La Musica nelle Aie – Castel Raniero Folk Festival
Three days of folk music, dances, and Romagna traditions on the hills of Faenza
About La Musica nelle Aie
A widespread folk festival among the farmyards of Castel Raniero
La Musica nelle Aie – Castel Raniero Folk Festival is one of the most characteristic events in the Municipality of Faenza, in the province of Ravenna, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna. It takes place in Castel Raniero, a small hamlet nestled in the first hills of Faenza, where the ancient farmyards – the spaces where wheat was once threshed – come alive again as natural stages. For three days, music, culture, nature, and popular traditions merge in a widespread event that leads visitors to move from one farmyard to another, from one concert to another.
The heart of the festival: the folk competition
The soul of the event is the travelling musical competition that winds along the historic Passeggiata Faentina: folk groups and musicians selected from all over Italy compete by playing along the route, in front of an audience that walks with them. Various awards are up for grabs, including the Premio Musica nelle Aie, the Audience Award, the City of Faenza Award, and a special award assigned in collaboration with MEI – Meeting degli Indipendenti, a historic network of independent Italian music based in Faenza. The winners also receive the traditional Trofla, a piece of Faenza ceramic, a symbol that recalls the city's great artisanal tradition.
Not just music
Alongside concerts and folk dances, the programme includes guided excursions through the woods and geosites of the Faenza hills, social circus workshops and activities for families, exhibitions, moments of spirituality in the church of Castel Raniero, and a rich food and wine offering with typical Romagna dishes, starting with the famous Pranzo delle Aie (Farmyard Lunch) that opens the event. There are also walks, a non-competitive run, and dancing aperitifs that liven up the various farmyards of the village.
An event rooted in the territory
Organised by the association Castel Raniero APS, La Musica nelle Aie is much more than a concert: it is a community celebration that enhances the hilly landscape, the peasant memory, and the vitality of the Italian folk scene. In recent years, it has become an anticipated event for lovers of folk music and for those who want to discover an authentic corner of Emilia-Romagna, far from the major tourist circuits.
La Musica nelle Aie — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of La Musica nelle Aie – Castel Raniero Folk Festival was held from May 8th to 10th in the hilly hamlet of Castel Raniero, in Faenza. The programme combined folk music, popular dances, nature excursions, social circus workshops for all ages, exhibitions, and Romagna gastronomy.
The heart of the event was the travelling musical competition on Sunday along the Passeggiata Faentina, with participants selected from all over Italy, followed by the awards ceremony and the Improvised Musical Trebbo. The festival opened on Friday with the traditional Pranzo delle Aie and livened up for three days with concerts, dances, and cultural moments.
Programme La Musica nelle Aie 2026
Friday, May 8th
- 12:00 PM — Pranzo delle Aie (set menu, booking required)
- 6:00 PM — Classicissima di Castel Raniero, non-competitive recreational run
- 7:00 PM — Aia della Contemplazione: installation of the sculpture of Madonna delle Grazie and inauguration of the exhibition "Animali Lignei" by Giorgio Palli in the church of Castel Raniero
- 7:30 PM — Sports Field: DJ set "Zuppa-Folk-Imperiale" by DJ Gumbo (Federico Savini)
Saturday, May 9th
- 10:00 AM — Guided nature excursion by Fattoria Quinzân through woods and the Olmatello geosite, with Marco Sami and Fabio dall'Osso
- From 10:00 AM — Villa Agnesina: open social circus workshop (ages 0-99), organised by Fondazione UCI Sezione Romagna
- Afternoon and evening — dancing aperitifs in the farmyards and folk concerts with festival guests
Sunday, May 10th
- 2:00 PM - 6:30 PM — Passeggiata Faentina: travelling folk competition with participating musicians, including Anime Ribelli, Doctor Folk, Double Dose, Equipe du Folk, Gaiamò, Gnuco Alpen Sgnapa Band, I Maggiaioli di San Godenzo, La Boje, Litha Luna, Menamè, Musica Spiccia, Nashville & Backbones, Opa Trio, Oxyria, Quatar Scapé, The Spell Of Ducks, Tradere World & Folk
- From 6:30 PM — Sports Field: Improvised Musicians
- 8:00 PM — Awards Ceremony: Premio Musica nelle Aie 2026, Premio del Pubblico 2026, Premio Città di Faenza 2026, and Premio speciale MEI 2026
- 9:00 PM — Improvised Musical Trebbo, open jam session among musicians
Highlights La Musica nelle Aie 2026
Prices La Musica nelle Aie 2026
Practical information — La Musica nelle Aie
How to get there
Castel Raniero is a hilly hamlet in the Municipality of Faenza (RA), a few kilometres from the city centre. By car, it can be reached from Faenza along the roads leading up to the hills; the Faenza motorway exit (A14) and the Faenza railway station, on the Bologna–Rimini line, are the main access points.
Admission and booking
Access to the farmyards and concerts is mostly free. Some activities, such as the Pranzo delle Aie, require advance booking and have a separate cost. It is advisable to consult the official website for the updated programme and booking procedures.
Tips
The event is spread across hilly paths and farmyards: wear comfortable shoes suitable for walking. Bring a light jacket for the evenings and cash for the food stalls.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — La Musica nelle Aie
Castel Raniero
Castel Raniero, 48018 Faenza