Santa Fiora Events & Traditions

DATE / TIME	EVENT	PLACE	DESCRIPTION
1-January	New Year’s Concert	Santa Fiora	Municipal Philharmonic Concert “G. Wells”
5-Gennaio 5-January	Befanate	Bagnolo, Bagnore, Marroneto, Selva, Santa Fiora	The various groups of “witches” with songs and dances knock at every door of the village in exchange for something sweet
Carnival	Carnival	Marroneto	The men Marroneto enjoy to “create” a small scenetta that has been handed down for generations, where the greeting from “Carnival” that is killed by Lent
30-April	Canto del Maggio	Selva	The “Maggiaioli”, local singers, sing the traditional songs of May to give good hope that the harvest will be good in the following months
3-May	Festa delle Croci	Santa Fiora	Traditional “Procession” which in the past was also a rite of passage for young people into adulthood; Throughout the day
May	Fiaschetta Day	Santa Fiora	It revives the custom of exchanging gifts between couples. Tasting of local products.
July-September	International Festival “Santa Fiora in Music”	Santa Fiora	In the evocative environment of the park “Peschiera” in the countless churches in the country, big concerts of classical music, jazz etc internationally
29-July	Fair Sante Flora and Lucilla	Santa Fiora	–
5 – August	Festa della Madonna delle Nevi	Santa Fiora	Festival and fireworks in Peschiera
15 – August	August Concert	Santa Fiora	Municipal Philharmonic Concert “G. Pozzi”
16-August	Fiera di San Rocco	Santa Fiora	–
3rd Sunday of August	Palio dei Somari	Bagnolo	Traditional Donkey race between the contrade of Bagnolo
August	Acquacotta Festival	Bagnore	Stand gastronomici. Food stand. Tasting Acquacotta tasting, flat “poor” of the mountain, based of bread and vegetables
26/27- August	Festa della Selva	Selva	–
9-September	Festa del Bagnolo	Bagnolo	Religious Festival and Fair
October	Mushroom Amiatino Festival	Bagnolo	Exhibitions and conferences Micologici, competitions, field trips in search of mushrooms and Porcino mushroom tasting
Last Sunday of October	Sagra del Marrone Santafiorese	Santa Fiora	The chestnuts quality most valuable of Monte Amiata. Tasting chestnuts products, guided tours in the woods of Santa Fiora and at traditional processing of brown
1/4- December	Festa di Santa Barbara	Santa Fiora	Celebration in honour of the Patron Saint of miners
Christmas Period	Nativities in churches	Santa Fiora	–
Christmas Eve	Christmas song	Santa Fiora	–
26-December	Christmas Concert	Santa Fiora	She performed the Choral “Father C. Vestri”
30-December	La Fiaccolata	Santa Fiora	In the village, in the streets, the streets around the old country, imposing torches are lit in the stands with celebrations throughout the night

Celebrations in honour of Santa Barbara. Celebrations in honour of S. Barbara are celebrated every year in the territories of the former mines of Monte Amiata (Santa Fiora, Abbadia San Salvatore, Piancastagnaio, Castell’Azzara) in honour of the Miners’ Patron Saint. In previous years, in addition to the traditional celebrations popular Piazza Garibaldi, were made conferences, twinning, competitions aimed at schools, religious celebrations to keep alive the memory and tradition of mining country.

La Fiaccolata On 30 December, coal (cataste large wooden chestnut formapiramidale) held a few days earlier in every corner of the country are lit and let burn until their natural depletion. At night, during their burning, hundreds of people wandering through the streets of the village without following any particular route, pausing from time to time to “Frasche” drinking and magiare polenta cake (chestnut flour). But the real protagonists of Fiaccolata not so much coal, as torches or sticks with chestnut hair on the top of a smaller scope, which in medieval times on Christmas Eve were turned on to illuminate the path that led to the old Parish ( Mail outside the walls). As well as an exhortation to the sun, in a time of the year when you just feel its rays beat, Fiaccolata linked to the ritual of purification and of initiation of young people. Supported by the elders and children will drive away the evil swirling around them the torch. At long lit processions, also joined the “fiacculoni” sort of lettighe fiery necessary to revisit the torches along the way. Today these rituals have fallen into the background, while the party has taken for the most part features a colorful and lively moment of popular entertainment.

Concerts

The 2007 Festival Santa Fiora in Musica plays host to a wealth of new ensembles that will captivate the public’s immagination with their varied repertoire and virtuosic performances. International orchestras, groups and ensembles are warmly invited by Artistic Director Luca Benucci to take part in the Festival.

