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393 | 33,228,177 | 0 | Toro embolado | Spain | A toro embolado (in Spanish), bou embolat (in Catalan), roughly meaning 'bull with balls', is a festive activity, typical of many towns in Spain (mainly in the Valencian community and Southern Catalonia), in which a bull that has burning balls of flammable material attached to its horns is set free in the streets at night, and participants dodge the bull when it comes close. It can be considered a variant of an encierro (correbous in Catalan). This activity is held in a number of Spanish towns during their local festivals. In the 21st century animal welfare activists have attempted to stop this practice as cruel.
== Background ==
The animal is usually tied to a post and then teams of people prevent it from moving while a wooden frame with two spikes with balls of flammable material is attached to its horns. These are then set alight and the rope is cut. Sometimes fireworks are attached too, which then go off shortly afterwards. There is usually a barricade separating the bull from the spectators.
A somewhat similar activity is the toro de fuego, in which the live bull is replaced by a bull-shaped metal frame (held by a runner) which is set alight.
Vejer de la Frontera has held the yearly El Toro Embolao on Easter Sunday since 1976, where two bulls are let loose in the city. In 2019 a 74-year-old man was gored to death.
Running of the bulls |
394 | 1,125,362 | 0 | Verbena (fair) | Spain | In Spanish-speaking cultures, a verbena is an agricultural show, modest amusement park, or dance party, especially one held at night. An old tradition, they usually take place after dark in summer. Nowadays, some major cities, such as Barcelona, host permanent verbenas (revetlla in Catalan), but these have less tradition character than those that appear for only a few days each year.
A large contemporary verbena features mechanical amusement rides, sideshow attractions, and usually some sort of gambling. Typical verbena food includes churros, ham, cheese, marzipan, candied egg yolks (yemas), candied quince (membrillo), and sugared fruits—though in recent years, modern junk foods have found their way into the mix. There are always alcoholic beverages—usually Spanish wine, sangría and lager beer.
There is usually music and dancing, either organized or spontaneously. In recent years, verbenas have incorporated recorded popular music, rock music, and even karaoke, but in Andalusia and even beyond, flamenco and other traditional music still dominate verbenas. When the musicians take a break, a runner carrying fireworks (toro de fuego) may dash into the crowd.
The word verbena comes without alteration from Latin. The term originally referred to the plant verbena, from which the term for a fair derives.
== Artistic representation ==
One of the most famous zarzuela (Spanish operetta) pieces in the género chico (smaller genre) is La Verbena de la Paloma (The Fair of the Dove), set at a verbena on the night of the Virgin of the Paloma, August 14; it was also made into a 1963 movie.
There is a 1939 film called Verbena Tragica (also known as Tragic Festival).
The song Verbena de San Cayetano celebrates a verbena in Madrid.
Patronal festival
Sagra (festival) |
395 | 31,030,613 | 0 | La Vijanera | Spain | La Vijanera is a fiesta of festive nature that takes place in the town of Silió (Molledo), Cantabria (Spain) on the first Sunday of each year. Due to its popularity and tradition, it has been declared a Fiesta of National Tourist Interest.
== The fiesta ==
Originally, La Vijanera was celebrated in the valleys of Iguña, Toranzo, Trasmiera, Campoo and Polaciones but now the only place in the region where it is just Silió. The first carnival of the year in Europe is a colorful masquerade involving approximately 60 characters (all male), la madama, el mancebo, los trapajones, el oso and su dueño, el pasiego, el caballero, la Pepa or Pepona, el médico, el domador, el húngaro, el viejo and la vieja, all dressed in a colorful and own function and symbolism.
But the real stars of the festival are los zarramacos because of the importance of their role. These are people dressed in sheepskins and weevils hats in addition to carrying the face painted black that will ward off the evil spirits during the year that jingling bells that are tied to the body. Its mission is to expel these spirits of the town coming up to the limits, tradition that points to much more ancient probably from the Roman times.
The second part of the celebration is to review the year end. The Vijaneros waiters gather at the town square and read some verses that, in popular language and tones ranging from jocularity to the cruelty, analyze what happened in the past year from local to international.
The fiesta ends with two acts, first produced la Preñá, ie the calve or birth of the new year. After that, La Vijanera concludes with the death of the Bear, which symbolizes the victory of good over evil and the desire of good intentions for the new year.
As can be seen in this fiesta represents the desire to banish the last year and pave the way to the next year to begin with enthusiasm and good wishes. Perhaps because of this that the Roman god Janus is responsible for chairing La Vijanera. In fact, Janus in Latin derives from Jauna, ie gate, so it may want to mean gate between two years if it consider the prefix vi-(bi-, two).
