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FESTIVALS AND EVENTS IN TUSCANY
Tuscany is a region rich in culture, art and history, with a strong heritage of ancient traditions.
And, all around Tuscany, these traditions are celebrated with a full calendar of colourful events and festivals troughout the year.
Here are some of the most important and folkloristic Festivals and events:
APRIL
Florence:
- April 21/May 1: "70° Mostra Mercato Internazionale dell'Artigianato" in Fortezza da Basso, an important international trade show with quality handicrafts from all over the world.
Viareggio (Lucca)
- April 20-25: Europacinema
MAY
Camaiore (Lucca)
- the night before Corpus Domini Day: "Camaiore's Carpets". Long carpets made of coloured sawdust covering the streets of Camaiore. And the next Sunday the whole congregation gathers in a long procession and parade on them!
Florence
- May 23: "La Fiorita", a commemoration of Father Savonarola's death anniversary, with peolpe throwing flower petals in the Arno river.
Montecarlo (Lucca)
- May 1/28: "Via Vinaria", an event aimed to promote Montecarlo's D.O.C and I.G.T wines.
Stia (Arezzo)
- May 20: "Festa dell’angiolino", a religious procession with children dressed as angels on horseback. The cortege parades along the city streets and goes up to the Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie where a mass takes place.
Massa Marittima (Massa)
- May 24: "Balestriere del Girifalco"
An medieval game dating back to XIV century.
A costume parade passes along the town's main street, ending to Piazza del Duomo. Here, it takes place a challenging crossbow tournament: with an only bow, the best crossbowmen will try to hit the target, set to a 30 meter distance. The target represents the "girifalco", a majestic bird of prey that once used to fly over the valley.
Florence
- May 19, 24 and 28: "Calcio Storico", a parade and a historic soccer game in Piazza Santa Croce.
JUNE
Pisa
- June 15: Luminara di San Ranieri, with thousands of lighted wax candles outlining palaces, bridges, churches and towers along the Arno river .
- June 17: Historical Regatta
- Last Sunday of the month: Gioco del Ponte, a battle that takes place on the Ponte di Mezzo between two opposite teams which give proof of their physical strenght.
San Gimignano
- Third week of the month: Fiera delle Messi, a harvest festival.
San Quirico d’Orcia
- Third week of the month: Festa del Barbarossa, celebrating the stay of Emperor Frederic the First of Hohenstaufen in 1155.
JULY
Siena
- July 2: Palio di Siena
Torre del Lago Puccini
Puccini Festival (55th Edition). With its new open-air theatre , it can't be missed by opera music lovers. Staging this year: Tosca, Turandot, Bohème and Madama Butterfly. Info on sito ufficiale of Festival.
AUGUST
Capraia
- August 15: serata pirotecnica di Ferragosto (middle August fireworks).
Castiglion della Pescaia
- August 15: Palio Marinaro, a fishing boat competion on the Bruna river between the five ancient districts of this little town.
Siena
- August 16: Palio di Siena
Torre del Lago Puccini (LU)
Puccini Festival (55th Edition). With its new open-air theatre , it can't be missed by opera music lovers. Staging this year: Tosca, Turandot, Bohème and Madama Butterfly. Info on sito ufficiale of Festival.
Massa Marittima (MS)
- August 9 agosto: Balestriere del Girifalco.
SEPTEMBER
Lucca
- September 13: Luminaria Storica di Santa Croce, a traditional event with people dressed in Medieval costumes parading through the city's streets. This celebration is held in honour of the finding of "Volto Santo", a wooden sculpture housed in S.Martino Cathedral.
Nozzano (LU)
- Beginning of the month: "il Castello Rivive...": a big event held in this tiny "borgo" with people in medieval costumes, demonstrations of ancient trades and the possibility to buy products with ancient, medieval money....
OCTOBER
Orciatico (PI)
- Chestnut Festival: a national festival of chestnuts and other local products in a beautiful "borgo", called "The jewel of High Valdera". |
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