Mercantia - International Street Theatre Festival

Mercantia: The Magic of the Fourth Theatre in Certaldo

There are festivals you watch, and festivals you live: Mercantia undoubtedly belongs to the latter. Every summer, the medieval village of Certaldo Alto, in the heart of Tuscany and the municipality of Certaldo (Province of Florence), sheds its everyday skin to embrace the dream. Brick alleys, cobblestone squares, towers, secret gardens, and ancient crypts are transformed into stages: this is the realm of the so-called Fourth Theatre, a form of street performance that dissolves the boundaries between stage and audience, making the city itself the scene.

A History Spanning Nearly Forty Years

Mercantia was born in 1988 under the name "Teatralfestamercatomedievale" under the artistic direction of Alessandro Gigli, who remains its soul to this day. That first edition hosted just ten companies; today, the festival has grown into an international benchmark for street theatre, attracting hundreds of artists from all over the world and thousands of spectators. It is the only Italian street theatre festival included in the Art Bonus circuit, a testament to its cultural value for the Tuscan territory.

What to Expect at Mercantia

Walking through Certaldo during Mercantia means being surprised at every turn. Along the streets and in the squares, you will encounter stilt walkers, acrobats, mimes, dancers, fakirs, fire artists, jugglers, and tightrope walkers in a succession of performances blending cabaret, experimental theatre, vertical dance, contemporary circus, live music, and marching bands. Completing the atmosphere, over one hundred artisans offer live demonstrations and handmade creations, while hidden installations and paths invite you to lose yourself among the village stones.

The Village of Boccaccio

Certaldo Alto is no ordinary setting: it is the home of Giovanni Boccaccio, the father of the novella and author of the Decameron. Strolling through its walls at night, with the glow of torches and the distant sound of bands, evokes the feeling of a story coming to life. It is this fusion of historical heritage and contemporary art that makes Mercantia a unique experience in the Tuscan and Italian landscape—an event that fosters beauty, art, and social connection.

An Event for All of Tuscany

Every year, Mercantia reaffirms its role as a symbol of contemporary culture and a driver for tourism throughout the Tuscany region. The festival takes place entirely in the evening, with an atmosphere that intensifies as darkness falls, welcoming a devoted audience that returns year after year to rediscover the same unrepeatable sense of wonder.