Sunrises in Backlight

A Festival Born with the Sunrise

Albe in Controluce is one of the most beloved initiatives of the summer in Riccione, a pearl of the Romagna Riviera in the province of Rimini, in Emilia-Romagna. Promoted by the Culture and Tourism Departments of the Municipality of Riccione, the festival brings live music to the city's free beaches during the most evocative hours of the day: dawn, when the sun emerges from the Adriatic and illuminates the still deserted sand. The audience arrives in the dark, sits on the shore, and watches the concert as the light slowly grows, in an experience that combines listening, nature, and contemplation.

The 2026 Program

The 2026 edition runs from June 21 to August 9, with six events spread between the free beach of Marano (between zones 132 and 134) and the free beach of San Martino (Abissinia area). All concerts are free admission and start in the very early morning hours:

• June 21, 5:15 AM — Venerus, Marano free beach
• July 5, 5:15 AM — MILLE, San Martino free beach
• July 12, 5:15 AM — Dutch Nazari, Marano free beach
• July 19, 5:30 AM — Giovanni Truppi with "La lunga fiaba di sabbia", Marano free beach
• July 26, 5:30 AM — Sara Gioielli, San Martino free beach, in collaboration with Riccione Summer Jazz
• August 9, 5:30 AM — Gloria Campaner and Thea Crudi, San Martino free beach

An Experience Different from the Usual Concert

What makes Albe in Controluce special is not only the quality of the artists involved but the context: no raised stage and artificial lights, but the sand, the sound of the waves, and the natural light that changes minute by minute. The festival ranges from singer-songwriters to author music, piano, and more experimental sounds, choosing voices capable of dialoguing with the morning silence. The concert by Gloria Campaner and Thea Crudi, in particular, intertwines piano and voice in a journey that evokes meditation and well-being.

Riccione and its Cultural Summer

Albe in Controluce is part of Riccione's rich summer program. This city, a symbol of Italian seaside tourism, also engages with other city events like Riccione Summer Jazz. It's an invitation to experience the sea in a new way, far from the crowds and noise of the night, rediscovering the value of a shared awakening. For many spectators, the sunrise appointment has become a small summer ritual, to be enjoyed with a blanket on the sand while waiting for the first note.