What is on in Piazza Maggiore today?

There is no fixed daily program, so the honest answer depends on the month. On an ordinary day the square is just the square: free, open and full of people crossing it on the way to somewhere else. The big set pieces follow a yearly pattern.

In 2026 the trade unions’ May Day concert filled the square on 1 May. From mid-June to mid-August, Sotto le stelle del cinema puts a free open-air screen in front of San Petronio almost every evening (15 June to 14 August in 2026). On 2 August, the anniversary of the 1980 station bombing, the Teatro Comunale orchestra plays a free evening concert here. Early October has the feast of San Petronio, the city’s patron. From November the Christmas fairs set up nearby, and on 31 December the Vecchione, a giant effigy of the old year, is burned at midnight.

For what is on this week, check the Bologna Welcome events calendar, run by the city’s tourist board, or ask at its office on the square.