As an incentive to the celebration itself, in recent editions has established a photography prize. On the other hand, are plans to build a Museum about the holiday in Silió, among other things contain images of the party. Both initiatives have been promoted by the Asociación de Amigos de la Vijanera, head of the organization and retrieval of this event for more than 25 years after its disappearance in Francoist Spain.
Fiestas of National Tourist Interest of Spain
Pre-Christian Alpine traditions
== External links ==Page about La Vijanera
Page about La Vijanera
Photos about La Vijanera |
396 | 60,727,220 | 0 | Viking Festival of Catoira | Spain | Viking Festival of Catoira (Galician: Romaría viquinga de Catoira) is a secular festival which has been celebrated in Catoira, Spain, every first Sunday in August since 1961, in the surroundings of Castellum Honesti, currently known as Torres de Oeste (West Towers) fortress. It is held to commemorate Catoira's role in defending Galicia against the Vikings, who attempted to plunder the treasure held in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, and also to reenact the Viking invasions that took place there a thousand years ago.
== History ==
Viking Festival of Catoira has been celebrated since 1961. The first stage was the Ateneo de Ullán forum between 1961 and 1964. In 1959, the poet and priest Faustino Rey Romero from Isorna along with the poet Baldomero Isorna Casal from Catoira, founded the Ateneo de Ullán, an artistic and literary forum made up of intellectuals from the local area. This group of intellectuals decided at one of their gatherings in 1960 that it would be a good idea to celebrate the landing of King Olaf by means of a festival. The first Viking Festival took place on 29 July 1961 with a mass in Santiago's Castellum Honesti fortress chapel, in memory of Diego Xelmírez and the others who defended the fortress.
In addition, Pedro Montañés, crowned with tree branches, played the role of the fearsome Viking Ulfo and jumped from his dorna boat to the land in order to meet with the Bishop Cresconio, represented by Priest Romero who, with mere words, dominated the invader, making him kneel submissively before the representative of Christianity. Afterwards, a picnic lunch took place to the sound of bagpipes, as well as a reading in which writers of the region participated. The current proclamation of the festivities is inspired on these events. At night, cacharelas (a type of bonfire) are lit in the merlons of the towers in order to remember the way they warned of the Vikings arrival in the estuary.
The second stage which began in 1965 and lasted until 1990, was the consolidation period for the festival, sponsored by Cerámica Domínguez del Noroeste S.A (a local ceramics and flooring company) and organised by their workers. In 1988 the festivities were declared to be of National Tourist Interest.
The third and final stage began in 1991 when the council of Catoira took charge of the festival. This period of international projection started by twinning Catoira with the Danish village of Frederikssund. In 2002 the festival was declared to be of International Tourist Interest.
== Overview ==
During the celebration, the residents of Catoira dress up as people from the period to act out the battles. The festival starts at 10 in the morning with traditional Galician music played through the streets of the town. The festival itself takes place around the remains of the towers next to the river Ulla. The climax of the event is the disembarkation: the locals who portray the warriors arrive in a replica of an 11th-century Viking ship to take the towers. The rest of the participants act as villagers, who try to fight against the invaders. The festivities continue with a traditional lunch (sardines, mussels, empanada) with bagpipes as background music. The party ends with a verbena, a traditional Galician dance.
== External links ==
Catoira City Council – Viking festival
Journal La Voz de Galicia (27 July 2019): Los vikingos se aproximan a Catoira
Journal Faro de Vigo (31 July 2019): Catoira celebra la 59ª edición de su multitudinaria Romaría Vikinga |
397 | 39,272,526 | 0 | Virgen Blanca Festivities | Spain | The Fiestas de la Virgen Blanca (in Basque: Andre Maria Zuriaren Jaiak) have been celebrated every year, since 1884. It is held on 5 August, but the celebrations begin the day before, on the 4th, and end on 9 August. It honours the patron saint of the city, and features a programme of special events, activities and free open-air concerts.
The actual festivity starts at six o'clock in the afternoon with the txupinazo and Celedón's (a rag doll with an umbrella) descent. Once Celedón reaches a balcony in the square, it is replaced by a human Celedón who then crosses the square on foot with some difficulty amongst the crowds. On arriving to the balcony of the Church of San Miguel, Celedón greets the crowds below and wishes everyone a happy celebration. On the morning of 5 August, the Blusas and the Neskak offer flowers to the Virgen Blanca. On 7 August the Children's Day is celebrated. The little Celedón or Celedón txiki descends in the same square as the first day, and later, Celedón txiki and neska txiki wish a happy celebration to all the children in Vitoria, from the Town Hall. On 10 August at one o'clock in the morning Celedón ascends and this marks the end of the Virgen Blanca Festivities.
