Photo by Stefano Bolognini, Wikimedia Commons, Attribution only
Bellaria Igea Marina
Events in Bellaria Igea Marina
Bellaria Igea Marina's calendar brings together the harbour, central Bellaria and activities across the districts. Bellaria Film Festival takes place in May; Sbarco dei Saraceni in late July; Fuochi di Ferragosto on 14 August by the canal harbour; and Festa della Piadina brings the centre to life in September.
Calendar through the year
| Period | Event | Location | 2026 edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 January | Befana activities | Centre | 6 January |
| Around 9 February | Fiera di Sant'Apollonia | Viale Paolo Guidi | 7-9 February |
| Carnival | Carnevale in Piazza | Piazza Matteotti in 2026 | 15 February |
| Easter | Pasqua diffusa | Pedestrian avenues and squares | 4-6 April |
| April | Spring markets | Isola dei Platani | 25-26 April |
| May | Bellaria Film Festival | Cinema Teatro Astra, Viale Paolo Guidi | 6-10 May |
| Late May or early June | La Borgata che danza | Borgata Vecchia, Via Romea and Via Ionio | 30 May-2 June |
| Late May | Madonna del Mare and Maratonina dei Laghi | Harbour for the celebration, city route for the race | 30 May |
| June | BIM Triathlon Olimpico | Sea and city streets | 14 June |
| June | Notte Rosa and children's activities | Lungomare Pinzon, harbour, squares and parks | 19-21 June |
| June and summer | Belli di Musica | Centro culturale Vittorio Belli, in Igea Marina | summer |
| Early July | Marinara, historic boat gathering | Canal harbour | 5 July |
| July and August | Made in BIM and Giro d'estate della Borgata Vecchia | Central squares and Borgata Vecchia | July and August |
| Summer, Thursdays | BFF Open Air | Cinema Apollo | from 25 June to 20 August |
| Late July | Sbarco dei Saraceni | Canal harbour and Piazza Don Minzoni | 24 July |
| 13-14 August | Onde di Vino | Canal harbour | 13-14 August |
| 14 August, at 11pm | Fuochi di Ferragosto | Canal harbour | 14 August |
| Late August or early September | Il Gusto del Porto | Canal harbour, Viale Pinzon and Via Rubicone | 28-29 August |
| September | Festa della Piadina | Isola dei Platani, on Viale Paolo Guidi | 11-13 September |
| October | Rumore BIM Festival, national finals | Palacongressi, Via Uso 1 | 9-11 October |
| October | Bordonchio festivals and other community celebrations | Districts and venues in local programmes | October |
| 31 October | Isola di Halloween | Viale Paolo Guidi | 31 October |
| Late November to 6 January | BIM Christmas and New Year's Eve events across the town | Viale Paolo Guidi, Piazza Don Minzoni and other venues | 2025-26 edition: 30 November-6 January |
Each edition's programme is in the events calendar on the municipal tourism portal.
Cinema and spring traditions
Bellaria Film Festival has been dedicated to Italian independent cinema since 1983. Recent editions have taken place in May, from 6 to 10 May in 2026, at Cinema Teatro Astra on Viale Paolo Guidi.
La Borgata che danza brings traditional Romagna music, dancing and food to Borgata Vecchia between late spring and early summer: in 2026, its 34th edition ran from 30 May to 2 June. A different event from the seafront concerts, it is rooted in the neighbourhood's streets and folk culture.
Early in the year, Fiera di Sant'Apollonia accompanies the patron saint's feast day on 9 February. Carnival and Easter add activities with variable dates. In late May, Maratonina dei Laghi brings running to the city streets; in June, BIM Triathlon Olimpico combines sea swimming, cycling and running. Other races are covered on the sport in Bellaria Igea Marina page.
Sbarco dei Saraceni and evenings by the harbour
Sbarco dei Saraceni is a costumed re-enactment organised by Comitato Borgata Vecchia: on a Friday evening in late July, a procession sets off from the canal harbour on the Bellaria side and crosses the town. In 2024 and 2026, it reached Piazza Don Minzoni; in 2025, the re-enactment took place over two evenings, on 25 and 26 July.
The harbour also hosts Fuochi di Ferragosto, always on 14 August at 11pm in the 2024, 2025 and 2026 editions, and food festivals. The mouth of the Uso provides the maritime setting for these activities, while summer shows and concerts are spread around other parts of town. Notte Rosa, held in June since 2025, brings the Carnevale in rosa parade to Lungomare Pinzon in Igea Marina, with DJ sets and fireworks.
In summer, the festival returns with BFF Open Air screenings at Cinema Apollo, close to the sea, on Thursday evenings: from 25 June to 20 August in 2026.
Piadina and end-of-season festivals
In September, Festa della Piadina brings Romagna cooking to Isola dei Platani and the central streets. Food preparation, stalls and shows are part of the event: for a visit at another time, the guide to where to eat in Bellaria Igea Marina presents dishes and areas of town.
Il Gusto del Porto combines maritime tradition with food evenings by the canal harbour between late August and early September. Rumore BIM Festival is a national competition for young performing artists, with finals in Bellaria Igea Marina at Palacongressi, Via Uso 1: from 25 to 27 October in 2024, from 10 to 12 October in 2025 and from 9 to 11 October in 2026.
From autumn festivals to Christmas
On 31 October, Isola di Halloween brings Viale Paolo Guidi to life. BIM Christmas brings a Christmas village, ice rink and shows between Viale Paolo Guidi and Piazza Don Minzoni until Epiphany: from 30 November to 6 January in 2025-26.
Alternatives are covered on the pages about entertainment and Bellaria Igea Marina with children. Riviera events allow comparison with recurring events in nearby resorts.
Sources: municipal tourism portal bellariaigeamarina.org, event listings for 2024-2026 editions (including Sbarco dei Saraceni, Fuochi di Ferragosto and Rumore BIM Festival 2024, 2025 and 2026, BIM Triathlon Olimpico 2026 and the August 2026 programme with Onde di Vino), accessed on 30 September, 10 and 11 October 2026; Comune di Bellaria Igea Marina, Bellaria Film Festival 44 listing, and Bellaria Film Festival website, accessed on 10 October 2026.