International Summer Festival Meet the Tradition

An international folklore gathering in Montecatini Terme

The International Summer Festival Meet the Tradition is an international folklore event that transforms Montecatini Terme, an elegant spa town in the province of Pistoia (Tuscany), into an open-air stage every summer. Now in its fourteenth edition in 2026, the festival brings together folk dance groups, choirs, instrumental ensembles, majorettes, and companies specializing in modern dance, hip hop, and classical ballet from numerous countries to share their traditions through song, dance, music, and authentic costumes.

A non-competitive festival open to all

Meet the Tradition is a non-competitive festival with no age limits for participants: the goal is not to award the best, but to celebrate and showcase the cultural richness of the world's peoples. Each group presents a program lasting a maximum of ten minutes, using live or recorded music, and all receive a diploma of honor, a plaque, and a memento of the event. The artistic direction is led by Svetlana Rumenova, while the organization is managed by the Sopravista Events Agency in collaboration with the EAFF (European Association of Folklore Festivals) network.

Parades, concerts, and Tuscan flavors

The heart of the festival lies in the opening parade through the streets and squares of Montecatini Terme's center and the evening concerts that bring the city to life, culminating in the final gala and awards ceremony. Alongside the performances, the program offers participants social moments such as a disco night and the election of Miss Festival, as well as tastings of typical Italian products—local cheeses, cured meats, and wines.

Tuscany at your fingertips

The location of Montecatini Terme is one of the event's greatest strengths: the city is situated in the heart of Tuscany, just a short distance from Florence, Lucca, Pisa, and the coast of Viareggio. For this reason, the festival offers groups excursion days to discover these cities of art and the Tuscan landscape, combining the experience of international folklore with a visit to one of Italy's most beloved regions. The result is an event that, beyond the spectacle, becomes an opportunity for different cultures to meet against the backdrop of the thermal and artistic traditions of the Pistoia province.