== Blusas and Neskak ==These are groups of boys blusas and girls (neskak) from the city, who take an active part throughout the Virgen Blanca festivities. Most groups are made up of both Blusas and Neskak. These groups of friends, get together and take part in a parade from the 'Plaza Nueva' to the bullring every day. They also organize different activities around the city centre. All groups have their own identity and are given one of the following names:Alegrios
Basatiak
Batasuna
Belakiak
Bereziak
Biznietos de Celedón
Los Desiguales
Galtzagorri
Gasteiztarrak
Hegotarrak
Jatorrak
Karraxi
Luken
Martinikos
Okerrak
Nekazariak
Petralak
Turutarrak
Txinpartak
Txirrita
Txolintxo
Zintzarri
Zoroak
== External links ==
(in English) Town Hall of Vitoria-Gasteiz (webpage)
(in Basque) «Celebration ends with Celedón's ascension», Video from EITB(basque TV), 10-08-2010. |
417 | 62,084,408 | 0 | Anniversary of the Unification of Italy | Italy | The Anniversary of the Unification of Italy (Italian: Anniversario dell'Unità d'Italia) is a national day that falls annually on 17 March and celebrates the birth of Italy as a modern nation state, which took place following the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy on 17 March 1861.
However, the complete unification of Italy took place only in the following years. In 1866 the Veneto and the province of Mantua were annexed after the Third Italian War of Independence, then in 1870 Lazio after the capture of Rome, and finally in 1918 Trentino-Alto Adige and Julian March after the First World War. In this regard, the National Unity and Armed Forces Day (Victory Day) was also established, which is celebrated annually on 4 November, recalling the Italian victory in the First World War, a war event considered to complete the process of unification of Italy.
The anniversary of the birth of the Italian state was solemnly celebrated in 1911 (50 years), in 1961 (100 years), and in 2011 (150 years).
With the Law of 23 November 2012, n. 222, on the subject of Regulations on the Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills in the Field of 'Citizenship and Constitution' and on the teaching of the hymn of Mameli in schools, the establishment every 17 March of the National Unity, Constitution, Anthem and Flag Day was definitively approved on an annual basis. While remaining a working day, 17 March is considered a day promoting the values linked to national identity.
== History ==The anniversary of the unification of Italy recalls the promulgation of law no. 4671 of the Kingdom of Sardinia with which, on 17 March 1861, following the session of 14 March of the same year of the Chamber of Deputies in which the Senate of the Kingdom of Italy bill of 26 February 1861 was approved, Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy officially proclaimed the birth of the Kingdom of Italy, assuming the title of king of Italy for himself and his successors:The Senate and the Chamber of Deputies have approved; we have sanctioned and promulgate the following: Single article: King Victor Emmanuel II assumes the title of King of Italy for himself and his Successors. We order that the present one, provided with the Seal of the State, be included in the collection of the acts of the Government, sending to anyone who is responsible for observing it and having it observed as the law of the State. From Turin on 17 March 1861
Borrowing from the old Latin title Pater Patriae of the Roman emperors, the Italians gave to Victor Emmanuel II the epithet of Father of the Fatherland (Italian: Padre della Patria). After his death, many initiatives were destined to raise a permanent monument that celebrated the first king of a united Italy, creator of the process of unification and liberation from foreign domination with Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, Giuseppe Garibaldi and Giuseppe Mazzini. The result was the construction of the Victor Emmanuel II Monument in Rome, called for synecdoche Altare della Patria (English: Altar of the Fatherland).
== 50th anniversary ==In 1911, between March and April, the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Kingdom of Italy was celebrated with a series of exhibitions in Rome, Florence and Turin. In the latter city, the International Exhibition of Industry and Labor was held. In the capital, whose mayor at the time was Ernesto Nathan, the ethnographic exhibition of the regions was organized (inaugurated on 21 April) and the International Review of Contemporary Art, the Victor Emmanuel II Monument, the bridge Victory Emmanuel II was inaugurated on the Janiculum, the lighthouse of the Italians of Argentina. In Florence the Exhibition of the Italian portrait from the end of the 16th century to 1861 and the International Floriculture Exhibition was held from March to July.
The volume The Three Capitals: Turin-Florence-Rome written by Edmondo De Amicis in 1898 was published in support of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary.
The Accademia dei Lincei, under the guidance of Pietro Blaserna, published the work Cinquant'anni di storia italiana in three volumes describing the political, economic and civil life history of Italy from 1861 to 1911.
