There are events that, more than others, manage to remain central to the story of a country because they
they pass through time, accompany its changes and reflect its character. The Festival of
Sanremo is one of these for cultural continuity.
With the official opening of the 76th edition, scheduled for today, February 24, Italian Traditions
inaugurates a special editorial dedicated to the Festival, observed not as a simple competition
musical, but as an identity phenomenon capable of telling the story of Italy through its music, the
television and the collective imagination.
From February 24 to 28, 2026, the Ariston Theatre returns to the center of national attention and
international. Five evenings which, year after year, continue to represent a point of
a stable reference in the Italian cultural landscape, an event that resists transformation
of media language and the evolution of the music industry, keeping its own intact
centrality.
Sanremo is not just what happens on stage. It is a complex system made up of cities, public,
artists, professionals and media. It’s a story that unfolds between rehearsals, conferences, side events
and live television broadcasts, extending well beyond the walls of the Ariston and involving the entire country.
With this special, Italian Traditions chooses to follow the Festival day by day,
restoring its deepest meaning: not that of the ephemeral, but that of the tradition that knows
renewing oneself, remaining true to oneself.
This year the calendar is placed in a particular window, chosen to leave room for the
Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. But the mechanism remains the one that has been marking the
rhythm of the Italian winter: five evenings, a precise narrative progression, a televised liturgy
which unites stage and city.
The five evenings, structure and story
The Festival takes place from Tuesday 24th to Saturday 28th February, live from the Ariston Theatre, with
broadcast on Rai1 and full coverage on RaiPlay and Rai Radio2.
The first evening opens with a performance by all the competing Bigs, evaluated by the Press Room, TV and Web. IS
the moment of discovery, of first listening, of the construction of expectations.
The second evening introduces the Newcomers, with direct challenges that lead two artists to the final.
Next to them, half of the Bigs return to the stage, rated by a mixed system of televoting, radio and
press.
The third evening brings all the Bigs back into the competition and crowns the winner of the New Proposals, consolidating
the provisional ranking.
The fourth evening, that of covers and duets, remains one of the most anticipated moments. It does not affect the
final result, but often produces the performances destined to remain in the collective memory.
The fifth night, Saturday, culminates with the announcement of the winning song. The top five
are announced in random order before the final verdict, in a tension that every year
renews its narrative strength.
“Between stage and city”
Sanremo doesn’t end at the Ariston. The project “Between Stage and City” extends the Festival to spaces
Urban: Piazza Colombo, connections from the ship moored offshore, side events, showcases
and radio appointments.
During the day, the organizational machine works non-stop: dress rehearsals, conferences
printing, recordings for TV and digital platforms. In the evening, approximately from 8.40pm onwards, the rite
lights up in front of millions of spectators.
In over seventy years of history, Sanremo has accompanied the country in its crucial steps: from
economic boom during the years of generalist television, up until the streaming era. He launched
careers, heated controversy, created catchphrases and discussed social issues.
But above all, he built a shared emotional heritage. Sanremo songs enter the
houses, on the radios, in family memories. Each edition adds a piece to the soundtrack
Italian collective.
Languages, artists, aesthetic codes change. But there remains the need to recognize oneself in a song,
to discuss a ranking, to share a collective moment. In a fragmented age, the
Festival remains one of the few national rites capable of truly uniting. And this is his real victory.
