The administration chooses a claim inspired by a famous song by Equipe 84 to present the complete program of events for summer 2024: “Tutta mia la città”. 90% of these are events that have already been widely announced, from the season at the Roman Amphitheater, the real gem, to the Ulisse Fest, passing through the Mole, Piazza del Plebiscito and so on. Half of the council yesterday had its say on the announced revolution of the program to make the capital more liveable and attractive to tourists from the outside. In fact, the summer season is reduced to the month of July, a handful of days in June and the same thing in August, with Adriatico Mediterraneo and the Festival della Storia from August 26 to September 1. The aspect that perhaps stands out most, looking at the locations identified, is the narrowness of the geographical boundaries: it will all be in about 4-5 square kilometers. From the Mole Vanvitelliana to the Passetto lakes, passing through the Porto Antico, Piazza del Papa, the Guasco. The rest of the city, with the exception of the return of the Festival del vernacolo in Varano, organized by a special association, was completely cut out. “With the call for expressions of interest – said the councilor for culture Anna Maria Bertini who did not include those organized by MALTE in the list of events – no options for other sites arrived. The same goes for the period, everyone chose the end of June and July, no one chose August. In the meantime, we started off very well with the Punta della Lingua at the Mole, while reservations for the Amphitheater are constantly arriving”.
Neighborhoods and hamlets are therefore dry, but the offer in the city is very rich and has already started both in Piazza del Papa and in Laghetti: “There are offers for all ages, but I would like to underline the importance of the 3-on-3 basketball tournament at the skating rink, in addition to the good responses of the University Wednesdays” said Marco Battino (Youth policies and night economy). Many sporting events, as recalled by councilors Daniele Berardinelli and Giovanni Zinni: in addition to basketball, five-a-side football has returned to Piazza Pertini, the initiative ‘Derby – the celebration of Ancona football’ underway at Del Conero until tomorrow evening, and then athletics, sailing and so on.
One of the new features is the Artisan Gelato Festival in Piazza Cavour (19-21 July). At the Mole (Courtyard, Boxing Hall and Auditorium) there will be from 30 June onwards Voci Nostre, Monteconero Adriatic Economic Forum, Conero Dance Festival, Festival del Pensiero Plurale, Amici della Musica and, in August, Sensi d’Estate and Acusmatiq. Linked to Ulisse Fest, exhibitions organized by the Adriatico Mediterraneo festival are planned at the Spazio Presente (City Museum); great attention is paid to guided tours and concerts at the Portonovo church.
A billboard defined as low cost, low price, by the council and partly covered by sponsorships. As written by Carlino some time ago, the support of MSC Crociere (whose logo is printed on the poster of ‘Tutta mia la città’) has been confirmed, as has Ancona Servizi which, it should be clarified, is a subsidiary of the Municipality. The largest costs, in this regard, are those of the Ulisse Fest, 350 thousand euros in total and divided between the Municipality and Lonely Planet. The culture billboard, with the Expressions of Interest, cost 260 thousand euros.
“We are giving the go-ahead – explains the mayor Daniele Silvetti – to a new programme, to a series of events of national and local resonance, which in 2025 will be further enriched and filled with artistic value. Thanks to important collaborations, I am thinking of the UlisseFest, the synergy with Amat, Adriatico Mediterraneo, Ancona Jazz, Popsophia and with the many sports associations in the area, we have managed to organize a series of events that will brighten the evenings of Ancona residents and will also be a new opportunity to promote Ancona by addressing those who have not had it never visited and lived in the summer”.
Pierfrancesco Curzi
