Carnevale Ambrosiano
February/March
Carnival is celebrated for four days longer in Milan than anywhere else. Children wear colourful costumes and throw coriandoli (coloured paper confetti), and there is an enormous procession that culminates at Milan’s Duomo.
Milano Moda Donna Autunno/Inverno
February
Spotlight fashion shines on Milan as nearly 100 designers unveil what’s hot and what’s not at invitation-only shows, while parties and receptions mark the occasion all over the city.
Stramilano
March/April
Traffic is barred from the centre as local and international athletes run either the Stramilano route (15km) or a half-marathon through the centre of Milan.
Festa del Naviglio
June
Concerts, arts and crafts stalls, street performers, folklore events, theatre and more line the streets that surround the Navigli canal for the first half of June, and this festival culminates in a torchlight procession.
Oh Bej! Oh Bej!
December
Oh Bej! Oh Bej! means ‘Oh so nice! Oh so nice!’ in Milanese dialect, and this is a celebration of Milan’s patron saint, Sant’Ambrogio, with processions, celebrations and a Christmas market. It also heralds the opening of La Scala’s opera season.