== 100th anniversary ==The celebrations of the centenary began in 1959 with the visit to Italy of General Charles de Gaulle, from 23 to 27 June, to celebrate the memory of the Franco-Piedmontese alliance that allowed the victorious Second Italian War of Independence, which constituted the spring from which two years later national unification took place. During this visit, military magazines and demonstrations were organized on the battlefields of Magenta, Solferino and San Martino, and a visit to the Victor Emmanuel II Monument in Rome.
In 1961, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the unification of Italy, three exhibitions were organized in Turin: the Historical Exhibition of the Unification of Italy, the Exhibition of Italian Regions and the International Labour Exhibition also known as Expo 61.
Roberto Rossellini, author of numerous historical period films, directed two films centred on the Risorgimento: the celebratory Garibaldi, in which he reconstructs the expedition of the Thousand, and the more intimate Vanina Vanini, set in the times of the Carbonari uprisings.
== 150th anniversary ==On the occasion of the 150th anniversary on 17 March 2011, celebrations were held throughout Italy and a national holiday was proclaimed with schools, offices and suspended work activities. Moreover, in order to avoid burdens on public finance and private companies, the juridical and economic effects of the suppressed holiday of 4 November were shifted to that date, or each employee had to deduct a day of leave required by the annual vacation sum.
The celebrations for the 150th anniversary began on 5 May 2010 in Quarto dei Mille, with the participation of the President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano. The town was chosen because it was from Quarto dei Mille that the Expedition of the Thousand, headed by Giuseppe Garibaldi, began on 5 May 1860. On 11 May 2010, President Napolitano attended in Marsala a historical reenactment of the arrival of the Thousand in the city. Napolitano went later to Salemi and Calatafimi to honour, together with Ignazio La Russa, the fallen of the battle of Calatafimi, which took place on 15 May 1860.The celebrations came alive on 17 March 2011, on the occasion of President Napolitano's visit to Turin. During the three-day visit, the 'Fare gli Italiani' exhibitions (curated by Walter Barberis and Giovanni De Luna) and 'Stazione futuro' (curated by Riccardo Luna) at the OGR Officine Grandi Riparazioni in Turin, and 'La Bella Italia' (curated by Antonio Paolucci) at the Palace of Venaria were inaugurated. Over 2,000,000 visitors attended the Turin celebrations.
With the law no. 222 of 23 November 2012 concerning the Rules on the acquisition of knowledge and skills in the field of Citizenship and Constitution, and on the teaching of the national anthem in schools, the institution of the National Unity Day, the Constitution, the anthem, and the flag were approved:The Republic recognizes the 17th of March, the date of the proclamation of the unification of Italy in Turin in the year 1861, as National Unity Day, of the Constitution, of the anthem and of the flag, in order to remember and to promote, in the context of a widespread didactics, the values of citizenship, the foundation of a positive civil coexistence, as well as to reaffirm and consolidate the national identity through remembrance and civic memory
== 160th anniversary ==
The celebration of the 160th anniversary on 17 March 2021 took place during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, which had resulted in the deaths of more of 100,000 Italians.Italy, hit hard by the health emergency, has once again shown a spirit of democracy, unity and cohesion. In the distancing imposed by the measures to contain the pandemic we found ourselves closer and aware that we belong to a community capable of rising from adversity and renewing ourselves.
18 March has been designated the Day in Memory of the Victims of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Italian government.
== National Unity Day ==
With the Law of 23 November 2012, n. 222, on the subject of Regulations on the Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills in the Field of 'Citizenship and Constitution' and on the teaching of the hymn of Mameli in schools, the establishment every 17 March of the National Unity, Constitution, Anthem and Flag Day was definitively approved on an annual basis. While remaining a working day, 17 March is considered a day promoting the values linked to national identity.The Republic recognizes 17 March, the date of the proclamation in Turin, in the year 1861, of the Unification of Italy, as Day of National Unity, of the Constitution, of the anthem and of the flag, in order to remember and promote, in the context of widespread teaching, the values of citizenship, the foundation of a positive civil coexistence, as well as to reaffirm and consolidate national identity through remembrance and civic memory.Unification of Italy
Proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy
Victor Emmanuel II of Italy
Public holidays in Italy
Anniversary of the Liberation
Festa della Repubblica
National Memorial Day of the Exiles and Foibe
National Unity and Armed Forces Day
Tricolour Day
== Citations == |
418 | 17,548,947 | 0 | Baìo | Italy | The baìo (also known as Baìo di Sampeyre) is a traditional festival that takes place every five years in the municipality of Sampeyre, in the Valle Varaita in the province of Cuneo, Italy. The Baìo di Sampeyre was one of the most important and ancient traditional festivals in the Italian Alps. The long-awaited return of the festival in the year 2012 began on February 5 and concluded on February 16, the final Thursday before Lent (a day that is also celebrated as Fat Thursday).
== Origins and tradition ==
The tradition's origins date back to between 975 and 980, when teams of Saracens, who had penetrated the valley to control the Alpine passes, were driven away by the local population. The festival commemorates the expulsion of the invaders.
The Baìo is composed of four parades (or armies), coming from the provincial capital, Sampeyre (Piasso), and its three hamlets: Rore (Rure), Calchesio (Chucheis), and Villar (Vilà). Traditionally, only men participated in the parades, and the complicated costumes were woven by the women. The men traditionally interpreted the roles of women, a custom that led to the event being accused of machismo.
One of its most important parts is the dance. The Valle Varaita is an important centre for the maintenance and the rediscovery of Occitan traditions. The people maintained many traditional dances and folklore as well as music. The sounds of violins, accordions, organs, clarinets and hurdy-gurdy (sonsaina in Occitan) are heard during traditional dances such as courento, gigo, courento di custiole, countradanso, tresso, bureo d'San Martin, bureo vieìo, and others.
== Script ==The events and gatherings of the various parts of the Baìo follow a precise and traditional format.
On the second Sunday before Fat Thursday (the Thursday before lent), four processions parade within the villages, except for the inhabitants of Calchesio (in Italy) who go to Sampeyre to meet the cortege of Piasso.
The following Sunday the various Baìo start at a time of Sampeyre where the solemn meeting: Abba (the generals, called the Hebrew father) exchange greetings with swords and parade to the square where four groups form and the participants dance.
During the procession, the parade meets barriers of logs that symbolize the obstacles left by the Saracens during their flight. These barricades are torn down by sapeurs (zappatori in Occitan, and guastatore in French) using axes. This is followed by dancing and refreshments.
On Fat Thursday, the inhabitants, except those in Villar, parade again from Sampeyre and return to their village for the finale of the party. The process treasurer tries to escape with cash with the help of a secretary but is apprehended, tried and pardoned by all of Baìo; they are then transported and retried in Villar where they are executed.
== Characters ==
Cavalìe – are the cavalry of villagers, and open the procession of Calchesio and Sampeyre.
Tambourn major – leads the procession of Calchesio and Villar, waving a long baton in time to music.
Arlequin – is the Marshal of the Baìo, who must frighten people to prevent the march.
Sarazine – girls waving a white handkerchief as a signal code for the army of liberation, played by very young children.
Segnourine – dressed in white to symbolize the end of slavery by Saracens, are played by boys between the ages of 10 and 16 years.
Tambourin – A small group who announce the parade with timballos (small drums) and Tambourines who also mark the pace of travel.
Sapeur – armed with axes, remove the barriers of logs left by fleeing Saracens.
Grec – in the parades of Rore, and Calchesio Sampeyre; are young people from 17 to 30 years portraying the Greek prisoners who were freed by the villagers.
Escarlinìe – the infantry of villagers, who are armed with clubs decorated with ivy, colored ribbons and bells.
Espous – pairs of young married couples, who are confined to one for the procession of Rore.
Segnouri – the wealthy who can now live freely without fear of looting by Saracens, the parades of Rore, Sampeyre and Villar.
Sounadour – the parade of musicians who play for dancing, occasionally for more than twenty-four hours without interruption.
Uzuart – guards accompanying the Alum, armed with swords or rifles.
Granatìe – accompany the Tezourìe (treasurer) and executioner - only Villar.
Morou (Moor) – travel by mule as the prisoners are freed from the Saracens.
Turc – Saracens taken prisoner, chained, traveling on foot and are only Sampeyre.
Viéi and Viéio (the old man and the old woman) – characters who close the parade in a ridiculous manner, wheezing and pretending to be unable to keep pace. They are dressed in rags and carry a basket containing a child (a doll) and a fiascone of wine.
Cantinìe (cantiniere) – run up and down the parade serving drinks.
== Alum and Abà ==
The Alum represent the military of the Baìo and are elected every five years. Each time a Baìo ends, new Alum are elected. The two new Alum start with the rank of 'Tenent' (lieutenant) Sampeyre, Calchesio and Villar, while Rore is called 'Soutportobandiero' (low flagbearer). Within ten years, the two Alum of Rore become 'Portobandiero' (flagbearers) and finally Abà, the army commanders and organizers of the festival (who are responsible for running from house to house every night during the months preceding the festival, and agree with every family on the roles to be filled). After being Abà, the two become 'Secretaries' (instructed to keep records on Baìo) and 'Tezourìe' (treasurers, who are responsible for managing the funds for the feast). Once they have finished their careers, they are free to take on another role or start a new career.
