Candele sotto le Stelle

The most magical night of the Pesaro summer

Candele sotto le Stelle (Candles under the Stars) is the symbolic event of Ferragosto on the coast of Pesaro, in the heart of the province of Pesaro and Urbino, in the Marche region. Every year, on the night of August 10th dedicated to San Lorenzo, the Pesaro coastline turns off its electric lights and lights up with thousands of candles: a luminous carpet stretching along over ten kilometers of beaches, from the city center to the Riviera of the Monte San Bartolo Natural Park, also involving the neighboring municipalities of Gabicce Mare and Gradara.

A coastline lit by thousands of flames

Over twenty quintals of wax are used to outline the profile of the coast: participating beach establishments forgo electric lighting and rely solely on candles for the atmosphere, while bathers and visitors gather on the sand for dinners, picnics, and aperitifs, strictly in white attire. It is the so-called night of wishes, when people await the passage of shooting stars with their gaze turned to the sky.

The heart of the shows: Piazzale della Libertà

The center of the event is Piazzale della Libertà, on the Pesaro seafront, where each year a large luminous and "secret" inscription made of over a thousand candles is created, the content of which is revealed in the evening. The tribute to the famous Sfera Grande by Arnaldo Pomodoro is evocative, with around two hundred floating lights arranged around it, reflecting on the bronze of the artwork.

Music and dance by the sea

The evening features itinerant pizzica (a traditional folk dance) performances along the seafront, between the Moletto area and viale Zara, and the traditional concert by the Mirko Casadei Big Band, which brings Romagna's liscio (popular folk dance music) and folk music to the beach in a festive style, accompanied by dance performances. Along the seven kilometers of coastline, over eighty beach establishments organize parties, beach parties, and themed dinners.

A territorial event

Promoted by the Municipality of Pesaro together with the Municipalities of Gabicce Mare and Gradara, with the collaboration of the Pro Loco of Candelara and local volunteers, Candele sotto le Stelle has become one of the most representative events of the Marche summer, capable of uniting seaside identity, popular tradition, and territorial tourism promotion. Sustainable mobility is encouraged with shuttle buses and cycle paths to reach the seafront.