Strong, Very Strong. SPRING - SUMMER 2026

Forte, Fortissimo, the festival that brings together and showcases the city’s musical programming, returns with a new lineup, reaffirming its role as one of Cremona’s key drivers of cultural, tourism, and creative development.

The second edition, kicking off with the Record Day Store on Saturday, April 17, represents a moment of consolidation and further growth: an increasingly structured system capable of connecting festivals, associations, institutions, and cultural operators, strengthening the city’s musical identity and expanding its appeal both nationally and internationally.

The work of the Music Office of the Municipality of Cremona thus continues to strengthen synergies, supporting the growth of an increasingly recognizable, dynamic, and attractive music scene.
In fact, numerous initiatives have been launched to ensure a consistent offering throughout the year, including ongoing dialogue with the city’s live clubs and the first edition of the public call for proposals in their support Forte, Fortissimo Club 2026, featuring a new series of 12 events spread throughout the winter and spring indoor season.

The series continues by supporting—including financially—a coordinated, widespread, and high-quality program that accompanies residents and visitors from spring through fall.

A structured and continuous musical journey that, thanks to new collaborations and the involvement of major national organizations, further expands the city’s cultural offerings. This context includes one of the signature events of the 2026 edition: the return to Cremona of the Festa della Musica on June 21. A global celebration taking place in hundreds of cities worldwide, the Music Festival marks the summer solstice by transforming urban spaces into a vast open-air stage.

Its return to Cremona after many years represents a highly symbolic and strategic moment, capable of strengthening the bond between the city and the international dimension of music as a universal, accessible, and shared language.

Other clear signs of growth include the arrival of major new events: for the first time, the Beat Festival is coming to Cremona—a historic international event now in its 32nd edition and a landmark for beat and rock ’n’ roll culture— as well as the city’s debut of the Woodland Festival, a contemporary event originating in Emilia that blends electronic music, nature, and new trends.

The season kicks off in April with the Record Store Day, an international celebration of vinyl culture that blends music and urban social life. Next, the Vecchio Ospedale Festival transforms a symbolic space in the city into a meeting place for cultures, sounds, and communities. The International Spring Music Festival opens the concert season with an internationally inspired program, while Sinapsìa invites the public to an immersive experience blending art, perception, and connection.

In May, La Grande Festa del Fiume Po brings together nature, community, and music in a major event celebrating the great river, while Cremona Contemporanea immerses the city in the languages of contemporary art. L’Agro ai Giovani will revive the renovated Marasco farmhouse of the Agropolis cooperative with a double summer event. Cremona Pride and the Summer Latin Fiestas reinforce the festival’s inclusive and multicultural character, broadening its audience and participation.

June kicks off with the Porte Aperte Festival, blending music, comics, and contemporary literature; the Monteverdi Festivalshowcases Cremona’s great musical tradition with productions of the highest international caliber, while events such as Stradeejay, Infinity1 and the Classics’ streetball party liven up the city with pop culture and high-impact performances. The Cremona Summer Festival and the Festa della Musica will kick off the summer by involving the historic center in a fresh, diverse, and widespread musical program. The arrival of the Festival Beat further enriches the month with a program of strong cultural and musical identity, helping to expand the international economic impact generated by the city’s cultural sector.

The summer continues with some of the most anticipated events: the celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the anta Robba Festival, one of Italy’s leading summer festivals; the Luppolo in Rock Festival, a staple for metal and hard rock fans; and the historic Arci Festa, a hub for socializing, music, and community engagement. Major events and festivals such as Emergency Beat, Sotto le Stelle del San Paolo, and Casa Siqueiros x Giovani in Centro help further enrich and diversify the musical offerings across different parts of the city.

At the end of summer, the debut of the Woodland Festival introduces new styles and audiences, while events such as Vinile Totale, Vecchio Passeggio Art Fest and Balera Punk Fest confirm the city’s ability to offer diverse and innovative formats.

Fall kicks off with Cremona Musica Expo and Festival, an internationally renowned event dedicated to music and violin making, featuring symbolic moments such as the highly anticipated return of the under-18 project Back to School! and Compleanno in Piazza, confirming a program that is now increasingly consistent throughout the twelve months of the year.

A calendar that demonstrates how Cremona, increasingly a city of contemporary music, is experiencing a phase of significant growth in its musical and cultural scene: an increasingly dynamic city, capable of attracting new projects, promoting local excellence, and building a continuous, widespread, and high-quality cultural offering.