Occitania
Occitan Valleys
Occitan folk music
== External links ==
Storia - Valle Varaita - BAIO di Sampeyre - Occitania. Ghironda.com. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
Immagini di Sampeyre : Baio di Sampeyre, Dinou 'd Choia (Celle Macra) - Valle Varaita - Cuneo - Piemonte - Italia. Ghironda.com. Retrieved 2013-01-24.
Museo Etnografico di Sampeyre - Valle Varaita - Occitania. Ghironda.com. Retrieved 2013-01-24. |
419 | 24,692,377 | 0 | BergamoScienza | Italy | BergamoScienza is a science festival held annually in Bergamo, Italy. Established in 2003, its purpose is to promote the popularization of science. The festival consists of lectures, exhibitions, interactive workshops, as well as meetings with scientists. The event BergamoScienza is organized by the Non-profit organization BergamoScienza, whose founders were a group of friends. 24 Nobel Prize laureates have participated to BergamoScienza since 2003, among them John F. Nash, Kari Mullis, Paul Crutzen, Roald Hoffman, Peter Agre, Aaron Ciechanover, Martin Chalfie, Eric Kandel, Barry Marshall, R. Timothy Hunt, Linda Buck, Bruce Beutler, James Dewey Watson. Among innovative personalities, Jimmy Wales Wikipedia founder attended the conference. In 2004, there were over 35,000 attendees; by 2008, over 72,000 people attended the festival; in the 2011 edition, 112 500. There has never been any charge for admission.
Notable past presenters include Burt Rutan (2004), Marvin Minsky (2006), and Luciano Maiani (2008). The 2009 festival included a presentation regarding Wikipedia, as well as the exhibition From the Moon to the Earth, organized by the Museo di Scienze Naturali Enrico Caffi. |
420 | 26,107,573 | 0 | Brazil Festival of Italy | Italy | Brazil Festival of Italy is a festival born in Bologna, Italy, in 2002 as a tribute to Italians for their contribution to Brazilian culture. Designed by the Associazione Culturale MAMBO, in 2003 it was officially recognized by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture and the Brazilian Consulate General in Milan.
== History ==
In its first 19 editions the event has presented hundreds of artists performing in about 300 concerts of Airto Moreira, Arthur Maia, Chico César, Trio Madeira, Pedro Mariano, Trio Corrente, Irio de Paula, Renato Borghetti, Irio de Paula, Robertinho de Paula, Guinga, Maria Gadu, Arrigo Barnabé, Marco Lobo, Rosa Emilia Machado Dias, Dudu Tucci, The Azymuth, Quarteto Maogani, Barbara Casini, Julinho Martins, Gilson Silveira, Daniella Firpo, Fabrizio Bosso, Patricia de Assis, Marcio Rangel, Afroeira, Nelson Machado, Ivete Souza, Marivaldo Paim, Luisa Cottifogli, Nene Ribeiro, Ligia França, Zeduardo Martins, Rogerio Tavares, Josy Nogueira, Kal dos Santos and many others.
In addition to music, the festival has offered 16 exhibitions, 9 film reviews, 15 debates, 21 study courses and internships and 22 appointments with Brazilian cuisine. The festival has involved over 30 local areas, 11 municipalities and 100,000 spectators.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCijSD7A5V49wQ_Jps6f79gg
== External links ==
Official website
Livetime |
421 | 42,514,736 | 0 | Cavallo di fuoco | Italy | The Cavallo di fuoco (Italian for 'Fiery Horse'; pronounced [kaˈvallo di ˈfwɔːko]) is an Italian historical reconstruction which takes place in the city of Ripatransone in the Province of Ascoli Piceno. It is a singular fireworks show, which traditionally occurs eight days after Easter.
== History ==
The show goes back to 1682 when, on the occasion of celebrations in honor of the Virgin Mary, the local dwellers hired a pyrotechnician who, once the spectacle was over, took all his remaining fireworks and shot riding his horse. This extemporized action struck the citizens who began to recall it yearly. In the 18th century a mock steed replaced the animal and the fireworks were assembled upon it.
== Celebration ==
The Octave of Easter begins with the Mass in the cathedral of Ripatransone, it goes on with the parade of the brotherhoods and it ends with the pyrotechnical show.
Around 9.00 pm the mock horse appears in the streets of the town preceded by the marching band and followed by a group of passionate people provided with cowbells and whistles. A huge crowd waits for them in the Matteotti and Condivi squares.
After the Horse reached his stage, it runs a pace lap after which the street lighting is turned off. The steed, stuffed with squibs of any kind, runs several laps shooting them on air and among people. The most stunning fireworks have mass denominations such as Baffi (whiskers) which shoot aside and Girella (pinwheel) which constitutes the most important moment of the show.
