The dates of the 2016 Sanremo Song Festival have been announced.

The 66th edition of the epic Italian Sanremo Song Festival is scheduled to eb held from 09-13 February in Sanremo. Carlo Conti will yet again host the shows and will be the artistic director of the contest. The grand finale of the 2016 Sanremo Song Festival will be held on Saturday 13 February.

Italian website Sorrisi.com has revealed the dates of the 2016 Sanremo Song Festival and speculates on the potential  candidates who might enter the competition next year in the Campeoni category; Emma Marrone (Italy 2014), Arissa, Raf, the Kolors etc.

RAI has released the rules and regulations for the Giovani category at Sanremo 2016.

It is yet unclear if Rai will opt to select its Eurovision entry and act via Sanremo next year as has been the case since the country’s return to the contest back in 2011. RAI is yet to confirm its participation at the forthcoming 2016 Eurovision Song Contest.

More details and information regarding the 66th Sanremo Song Festival will be revealed in due course.

In 2015 Italy selected its Eurovision act and entry via the Sanremo Song Festival. The winners of the 2015 Sanremo Song Festival, Il Volo were awarded the golden ticket to represent Italy at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. The Italian trio achieved an honorable 3rd place in the grand final with Grande Amore.

The story so far

Since its return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011, Italy has selected its Eurovision representatives via the Sanremo Song Festival: Raphael Gualazzi (2011), Nina Zilli (2012) Marco Mengoni (2013), Il Volo. But this changed in 2014 when RAI opted for an internal selection and Emma Marrone was given the grand honour of representing Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen with her entry La mia citta. In 2015 Italy returned to Sanremo in order to select its Eurovision act and entry and sent Il Volo to Vienna.

Italy debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest  in 1956 and was one of the founder members of the contest. The country has won the event 2 times in 1964 with Gigliola Cinquetti and 1990 with Toto Cotugno. Italy withdrew from the event in 1998 and returned back in 2011.

The 2015 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held on 10, 12 and 14  May at the Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden.

Stay tuned to ESCToday for the latest news on Sanremo 2016, Italy and the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest.