What concerts are held in Piazza Maggiore?

Mostly free civic concerts rather than ticketed tours. Three fixtures come round every year.

On 1 May the trade unions (CGIL, CISL and UIL, with Arci Bologna) put on a May Day concert. In 2026 it was free, with a long bill of Italian acts; check the year’s listing for start and finish times.

On 2 August, the anniversary of the 1980 bombing at Bologna station, the orchestra and chorus of the Teatro Comunale play the final concert of the “2 Agosto” International Composition Competition, set up in 1994 as the city’s musical response to the attack. The winning new pieces come first, then a standard work: Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony in 2026. It is an evening concert, entry is free, and it goes out live on Rai Radio 3. Check the year’s listing for the start time.

On New Year’s Eve the Crescentone becomes a dance floor, with DJ sets either side of the burning of the Vecchione at midnight. For 2025 to 2026 entry opened at 21:30 through checkpoints, with a limit of 9,000 people in the square at once.

Other one-off concerts happen through the summer under the Bologna Estate program. Check bolognaestate.it for the current year.