While May was full of all kinds of events (wine, cars, gelato, etc.), June is one the most special "Florentine" months of the year. The infamous Calcio Storico takes place, as well as the Festa di San Giovanni, the patron saint of Florence. Together these are two of Florence's oldest traditions.

There is more info and photos of the Calcio Storico or "Calcio in Costume" on Florence-On-Line. The official site is here.

We'll update the Festa di San Giovanni information as soon as I can find an official schedule. The day is the 24th (as always), which is a Monday this year - just not sure if that is also the night of the fireworks show (but I think it is). This is the poster from 2011 - "I fochi di San Giovanni"

February 16, 2016, The "Black Rooster" labels in a unique collection The preview tasting of the 2015, 2014 vintages and the 2013 Riserva and Gran Selezione in the presence of more than 150 producers.

Tasting of the 2015 Chianti Classico DOP Olive Oil.

The event is reserved exclusively for trade professionals.

FIRENZE, STAZIONE LEOPOLDA - v.le Fratelli Rosselli, 5 (Porta al Prato)

Running from 27 to 31 January at the Stazione Leopolda, Vintage Selection is the fair for clothing, accessories and design vintage objects, held to coincide with Pitti Filati 78. A fashion lab that looks to fashion from the past and an immense archive that provides creative ideas for designers, this 27th edition of Vintage Selection in increasingly closer linked to the world and themes of Pitti Filati. Exhibitors and visitors will be attracted, as always, by a rich array of new entries, in a true festival of vintage culture that offers opportunities for shopping, culture and entertainment.

To make this relationship even closer and more productive, the Fortezza da Basso will host an exhibition/display of the collections on show at Vintage Selection, inspired by “Pitti Generation(s)”, the theme guiding the winter shows, dedicated to overcoming traditional generational barriers in contemporary fashion.

In the same way, the theme guiding the Vintage Selection 27 is “V Generation”: the “Generazione Vintage” will inspire VVV VERY VINTAGE VISION, an installation-show at the Leopolda, with concept and art direction by Angelo Figus, featuring a selection of icon outfits supplied by exhibitors at the show.

It's May in Florence - and that can only mean one thing - FLORENCE GELATO FESTIVAL! The Florence Gelato Festival has been moved to September 1st through 4th in 2015!

Oops! I spoke too soon - the Gelato Festival started in Florence too - on the Notte Bianca! It will come back to close the festival's road tour in September.

Another personal favorite May event is the Mille Miglia road rally. This is an old event - and was featured in a scene of Fellini's Amarcord. This year's edition takes place from May 14th to 17tth and comes through the heart of Florence on Saturday, May 16th.

If you like flowers, the Iris Garden, up near the Piazzale Michelangelo, is only open in late April and early May each year - this is something really not to be missed if you are in Florence this month (Opening hours: April 25th – 20th of May, Monday to Friday from 10 am – 12:30 pm and from 3 pm – 7 pm. Saturday and Sunday from 10 am – 7 pm.).

And of course April Ends with the Notte Bianca that runs into the morning of May 1, or May Day, which is widely celebrated as a holiday throughout most of the world.

Overall another amazing, busy month of great events. There are also many other small markets and fairs in May, see our Florence Events Calendar for additional dates.

(*It can actually mean many things)

Always a great fashion and fun event - January 28 to February 1, 2015.

Pontormo and Rosso Fiorentino. Diverging Paths of Mannerism
March 8th to July 20th, 2014

Palazzo Strozzi presents a major exhibition entitled "Pontormo and Rosso Fiorentino, Diverging Paths of Mannerism", devoted to the work of Pontormo and of Rosso Fiorentino, the two painters who were without question the most original and unconventional adopters of the new way of interpreting art in the period of the Italian Cinquecento which Giorgio Vasari called the "modern manner".

Pontormo and Rosso Fiorentino trained under Andrea del Sarto while maintaining a strongly independent approach and enormous freedom of expression. Pontormo, always a favorite with the Medici, was a painter open to stylistic variety and to a renewal of the traditional approach to composition. Rosso Fiorentino, on the other hand, was more tightly bound to tradition, yet at the same time he was fully capable of flights of originality and innovation.

This is a unique and unrepeatable event bringing together for the very first time a selection of masterpieces by the two artists from Italian and foreign collections, many of them specially restored for this exhibition.

For details, hours, prices and a printable discount coupon visit the Palazzo Strozzi website.

More information on this market/fair on Florence-On-Line: Lungoungiorno + Fierucola

Many more details on Florence Flood.com - but don't miss this exhibit:

Exhibit of Color Photographs of The 1966 Florence Flood

Here is a great summary from the Guardian on the final race as it happened.