Lucca Events

Each year the 13 September there is the feast of the cross, a religious feast
The sacred feast of the Holy Cross has a historical tradition that has lasted 12 centuries, celebrated is the Holy Face which, for the occasion is clothed with the sacred clothes of the festival, this tradition has crossed the borders of Italy and has worldwide resonance today highlighted especially in those European and non European countries where there are Lucchesi emigrant communities.
Not by chance each year to the solemn procession and illuminations that are held on the evening of 13 September are attended not only by civil and military authorities of the Province but by the crossbowmen, many with medieval costumes, representatives of all the towns of Tuscany and the brotherhoods of the diocese, and representatives of Lucca in the world with the banners of states of origin.

Comics:
Is held annually between late October and early November in Lucca in an area of 30,000 square meters, of which about 15,000 are exhibition. All major stakeholders participate and a growing number of specialty stores, comics stores and recreational and cultural associations. The days of the exhibition market are teeming with events of live role-playing, concerts, screenings meetings with authors,presentations and performances dedicated to this adventurous universe made of clouds and games. Both in Lucca Comics and  Lucca Games you can find exhibits and exhibition dedicated to the main artists or titles present at the festival. Some of these are arranged in the picturesque Renaissance setting of the city.

ST Paulinus Palio
Lucca 11 and July 12 of each year, at 21.30, in Piazza San Martino, close to the cathedral, the Palio is held of St. Paulinus of shooters where Terzieri citizens confront in the race shooting with the crossbow.
July 11 The day you start the festival with the opening ceremony and parade of flag-waving, while 12 is the race itself which confronted the shooters of all third parties who need to shoot one arrow each, engraved with the its name, the distance of 36 meters, trying to hit the target of 12 centimeters in diameter, which is called "jug" After careful consideration by judges at the first four shooters are awarded and the third winner is awarded the Palio, which consists of a drape painted by a painter citizen.
To end the evening the city of Lucca always organizes a fireworks display with fireworks, and then once the Palio, all the spectators present give rise to an "exodus" from Piazza S. Martino them behind the medieval walls to admire the fireworks.
The event in costume follows the historical events since 1100 dc onwards, saw the use of the crossbow as a weapon of defense in the wars between the republics of Lucca and Pisa.
Castruccio Castracani, leader and Lord of Lucca instituted an award to disseminate and promote the use of the crossbow and the 1400 dc then it was set up in the Palio itself with its own regulation that is still in force and which was found to be the oldest race Regulations for shooting in Europe.

  In 1970, after the crossbow as a weapon of offense, had gone into disuse for a long time now, to the detriment of the firearms and the Palio had been replaced by the Palio degli Schioppetti, a group of willing and Lucca with the desire to keep the tradition, formed the Compagnia dei Balestrieri di Lucca allowing the Palio di San Paolino to return to live and be one of the important events that are in the hot evenings of Lucca

Lucca Fim festival
Every year during the month of October there is the Lucca film festival, a cinematograph event.

Lucca digital photo:
From the 2005 in Lucca is celebrated the event of digital photo that is an important photyojournalism event.

Lucca Summer Festival:
The Lucca Summer Festival is a musical event that is held in Lucca during the month of July Since 1998. The city of Lucca, inside its beautiful walls, with concerts in Piazza Napoleone, Piazza San Michele, Piazza San Martino and Piazza dell'Anfiteatro creates a magical atmosphere for every exhibition. bands and soloists of national and international value have walked the stages of the Lucca Summer Festival, always gaining great response from the public, from Bob Dylan to the onset of magnificent performances by The Eagles, Sugar, or Elton John Ennio Morricone. In case of special turnout of spectators sometimes it is also preferred to use the football stadium or the Porta Elisa Stadio dei Pini in Viareggio.

Basilica di San Giovanni in Lucca:
Recitals, opera selections, special concerts throughout the year, every day of the year in the most fascinating Basilica in the center of Lucca "St John" all at the same time (concerts start at 19:00) and all executed by renowned singers and national and international pianists. A great opportunity to appreciate the voice of the world's most famous man from Lucca (perhaps the world's most popular Italian).  above all, though, always with different performers and programs every night in order to give the public the broader idea of the great genius of Puccini often compared  to the music and the tunes of other major Italian artists. All this in the city where he was born and lived and in a church so closely linked to key moments of his life