PARTY/Celluloid JamApril 17, 7.30pm aperitivo, 10.30pm concertTasso Hostel, via Villani 15, FlorenceWebsite
Come celebrate Celluloid Jam, a young Florentine band on the verge of going global! The burgeoning band is set to release their first EP with White Forest Records, and The Florentine is joining forces with CJ and Tasso Hostel to mark the exciting occasion. The event will begin with an aperitivo (9 euro) and the dynamic, genre-bending group will take to the stage at 10.30pm. Don’t miss out—they’re on the brink of their big break and you can say you ‘knew them when!’ Entry is free, but doors will close promptly at 10.30pm.
QUIRKY/Tweed Ride April 19, 10am–3pm Cascine Park, piazzale delle Cascine, Florence Website Bikers: when shopping for gear, have you ever wished it had a little more…character? For your next big ride, ditch the cycling shoes and ho-hum helmets in favour of vintage footwear, professor coats and grandpa cardigans. Part of the Florence Bike Festival (April 17–19), the Tweed Ride will bring together an unlikely group, from thrift-shopping fashion fiends to biking enthusiasts, all dressed in styles dating from 1900 to 1990. A portion of the proceeds from registration fees will benefit Florence’s Meyer Children’s Hospital. To sign up (and get the essential dress-code details), see the Florence registration page above.
CULTURE/Bard Week at the British April 20–23British Institute, Harold Acton Library, Florence Website
Get ready for a lively literary ‘week’ with William Shakespeare, that is! Beginning April 20 at the British Institute, it’s all about the Bard of Avon. A series of lectures, film screenings, readings and exhibitions focused on Shakespeare’s life and work will take place. Events kick off with a public reading of Love’s Labour’s Lost at 4pm on April 20, which will be followed by a light buffet. For all other events, membership of the Harold Acton Library is required, but a special 10 euro Shakespeare Week option is available. Visit the website or call 055/26778270 for more information.
CONCERT/James Taylor April 21, 9pm Teatro Obihall, via Fabrizio de Andre (lungarno Aldo Moro), Florence Website One of the world’s top singer-songwriters, James Taylor is bringing his signature soft-rock sounds to Florence. Taylor’s lyrics and tunes have earned him five Grammy Awards and sold 100 million albums. His performance at the Obihall is one of six in Italy during his 2015 tour. Tickets are available on the Obihall website until April 20 or when they sell out.
EXHIBITION/Sculptures Also DieApril 17–July 26CCC Strozzina, piazza Strozzi, Florence Website
Curated by Lorenzo Benedetti, Sculptures Also Die is the perfect contemporary complement to Palazzo Strozzi’s Power and Pathos exhibition, spotlighting bronze sculptures of the Hellenistic age. Works on display are by 12 Italian and international artists and span a range of media and styles. Particular attention is given to the materials used and how they contribute to a dialogue between past and present: artist Oliver Laric, for example, uses of-the-moment 3D techniques to reinterpret standard cultural symbols. For more information, see the Strozzina website.
KIDS/Children’s Festival April 19, 10am Various venues in Florence Website This weekend offers quite a lot for the little ones! Florence’s Festival dei Bambini kicks off on Friday, April 17, featuring a full program of kid-friendly fun, including art workshops, performances, readings, music and more. Events will be held in Italian in various venues around Florence, including the Oblate, the Giardino dell’Orticoltura, the Le Murate complex and several Oltrarno spaces. For the full program, see the website.
