The Arezzo Wave Love Festival is one of the most important events linked to the young culture in Europe and it takes place each year on the first half of July. More than one-hundred free shows take place for five days on twelve different stages and there is a campsite available, too. Expositions, meetings, literary reviews and cinematographic shows are also organized.

Famous music bands and artists from all over the world follow one another on the "Main Stage" near the town's stadium, while the emerging groups and the ones that have won in a renowned contest carried out in all the Italian regions can perform on various stages arranged throughout the city. It is thanks to these characteristics that Arezzo Wave has earned the name of "Italian Woodstock" in the years, attracting thousands of young people each year.
The story of Arezzo Wave started in 1987 with "Provincia Insonne", a show of groups chosen from anywhere in Italy and without any record experience. A special guest closed each of the four night performances. It has been since 1991 that this programme has been enriched by debates and expositions, arousing the interest of the public and of the critics beyond the national borders, too. The following year, the number of musicians coming from abroad started to grow, with a particular attention to the nearby France and to the new trends of the European music.
Despite its success among the public, with more than 100000 people for the first time in 1999, Arezzo Wave remained loyal to its initial idea and concerts and campsites continue to be free. In the year 2000, Moby and Henry Rollins performed here.
In 2001, and for the first time in Italy, Arezzo Wave hosted Shana Morrison. The following year, it inaugurated "Elettrowave", with prestigious personalities of the dance music and the electronic music and enriched by the presence of the Sonic Youth, one of New York's cult bands in the 90's.
In 2003, the Cypress Hill and the Living Colur enlivened this event, which records a remarkable rise in the public interest each year.
In 2004 and besides the umpteenth extraordinary public participation in the concerts, the "Word Stage" successfully presented the great theatre shows written by Marco Paolini and Luis Sepulveda. Moreover, new elements bettered this festival, as the "Comicswave" contest, dedicated to Andrea Pazienza, one of the greatest authors of the avant-guarde comic strips in the 70's. "Photowave", a selection of photographers was also launched, as well as a section dedicated to the cinema, that, in its first year, was held in honour of Pier Paolo Pasolini.
During the Arezzo Wave, the city becomes a colourful and lively multiethnic centre where people have the opportunity to perform and to be confronted with artistic and music view as ever so comprehensive and heterogeneous.