Liguria's event calendar is anchored by two big annual fixtures. The Festival di Sanremo — Italy's national song contest, held every February — is a television institution that has been running since 1951 and still draws enormous audiences. In October, the Salone Nautico di Genova is Europe's largest boat show and takes over the Porto Antico for five days.
Food festivals are worth planning around. In Camogli, the Sagra del Pesce in May sees an enormous frying pan cook up free fried fish for the entire crowd. At Lavagna, the Torta dei Fieschi in August features a parade in medieval costume and a colossal cake shared with the public. Every four years, the Euroflora exhibition transforms Genoa's parks into a spectacular flower show.