Romagna is ready to kick off the summer with La Notte Rosa 2026. Leading up to the main event, the previews on Thursday 18 June will set the festive mood with the first events and activities, guiding the public towards the long La Notte Rosa weekend.

Whilst waiting for the long weekend to get into full swing, on Thursday 18 June the region will come alive with a series of events. Music will naturally take centre stage, but there will also be plenty of opportunities to enjoy traditional celebrations, family fun, dancing and historical re-enactments, all part of a programme that will lead residents and visitors towards the most eagerly awaited weekend of early summer.

Among the most eagerly awaited events is the 105 Summer Festival, which arrives on Thursday 18th in the picturesque setting of Piazza Ariostea in Ferrara. From 6 pm, the historic centre of Ferrara will be transformed into a huge open-air arena, ready to welcome thousands of people for an evening entirely dedicated to live music and entertainment. The event, which is free to attend but requires compulsory registration via Eventbrite, is one of the main musical previews of the Notte Rosa and will see some of the most popular artists on the Italian scene take turns on stage. The evening will be accompanied by live national radio and television broadcasts on Radio 105, which will celebrate its fiftieth anniversary the following day in Ferrara itself.

In the heart of Rimini’s historic centre, the charming Piazza Cavour will be transformed from 9 pm into a huge open-air dance floor under the stars for the ‘Tutti in pista’ event, one of the initiatives leading up to the Notte Rosa. The square will become a meeting place open to all generations, where Romagna’s traditions will blend with entertainment. The public will be able to dance to the sounds of ballroom music, take part in group dances and get caught up in the great disco hits of the 1970s and 1980s. Making the evening even more special will be live performances and the participation of local dance schools, who will take centre stage in shows and demonstrations designed to directly involve the audience.

In Bellaria-Igea Marina, at 9.30 pm, Piazza Don Minzoni will host the ‘Tribute to Raffaella Carrà’ concert, a tribute to one of the most beloved Italian artists of all time, who has deep ties to the town. The tribute band Dino Gnassi will take to the stage, ready to revisit the greatest hits of the showgirl who left her mark on the history of Italian television and music. An evening designed for singing, dancing and sharing memories through songs that continue to captivate audiences of all ages to this day.