Buskers Faenza - The Forge of Dreams
The historic center of Faenza becomes an open-air theatre for street artists
About Buskers Faenza
A street art festival in the heart of Faenza
There are few better ways to discover a city than to see it transform before your eyes into an open-air theatre. This is exactly what happens with Buskers Faenza - The Forge of Dreams, the highly anticipated street art festival that animates the historic center of Faenza every September, in the province of Ravenna, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna. For two days, the squares, streets, and alleys of the center are filled with shows, music, and wonder: there are no fixed stages or numbered seats, but a widespread stage that envelops you as you walk from one square to another.
Who are the buskers
Buskers are street artists: figures who for centuries have brought their art directly to the people, without filters and without entrance tickets. In Faenza, they gather: jugglers who defy gravity, aerial acrobats who fly between dream and reality, stilt walkers who bring lightness and fantasy, street musicians who weave their melodies with the city's sounds, fire-eaters who are guardians of ancient traditions, and numerous circus artists. Every corner of the center can suddenly become the setting for a performance.
More than a festival: a social project
Buskers Faenza is not just entertainment. The event is organized by the Italian Red Cross - Faenza Committee, with the patronage of the Municipality of Faenza, the Union of Romagna Faentina, and the Emilia-Romagna Region. The festival was born with a spirit of solidarity: entry is free, and the resources collected are allocated to charitable projects for the benefit of the local area and the most vulnerable people. At the heart of the festival, in Piazza del Popolo, Red Cross volunteers welcome visitors with their activities, alongside stalls of local crafts and typical products.
What to expect
- Widespread performances in Piazza del Popolo, the squares, and alleys of the historic center
- Street artists of all kinds: juggling, acrobatics, balancing, music, magic, and fire
- Craft market and tastings of typical Romagna products
- Space for young local talents, to whom the festival offers the opportunity to grow and perform
- Concluding performance on Sunday evening, the grand finale of the two-day event
A festival for the whole family
With its free entry and playful atmosphere, Buskers Faenza is a perfect event for families and for those who want to discover the beautiful historic center of Faenza – world-renowned for its ceramic tradition – in a different light, amidst laughter, applause, and the wonder of the shows. A weekend where street art demonstrates, once again, that there is no distance between people in front of a performance.
Buskers Faenza — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of Buskers Faenza - The Forge of Dreams will take place on the weekend of mid-September, bringing street art back to the historic center of Faenza. As tradition dictates, the festival will transform Piazza del Popolo, the city's squares, and alleys into a widespread stage, with no fixed stages or seating: performances of juggling, aerial acrobatics, stilt balancing, music, and fire will follow one another amidst the crowd.
The event is confirmed by the Italian Red Cross - Faenza Committee, which organizes it with the patronage of the Municipality of Faenza. Entry is free. The detailed program with artists and individual show times will be published by the organizers in the weeks preceding the event: check this page again for updates.
Programme Buskers Faenza 2026
The detailed program of artists and individual show times for the 2026 edition will be announced by the organizers in the weeks leading up to the event.
Based on the established structure of the event, the two-day festival will include:
- Saturday — festival opening in the late afternoon (usual time from 5:30 PM) with widespread performances until midnight in the squares and alleys of the center.
- Sunday — performances from the afternoon (usual time from 4:00 PM) until 10:00 PM, with a concluding performance in the evening.
As every year, the protagonists will be: jugglers, aerial acrobats, stilt walkers, street musicians, fire-eaters, and circus artists. In Piazza del Popolo, the Faenza Red Cross will be present with its activities and volunteers, alongside stalls of local crafts and typical products.
Highlights Buskers Faenza 2026
- Widespread street artist performances throughout the historic center
- Jugglers, aerial acrobats, stilt walkers, musicians, and fire-eaters
- Concluding performance on Sunday evening
- Craft market and typical products in Piazza del Popolo
- Free entry, charitable event by the Red Cross
Prices Buskers Faenza 2026
Practical information — Buskers Faenza
When
The weekend in mid-September, on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturdays, shows start at 5:30 PM and continue until midnight; on Sundays, from 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM, with a concluding performance in the evening.
Where
Historic center of Faenza (RA): Piazza del Popolo, the squares, streets, and alleys of the city. No fixed stages: shows are spread throughout the center.
Admission
Free. As this is a charitable event organized by the Italian Red Cross, voluntary contributions to support the association's projects are greatly appreciated.
How to get there
Faenza is located along the Via Emilia, between Bologna and Rimini. By train, Faenza station is on the Bologna-Rimini-Ancona line, a few minutes' walk from the historic center. By car, take the A14 motorway exit for Faenza. During the festival, the center is largely pedestrianized: it's best to use the city's peripheral parking lots.
Contacts
Italian Red Cross - Faenza Committee. For artists: [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Buskers Faenza
Centro storico di Faenza
Piazza del Popolo, 48018 Faenza