Italy is famous for the variety and high quality of the
annual events and festivals in Tuscany and other regions. These
feste fall into two broad, sometimes overlapping, categories: festivals of Christian (and sometimes pagan) origin and seasonal and/or food- and wine-based
sagre (fairs). These annual festivals are characterised by a high level of local participation (often cited as contributing to the generally low youth crime rate in Italy outside of the big cities), high quality of costumes, floats and spectacles, and the great atmosphere and food. It is definitely worthwhile to make a note of any festivals taking place in your vicinity when you're visiting Italy - they form an important part of the "Italian experience".
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| Flag throwers at a festival in Tuscany |
The
festas and festivals of Tuscany website lists and describes the most important and popular events taking place in Tuscany during the course of the year.
Some important
festivals of Umbria are listed on the
city of Orvieto web site.
And there is a comprehensive list of major and minor
annual events in Tuscany with dates but no descriptions on the
Tuscany, Italy web site.
Author: Anna Maria Baldini