For more information, visit turismocremona.it and the Instagram profile: @turismocremona

Below is the complete calendar:

APRIL
April 17–19
RECORD STORE DAY
Le Botteghe del Centro – Confcommercio
confcommerciocremona.it
IG: @lebotteghedelcentro

April 23–26
VECCHIO OSPEDALE FESTIVAL
Latin American Association
alac-cremona.org
IG: @alac_cremona

April 30–June 7
INTERNATIONAL SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL
Rete Musicale Piazza Stradivari – Chamber of Commerce
istitutostradivari.edu.it | cremonamusicfestival.it

MAY
May 1–3 and May 8–9
SINAPSÌA – Festival of the Senses, Arts, and Relationships
Casa Siqueiros Association
IG: @casa.siqueiros.cremona
FB: @CasaSiqueirosCremona

May 16 and 17
THE GREAT PO RIVER FESTIVAL
PFT Digital
IG: @la_grande_festa_del_fiume_po | @pft_digital

May 22 and 23
AGRO FOR YOUTH
Agropolis
agropolisonlus.com
IG: @agropolisonlus

May 23–31
CREMONA CONTEMPORANEA
NOT Titled YET Association
cremona-artweek.com
IG: @cremona_contemporanea

May 30
3rd CREMONA PRIDE
Cremona Pride Committee
cremonapride.it
IG: @cremonapride

May 31–June 28
SUMMER LATIN FESTIVALS
Casa Siqueiros Association
IG: @casa.siqueiros.cremona
FB: @CasaSiqueirosCremona

JUNE
June 1–August 8
UNDER THE STARS OF SAN PAOLO
San Paolo Café
 IG: @san_paolo_caffe

June 4–7
PORTE APERTE FESTIVAL
Porte Aperte Festival Cultural Association - Andrea Pazienza Comic Center - City of Cremona
 porteapertefestival.it
IG: @porteapertefestival

June 7–21
MONTEVERDI FESTIVAL – Sing to Me, O Diva
A. Ponchielli Theater Foundation
teatroponchielli.it
IG: @teatroponchiellicremona

June 18–22
INFINITY1
CremonaFiere - AD Management
infinity1.it
IG: @granteatroinfinity1

June 20
CLASSICS’ STREETBALL PARTY – Robi Telli Memorial
Gli Amici di Robi Association
IG: @gli_amicidirobiFB: @gliamicidirobi

June 21
MUSIC FESTIVAL
City of Cremona
turismocremona.it
IG: @turismocremona

June 20–September 28
CREMONA SUMMER FESTIVAL
Chamber of Commerce
cremonamusicfestival.it
IG: @cciaacmp

June 25
STRADEEJAY
Le Botteghe del Centro - Confcommercio
stradeejay.it
IG: @stradeejay

June 24–28
BEAT FESTIVAL
Bus1 Association
festivalbeat.net
IG: @festivalbeat

JULY
July 2–4
TANTA ROBBA FESTIVAL
Gli Amici di Robi Association
tantarobbafestival.it
IG: @tantarobbafestival

July 10 and 11
EMERGENCY BEAT – the rhythm of rescue
Croce Verde - All Music Digital - All Music Vintage
allmusicdigitalradio.it
IG: @allmusicdigitalradio

July 17–19
LUPPOLO IN ROCK FESTIVAL
Luppolo in Rock Cultural Association
luppoloinrock.com
IG: @luppoloinrock

July 24–August 3
31st ARCI FESTA
Arci Cremona
arcicremona.org
IG: @arci_cremona

AUGUST
August 29
CASA SIQUEIROS x GIOVANI IN CENTRO
Casa Siqueiros Association
IG: @casa.siqueiros.cremona
FB: @CasaSiqueirosCremona

SEPTEMBER
September 4–6
WOODLAND FESTIVAL
PFT Digital
IG: @woodland_festival_ | @pft_digital

September 4–6
VINILE TOTALE
Le Botteghe del Centro - Confcommercio
confcommerciocremona.it
IG: @lebotteghedelcentro

September 11 and 12
L’AGRO AI GIOVANI
Agropolis
agropolisonlus.com
IG: @agropolisonlus

September 18–20
VECCHIO PASSEGGIO ART FEST
Casa Siqueiros Association
IG: @casa.siqueiros.cremona
FB: @CasaSiqueirosCremona

September 25 and 26
BALERA PUNK FEST
Visit Cremona Association
IG: @balera.punk | @visit_cremona

OCTOBER
October 2–4
CREMONA MUSICA EXHIBITIONS and FESTIVAL
CremonaFiere
cremonamusica.com
IG: @cremona_musicfestival

October 10
BIRTHDAY IN THE SQUARE
San Paolo Café - Spoon - Casa Siqueiros Association
IG: @san_paolo_caffe | @spoon_cremona

October 24
BACK TO SCHOOL! - 17th edition - concert
City of Cremona - Fondazione Teatro Ponchielli - Istituto Comprensivo Cremona 3
comune.cremona.it | teatroponchielli.it