The Festival goes from strength to strength. This year our churches, cloisters and squares will resound to the sound of music and events, as will the open air auditorium set in the magnificent park at La Peschiera, inaugurated at the 2002 Festival. During the two-month Festival music will be ringing throughout the delightful streets of this magnificent town.

The public’s enthusiasm has been more than we could ever have dreamed of. We anticipate the same audience levels at this year’s Festival which upholds the spirit of the preceding years with its innovative and varied programming. Last year a total of 20,000 people attended 20 concerts. The Festival is regularly broadcast on RAI and RAI International, Tele Tirreno, Tele Maremma, Odeon, RAI SAT and is widely written about in all the major Italian newpapers and magazines, including I Fiati, Repubblica, Manifesto, Nazione, Stampa, Liberazione, Suonare, Il Giornale della Musica and Italia Oggi. All this is in addition to a strong web presence.

We produce a range of paper publicity, including brochures, posters and cards. The Festival’s official website received in excess of 11,000 visitors last year. Specialised sites promote the Festival, resulting in greater visibility on all the most popular search engines.

The Festival produces a promotional CD, Santa Fiora Live presented at the conclusion of the Festival to sponsors, staff and members of the Santa Fiora in Musica association. The CD is traditionally used to broadcast the concerts on RAI Radio 3 and many private radio stations, to considerable wide acclaim.

Epiphany Go to “cantà la Befana” is the first real event linked to the popular traditions. Starting from the afternoon of January 5, and throughout the night leading to the Epifania, groups more or fewer men, some of them equipped with instruments, stroll through the streets of several countries intoning songs and stopping near housing for ask an offer in cash or in kind. The final spoils, usually consisting of eggs, wine, sweet and, above all, from meats derived from freshly slaughtered pigs, then everything will be used in a final feast.

St. Anthony Abbot (17 January) As in any country amiatino, also in Santa Fiora for this occasion was used to bless the animals. In the square in front of the Church of St. Augustine, in the village, is located the wooden statue of the saint. Here the animals, domestic or otherwise, the whole point of ornaments are carried by owners to receive the blessing of the parish priest. At one time, the protagonists of this ritual horses were embellished flakes and vestments decorated There were also long career paths more different. The party ended with the usual convivial moment based by maize polenta

Il carnevale morto di Marroneto Still, the most important event of the carnival is held in the hamlet of Marroneto and is the “Dead Carnival”, the last Tuesday of celebration, which is nothing more than a spectacle of the street, but with a clear plot and character itinerant. During another moment of collective fun, including rice, songs, and howl uproar that impersona the one Carnival suddenly accascia on land seized from illness. Despite the timely intervention of the doctor, the Carnival dies between disbelief and pain of people who then accompanied the body in a procession. It is at this point that sets Lent, impersonate by a tall man and thin, dressed in white, representing the return of rigor and austerity in view of the Holy Easter. Lent, in fact, brandishing a cod item in hand and garlic and onion symbol of fasting, and the time eve. A notary, finally, led to the death of Carnival reading a testament (criticism of the present and hopes for the future), preceding the arrival of Gobbi (representing men who work in the woods) that after their characteristic dance (six people rotate circle singing and battendosi the bump each other, and are made from time to time in three files, one step ahead of the competition, putting on stage the main phases of the woodcutters) dealing with inumare the corpse of the deceased now abandoned by people who feel betrayed. The recitation concludes with the punishment of those who dared to work in day holiday: bound and transported on a truck is conducted through the streets of the country, forced to pay to drink. In the distance the peals of the bell to death of the parish of Santa Fiora decree the end; From this moment no one is allowed to go around masked.

Festa dell’Assunta The day before August, Marroneto is celebrated with traditional games (tiro alla fune, sbarbacipolle, totera etc.), acquacotta and panzanella. Just becomes dark, in the fields and in the streets of the country raggiano crowns fireworks around with people dancing and singing (even hear rifle shots in the air to cry Viva Maria). In typical rite of purification campaign joins the grama memory of life and full of suffering of the peasants, who from Amiata departed at a time of unhealthy and dangerous Maremma.   “San Rocco” (August 16) It is said that around 1500, St. Rocco Santa Fiora saved by the plague. On this day Santa Fiora hosts another exhibition, the most imposing. It used livestock market today is a showcase for many merchants; One constant: breakfast morning shade of chestnut based tripe cooked according to tradition of S. Fiora, or stewed with meat sauce.