Although sometimes the spectacle can generate panic (especially in not accustomed viewer) and many people are used to be inebriated by the typical red wine of the place, accidents have never happened. |
422 | 28,179,471 | 0 | Corteo Storico | Italy | The Corteo Storico is a historical costume parade in Siena, Tuscany, Italy. It takes place before the famous horse race known as the Palio on the 2nd of July and on August 16, each year.
== Description ==
The parade has always occurred before the Palio since the race's inception. It is a formally choreographed triumphal march that commemorates the ancient institutions, customs and greatness of the Republic of Siena. Special attention is given to the Contrade whose participants form the main part of the parade. The parade takes place in the Piazza del Campo with 14 groups and a total of almost seven hundred participants.
In the early afternoon, on the day of the Palio, members of the town gather in the courtyard of the Palace of Justice and under the command of the field marshal, line-up in Piazza del Duomo next to the cathedral. They parade between the crowd on both sides of the streets called: Via del Capitano, Piazza Postierla, Via San Pietro, Via del Casato di Sopra and Via del Casato di Sotto where they join the other members of the parade.
The procession enters the Piazza del Campo on the first toll of the bell (the Sunto) on the Torre del Mangia.
Seventeen pairs of flag-bearers stop at the various points in the Piazza and in synchrony with the drum roll perform a spectacular flag-waving exhibition culminating with the throwing of the flag at the end.
The parade marches to the passo della Diana (passo means step), the musicians of Palazzo play the march of the Palio of the maestro Formichi while the city trumpeters play on silver trumpets.
The central focus of the procession is the passing of the Carroccio, the modern counterpart of the Republic's ancient triumphal chariot on which the silken colourful Palio banner is hoisted.
After circling the square, the parade members take their places. The Palio is hoisted on to the judges stand while the seventeen flag-bearers perform their own drum roll, la sbandierata della Vittoria (the flag-waving of Victory), so called because it was introduced at the end of World War I.
== Composition of the Parade ==
The parade starts with 6 Mazzieri (Pole-bearers).
A Horse follows the standard-bearer on the Balzana icon accompanied by four of Siena's commanders.
Then the musicians of Palazzo advance, preceded by drums and silver trumpets that set the pace of the procession.
These are followed by the insignia of the city, potesteria, that represent the lands and castles of the ancient Sienese state above the standard-bearers and their replacements from the municipality of Massa Marittima and the municipality of Montalcino, which guard this historical privilege.
The captain of the people rides with a page, preceded by a standard-bearer, 3 dagger bearing pages, with helmets and swords, followed by 3 gonfaloniers, the Terzi on horseback, and three centurions of Masse dei Terzi, also on horseback, all accompanied by grooms.
In the next group is represents the Studio Senese (Senese means from Siena), it includes two drummers, a standard-bearer, a rector, four teachers and four students.
The standard-bearer and 3 of the Magistrates Merchandise preceded by two drummers followed by six representatives of each Contrada preceded by a standard-bearer who rears the banner of each of the guilds of each Contrada:
Tailors Valdimontone (Valley of the Ram),
Pharmacists Pantera (Panther),
Sculptors Tartuca (Tortoise),
Weavers Selva (Forest),
Dye makers Oca (Goose),
Bankers Drago (Dragon),
Potters Nicchio (Seashell),
Goldsmiths Leocorno (Unicorn),
Notaries Aquila (Eagle),
Silk Makers Bruco (Caterpillar),
Cobblers Civetta (Little Owl),
Wool makers Torre (Tower),
Painters Giraffa (Giraffe),
Carpenters Onda (Wave),
Bakers Lupa (She-Wolf),
Tanners Chiocciola (Snail),
Smiths Istrice (Crested Porcupine).
A page bearing the Masgalano (prize for the best pop) with two pages following.
Contrada parade of the ten in the race. Each appearance is as follows: a drummer, two bishops, the Duce escorted by two armed men, then more pages holding the banner of the Contrada flanked by two pages bearing the flags of the military companies. On a large horse (called the soprallasso) escorted by a groom, is the jockey in ceremonial dress, followed the horse which is racing. Contradas participating in the Palio enter the order determined by the drawn lots.
A double row of six little pages bearing the symbolic garlands, form division with the Contrade excluded from this Palio.
The appearance of the 7 Contrade not participating consist of the following elements: the drummer, two bishops, a leader escorted by two soldiers, Major page and Banner Carrier with two pages bearing the flags of the old military companies.
This is followed by six knights pages, representatives Contradas which no longer exist (Gallo, Lion, Bear, Oak, Spadaforte, Viper).
