In/Canti & Banchi — Street Art Festival
Three days of street theatre, music, and markets in the heart of Castelfiorentino
About In/Canti & Banchi
A festival that lights up the historic centre
In/Canti & Banchi is a festival dedicated to theatre and street art that brings the historic centre of Castelfiorentino to life every spring. Located in the Valdelsa area in the province of Florence, in the heart of Tuscany, the town's squares, streets, and courtyards become a sprawling theatre for three days, where shows, music, and installations follow one another from sunset until late at night. Admission is completely free, and the atmosphere—filled with lights, costumes, and sounds—captivates families, children, and curious visitors of all ages.
Street art, music, and wonder
The programme blends diverse artistic languages: street theatre and storytelling, marionettes and puppets, aerial and Celtic dance, acrobatic performances, and folk and operatic music sung from the windows of the historic centre. There is no shortage of surprising visual effects, such as the flying piano, fantastic creatures floating through the streets, and enchanted unicorns roaming the Natural Shopping Centre. Saturday night concludes with the Dis/Incanti musical event in Piazza Gramsci.
The market and street food
Alongside the performances, the festival features Il Mercato di In/Canti, a multi-functional market showcasing vintage items, design, crafts, and antiques, open from Saturday afternoon throughout the day on Sunday. Numerous street food stalls, set up in Piazza delle Stanze Operaie, round out the experience with specialities to enjoy while strolling between performances, while local shops remain open.
Corti Circuito and children's shows
Sunday is dedicated to families: the morning is reserved for a fairytale journey for the little ones, featuring retellings of famous fables, while the afternoon brings Corti Circuito to life—a marathon of short plays that brings eight theatre companies from across Tuscany to the alleyways of the upper historic centre, with non-stop performances and a final awards ceremony in Piazza del Popolo.
A local event
In/Canti & Banchi is organised by the Municipality of Castelfiorentino with the patronage of the Tuscany Region, the Metropolitan City of Florence, and the Union of Municipalities of the Empolese Valdelsa District, with the involvement of local entities such as the Fondazione Teatro del Popolo, Teatrocastello, and numerous local associations. Over the years, it has become one of the most anticipated events of the Valdelsa spring and a showcase for street art in Tuscany.
In/Canti & Banchi — edition 2026
The 35th edition of In/Canti & Banchi took place from 22 to 24 May 2026 in Castelfiorentino, confirming the festival's widespread format throughout the historic centre. On Friday evening, the grand opening parade kicked off three days of shows, while Saturday alternated performances, concerts, and the late-night DJ set in Piazza Gramsci. Sunday, dedicated to families, concluded with the Corti Circuito theatre marathon and the awards ceremony for Tuscan companies in Piazza del Popolo.
Programme In/Canti & Banchi 2026
Friday 22 May
- 20:45 — Grand opening Parade with music, dance, and costumes in the historic centre up to Piazza Gramsci
- from 21:00 — First shows: "mattatoio sospeso", Celtic dance, the "Dream-lighting" Fairy, "Hansel & Gretel", the flying piano, opera music from the windows, puppet theatre, and theatrical interventions inspired by Ovid's "Metamorphoses"
Saturday 23 May
- 21:00 — "Enchanted Unicorns" in the streets of the Natural Shopping Centre and floating creatures on Via XX Settembre
- Piazza del Popolo — Folk music concert with improvisation and audience participation
- Ex-Arena Gardens — Cabaret with "living" marionettes
- Via Attavanti — Theatrical performances and exhibition by the Castellano Lyric Choir with "The Elixir of Love"
- 23:45 — Piazza Gramsci — Dis/Incanti with DJ set "Back to the 90's Boys"
- From the afternoon — Opening of Il Mercato di In/Canti (vintage, design, crafts, antiques) and street food in Piazza delle Stanze Operaie
Sunday 24 May
- from 9:30 — Fairytale journey for children with "The Ugly Duckling", "Cinderella", and "Jack and the Beanstalk"
- 16:00-19:00 — Corti Circuito (4th edition): marathon of short plays with eight Tuscan companies in the alleyways of the upper historic centre, non-stop performances, and final awards ceremony in Piazza del Popolo
- All day — Market and street food
During the festival, there were also art and photography exhibitions in various spaces in the centre (Oratorio San Carlo, Circolo "Il Progresso", Centro Culturale Cambio) and urban decorations created by local school students.
Highlights In/Canti & Banchi 2026
Prices In/Canti & Banchi 2026
Practical information — In/Canti & Banchi
Getting there
Castelfiorentino is located in the Valdelsa area, along the road and railway line connecting Florence to Siena. By train, the Castelfiorentino station is on the Empoli–Siena line, just a short walk from the historic centre. By car, it can be reached via the Florence–Pisa–Livorno expressway (Empoli exit) or the Florence–Siena junction.
Admission and hours
Admission to all performances is free. Friday and Saturday evenings are primarily held in the evening and at night; on Sunday, the programme begins in the morning with children's shows and continues in the afternoon with Corti Circuito.
Tips
It is best to get around on foot: the festival is spread throughout the entire historic centre. A tourist office is also available to the public in Piazza Gramsci during the event days.
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Where does it take place — In/Canti & Banchi
Centro storico di Castelfiorentino
Centro storico, 50051 Castelfiorentino