in Wilson Park
• Milan Bluegrass Festival - August, this event features some of the best bluegrass performers around and is held at the KC Campground in Sherman Road

September

• Premier League Football (soccer) - early September, start of the Italian football season with two of Italy's leading teams that are based in Milan - Inter and Milan
• Panoramica di Venezia - early September, films from the Venice film festival are shown the cinemas in Milan
• Centomiglia - second weekend in September, this sailing regatta is organised by the Circolo Vela Gargnano
• Gran Premio di Monza - the Grand Prix of Italy held at the Autodromo Nazionale in Monza, north of Milan, which is one of the top motor racing circuits in the country

October

• Fiera di Chiaravalle - first Monday, famous fair featuring music, dancing and an outdoor art exhibition at the Chiaravalle Cistercian abbey bell tower
• SMAU - first week, international multimedia event held in the Fiera Exhibition Centre, with many computer related exhibits
• MODIT-Milanovendemoda - early October, second major fashion show for leading Italian and international designers, held at different locations in Milan, including the Fiera pavilions

November

• Premio Bagutta - Milan's most important literary award presentation

December

• Festa di Sant'Ambrogio - December 7th, favourite holiday of the locals, celebrated with many events, including the Fiera degli 'Oh bej Oh bej', a street fair around the streets of Sant'Ambrogio, including many antique stalls
• La Scala - the start of the season at the world-famous Teatro alla Scala opera house at the Piazza della Scala
• Picolo Teatro - Milan's other famous theatre starts its programme of plays at the beginning of December
• New Year's Eve - December 31st, masses are celebrated in churches and traditionally. There are also many parties and general celebrations