Overtime Spring
Sports storytelling by the protagonists, in Piazza Guerrazzi, Cecina
About Overtime Spring
Overtime Spring: Sports as a Story
Every spring, Cecina, a gem on the Etruscan Coast in the Province of Livorno, becomes the capital of sports storytelling with Overtime Spring. This is the springtime spin-off of the historic Overtime Festival, Italy's premier event for sports journalism, ethics, and narrative. Conceived and organized by the Pindaro Cultural Association in partnership with the Municipality of Cecina, the festival brings champions, journalists, writers, and storytellers to the city for a few days of meetings, dialogues, and readings that use sports as a starting point to discuss values, culture, and society.
A festival born in Macerata, flourishing in Cecina
Overtime was founded in 2011 in Macerata, in the Marche region, where the main autumn edition has made the city a landmark in the national sports landscape. For several years now, the festival has chosen Tuscany, and Cecina in particular, for its spring edition: a more intimate yet equally intense format designed to welcome the arrival of the warmer season on the Tuscan coast with events that combine sports with cultural reflection.
The heart of the event: Piazza Guerrazzi
The nerve center of Overtime Spring is Piazza Guerrazzi, in the heart of Cecina, where the stage and evening meeting spaces are set up. Daytime activities dedicated to schools and young people also take place around the square and at other city locations like the Villaggio San Francesco, highlighting the project's educational focus.
Sports, ethics, and culture for everyone
- Dialogues and interviews with champions and figures from Italian sports
- Theatrical readings and performances dedicated to sports literature
- Meetings with sports journalists and storytellers
- Activities aimed at students and local young athletes
- National youth tournaments and finals hosted in Cecina concurrently
All events are free of charge, in line with the festival's popular and educational spirit, which aims to bring the general public closer to the values of sports. Overtime Spring has become a highly anticipated date on the cultural calendar of Cecina and Tuscany, attracting sports enthusiasts and curious minds alike, all fascinated by the power of a great story.
Overtime Spring — edition 2026
The second edition of Overtime Spring brought Cecina to life from June 5 to 7, 2026, offering a memorable weekend in Piazza Guerrazzi, blending sports, culture, and great personalities. Opened by Olympic judo champion Giulia Quintavalle and basketball player Lorenzo Caroti, the event combined evening meetings with big names in sports storytelling and daytime activities dedicated to students and the national youth finals hosted in the city. As in previous years, all events in 2026 were free to attend.
Programme Overtime Spring 2026
Friday, June 5
- Morning — Activities with high school and sports academy students at Villaggio San Francesco
- Afternoon — Meeting with volleyball players Simone Buti and Francesca Villani for the Under-13 National Volleyball Finals
- Evening in Piazza Guerrazzi with Cristiano Militello and Federico Buffa, among the most beloved voices in Italian sports storytelling
Saturday, June 6
- 18:30 — Francesco Moser in conversation with journalist Marco Ardemagni, discussing "My life between cycling and my farming roots"
- 19:00 — Reading of "Splendors and Miseries of Soccer" by Eduardo Galeano, presented by Fabrizio Gabrielli with an introduction by Nicola Calzaretta
- 21:00 — Dialogue between RAI journalist Marco Ardemagni and Gene Gnocchi, exploring the intersection of comedy and passion for football
Sunday, June 7
- Meeting with actor and monologist Valerio Aprea, covering boxing, cycling, and football
- 19:00 — Francesco "Ciccio" Graziani, 1982 World Cup champion, retraces his career in conversation with Marco Ardemagni in Piazza Guerrazzi
Highlights Overtime Spring 2026
Prices Overtime Spring 2026
Practical information — Overtime Spring
Location
Evening meetings are held in Piazza Guerrazzi, in the center of Cecina (Province of Livorno, Tuscany). Some daytime activities for schools take place at other locations throughout the city.
How to get there
By train: Cecina station on the Tyrrhenian line (Genoa–Rome), a few minutes' walk from the center. By car: Take the Cecina exit on the SS1 Aurelia. By plane: Pisa Airport is approximately one hour away.
Admission
All events are free of charge and open to the public.
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Where does it take place — Overtime Spring
Piazza Guerrazzi
Piazza Guerrazzi, 57023 Cecina