History comes alive along
the river Arno in Pisa at the
Battle of the Bridge in June. |
All
through the year, there are colorful celebrations while traveling
throughout Italy.
Many
are a combination of solemn procession and raucous feasting,
commemorating a particular patron saint, historical event
or religious observance.
Below,
find out more about Italy's traditional public feasts &
festivals, with brief descriptions by month and emphasis
on colorful spectaculars happening in May, June & July
....
January - March
Epiphany
Fair, Rome
January 5-6
The annual festive celebration at Piazza Navona.
Almond
Blossom Festival, Agrigento
Early February
Annual festival in Sicily marked by a colorful procession,
music & song, fireworks.
Orange
Throwing Battle, Ivrea
February 25
Thousands of oranges are pitched in the streets in this
festival from Ivrea, Italy, in which oranges represent a
local tyrant who was beheaded by the woman he was trying
to seduce!
Carnival,
Venice
February/March
World famous gathering of masked revelers, music, colorful
floats, street performers and fireworks to mark the beginning
of Lent.
Calendimaggio
(Holy Week), Assisi
March/April
Hooded monks and other celebrants in a winding procession
through Assisi streets commemorating Christ's passion.
Scoppio
del Carro (Explosion of the Cart), Florence
Easter Sunday
A fireworks extravaganza in Cathedral Square.
May
- June - July
Sagra
di Sant' Efisio, Cagliari
May 1 to 4
One of Italy's biggest processions featuring thousands of
participants in 17th century costumes.
Palio-San
Secondo, Asti
May 2
Spectacular feats of flag throwing are a highlight of this
ceremony dating back to the 13th century.
Sagra
de San Nicola, Bari
May 7
Procession in colorful costume honoring the city's patron
St. Nicholas
Festa
dei Ceri (Race of the Candles), Gubbio
May 15
Ceremonial procession dating back to the 12th century featuriing
tall shrines raced around the city with the finish at Basilica
of St.Ubaldo on Mount Ingino.
Palio dei Balestrieri (Palio of the Archers)
Last Sunday in May
A blur of color with a flag throwing exhibition & medieval
crossbow contest between the towns of Gubbio and Sansepolcro,
dating back to 1619.
Infiorata
(Flower Festival), Genzano
June
Near Rome, a riot of color and design created by villagers,
with carpets of flowers laid along streets and the main
cathedral square.
Calcio
Fiorentino (Soccer Match), Florence
Third week in June
Reenactment of a 16th century football match at Piazza Santa
Croce.
Festa
del Giglio (Lily Festival), Nola
Sunday following June 22nd
Tall towers are carried throughout the streets in a colorful
procession honoring St. Paulinus.
Gioco
del Ponte (Battle of the Bridge), Pisa
Last Sunday in June
The four quarters of the city reenact a folkloric battle
in colorful period costumes with thousands in attendance
along the banks of the Arno river.
Palio Marinaro dei Rioni, Genova
June 29
Historically-costumed seaman in a highly contested rowing
race.
Palio,
Siena
July 2nd and August 16th
One of Italy's most famous spectacles, featuring colorful
medieval pageantry and a high speed horse race with riders
dressed in colors that represent the city's 17 wards.
Feast
of Santa Rosalia, Palermo
July 10 to 15
Music, fireworks and a religious procession honoring Palermo's
patron saint.
Festa
de' Noantri, Rome (Procession of the Madonna del Carmine)
Mid July
A colorful procession folk dances and songs, carnival floats
and fireworks in the Trastevere district.
Il
Redentore (Feast of the Redeemer)
Third Sunday in July
Music, church services, fireworks, and a regatta of gondolas
commemorating the end of the epidemic that struck the city
in 1576.
August
- September
Palio del Golfo, La Spezia
First Sunday of August
Rowing contest between 13 villages around the Gulf of Spezia.
Historical
Regatta, Venice
First Sunday in September
Hugely popular procession down the Grand Canal topped by
the traditional racing of two-oared gondolas by expert oarsmen.
Giostra
del Saracino (Joust of the Saracen), Arezzo
First Sunday in September
A parade of costumed knights followed by an exhibit of jousting
skills against a wooden effigy representing the Saracen.
Giostra
della Quintana (Joust of the Quintana), Foligno
Second Sunday in September
Reeanactment of a 17th century joust with hundreds of knights
in colorful costume.
La
Partita a Scacchi a Personaggi Viventi Marostica (The
Human Chess Game and the Quest for a Fair Maiden's Hand),
Marostica (Venice)
Mid-September
Age-old tale played out in the town square by human chess
pieces in period costume.
San
Gennaro Festival, Napoli
September 19
Feasting & religious ceremony honoring Napoli's patron
saint.
