When is the open-air cinema in Piazza Maggiore?

The open-air cinema runs every summer from mid-June to mid-August. The 2026 season, Sotto le Stelle del Cinema, ran from 15 June to 14 August, around 57 evenings, and ended with a closing dance party in the square.

Screenings start after dark. In 2026 most films began at 21:45, moving to 21:30 from early August as the evenings drew in.

The second half of June is the busiest stretch, because the season overlaps with Il Cinema Ritrovato, the Cineteca’s festival of restored films. In 2026 that ran 20 to 28 June, and the evening screenings in the piazza were part of it.

Dates and the full program are set fresh each year and published by the Cineteca di Bologna, so check cinetecadibologna.it before planning a trip around a particular film.