Ah spring in Rome...the sun is out one second, then behind weeping clouds the next...everyone walking around is still in their winter coats and no one is quite sure if they're hot or cold, but they definitely stick to the sunny-side of the street. Come March, a sleepy city starts to wake...but it's not a calm waking. Rome doesn't leisurely get out of bed and make itself some coffee. Instead it always feels more like it opens it eyes, see's the sun, and starts jumping on the bed and then right out the window. Besides better weather, there's a lot to look forward to in Italy during the Spring. One of those things being festivals! Here's some Springtime festivals worth their weight in flower petals (and raindrops):
Festa della Donne: is/was March 8th, it's the festival of women (kinda like mother's day, grandma's day, sister's day, wife's day, etc all in one)! People usually buy ladies pretty yellow Mimosas on this day (the flowers, not the drink).
Torino Chocolate Fest: man oh man, do i wish i were up there right now! it's the "Eurochocolate" fair, the first 2 weekends of March. Over 40,000 kilos of chocolate are sold during this time!
Commemoration of Julius Caesar: March 14th, in Rome. Festivities usually happen near his statue by the Roman Forum.
Rome Marathon: a 42 kilometer jog through Rome's city center, the Vatican, and ending at the Colosseum.
San Giuseppe Day: like Father's Day, March 19th, is usually celebrated with kids giving their dads presents.
Marriage of Venice to the Sea: March 25th in Venice (obviously), is a very important festival that's been kept up since the days of Doge. Originally Doge would take a ceremonial boat out into the port and throw a gold ring into the sea (which has it's origins in an even older pagan ritual for Neptune). Nowadays the Mayor of Venice takes a boat from St. Mark's Square out into the Port of San Nicolo and...yup, you guessed it: throws a golden ring into the sea!
Easter: Good Friday and Easter, usually in late March or early April, is marked by huge celebrations all over Italy. Usually there are long winding processions on the Friday or Saturday before Easter, with statues of Mary or Jesus that are carried through the city. A city in Sicily called Enna has one of the largest processions, usually with as many as 2,000 friars dressed up for the occasion. In Chieti, the procession includes 100 violins playing Selecchi's Miserere. In Rome the Pope has a procession to the Colosseum on Good Friday and does Easter mass at St. Peter's. In Florence a decorated wagon is pulled through the city by white oxen. When it reaches Santa Maria del Fiore the Arch-bishop ignites the cart which is filled with fireworks. And then there's Easter Monday, "Pasquetta", which is also a national holiday and usually filled with free public events like concerts, picnics, etc.
Rome's Birthday: April 21st, with the recognized "birthdate" being 753 BC! There's usually concerts, fireworks, and all kinds of special events going on for this day....in Rome that is.
Food Fests: there's a bunch! This time of year usually brings festivals dedicated to the carciofi (artichoke) and asparagi (asparagus). In the picture you see a rooster made out of artichokes, which is a typical sight at artichoke festivals!
May Day: not to be confused with a pilot in distress, May 1st is a major public holiday, and is their "Labor Day".
The Sagra di Sant Elfisio: in Cagliari, Sardegna, a day dedicated to this Saint with a statue of himself paraded through the city and a feast after
Snake Handlers' Procession: believe it or not, in the city of Cocullo (Abruzzo) on the first Thursday of May a statue of St. Dominic is carried through the city covered in live snakes.
Fish Festival of St. Fortunato: near Genoa the second Sunday of May, the fishing city of Camogli has fireworks and loads of fried fish in honor of the patron saint of fishermen
Pinocchio's Birthday: everyone's favourite puppet-come-to-life celebrates his birthday in Pescia, Tuscany, on May 25th! As a side note, if you haven't read the original story of Pinocchio,i recommend doing so!
The Chianti Festival: a celebration of Chianti wine at the end of May in Italy's Chianti Region (in Tuscany).
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