20 archers preceded by a page flag holder by the Captain, 2 and 4 drummers.
Following these the Captain of Justice with a horse and Page, escorted by four armed soldiers.
The procession is closed by the Carroccio (cart) pulled by four oxen. on the Carroccio are the Balia, the bearer of the Palio, a valet who plays the Martinella and 6 trumpeters.
The Carroccio is accompanied by eight soldiers armed with Roncone and is followed by six knights representing many old noble families of Siena: Pannocchieschi d'Elci, Piccolomini, Salimbeni, Salvani, Tolomei, Ugurgieri .
The historical procession ends with six pages bearing a laurel wreath.
== Gallery ==
Corteo storico (Palio di Siena) (Wikipedia in Italian)Alan Dundes, Alessandro Falassi. La terra in Piazza: an interpretation of the Palio of Siena. Berkeley, University of California Press, 1975. ISBN 0-520-04771-0
Alan Dundes, Alessandro Falassi, foto di Gigi Lusini. La terra in piazza. Antropologia del Palio, trad. italiana. Siena, Nuova Immagine Editrice, 2005. ISBN 978-88-7145-019-3
== External links ==
YouTube video showing the Corteo Storico for Palio Di Siena on 2 July 2007
YouTube video showing the Carroccio for PALIO DI SIENA 2 July 2007
YouTube video showing the start of the parade from via San Pietro towards The Piazza del Campo - 2 July 2007
www.jacopodellatorre.com information on how to best follow the Historical Parade |
423 | 63,197,919 | 0 | Dialoghi di Trani | Italy | Dialoghi di Trani is an annual festival held in Trani, Italy. First held in 2002, the festival's goal is to spread and encourage cultural and literary knowledge, engage in debates on social issues and ultimately increase civic engagement and awareness in the local territory.
The event, which lasts one week, is organized by the cultural association La Maria del Porto, located in Trani. It also includes Dialokids, a cultural program targeted at young children, and the competition for the Premio Fondazione Megamark, a literary prize awarded to an outstanding debuting writer.
== Location ==
The festival takes place in Trani, a town north of Bari, by the Adriatic Sea, in the Southern-Italian region of Apulia. Throughout the festival, several public spaces of the town, such as the square adjacent to Trani Cathedral, the Swabian Castle, and the public library, are used for debates, book launches, the showing of films, and other events. However, given the festival's growing importance, some venues now extend as far away as neighboring cities, including Andria, Bisceglie, and Corato.
== Editions ==
Each year's edition of the event addresses a specific topic that is explored and debated throughout the week of the festival.2002: first edition of the event.
2003: the second edition revolved around the relationship between the West and East of the world, their differences as well as similarities in culture, history, religion.
2004: the third edition was titled borders (confini, in Italian) and centered on what borders are, what they mean for the people living across them, and on a discussion of geographical places that constitute natural borders (such as the Alps or the Mediterranean Sea).
2005: the fourth edition addressed the role of technology and development in the third millennium.
2006: the fifth edition focused on the topic of cultural identity and, on the other hand, the meeting and blending of different cultures.
2007: the sixth edition addressed the complexities of ethics in modern globalized societies.
2008: the seventh edition aimed at bringing forward a discussion on the dynamics of power in society.
2009: the eighth edition focused on democracy and the role of science, knowledge and communication in shaping democratic regimes as we know them today.
2010: the ninth edition inquired the meaning of passion in all its forms and shapes: from love and desire, to food, to leisure.
2011: the tenth edition focused on time, by analysing its meaning from a philosophical standpoint and a more practical and economic one.
2012: the eleventh edition revolved around the power of change, both in positive and negative terms, and its overall consequences.
2013: the twelfth edition hosted debates on Europe as a continent and the European Union more specifically, while taking primarily the perspective of the South of Italy.
2014: the thirteenth edition was titled Future and asked questions such as how people look at their future, what has the power to shape it and what can change it.
2015: the fourteenth edition was centered on the topics of birth and generation.
2016: the fifteenth edition discussed the importance of sharing and its origins in the sense of belonging that ties together the human race.
2017: the sixteenth edition focused on beauty and its conception throughout different times and places.
2018: the seventeenth edition addressed the topic of fear, from its negative effects (insecurity, closure) and ways to tackle them, to its more positive sides.
2019: the eighteenth edition focused on the topic of responsibility in all its different shapes, and on the challenges it generates for individuals and communities.
== Famous Guests ==
Several well known personalities have taken part in the cultural festival since its beginning.Massimo Cacciari, Italian philosopher, politician and former mayor of Venice, attended several years of the Dialoghi.
Dacia Maraini, a famous Italian writer, discussed the difficult relation between mothers and daughters during the first edition of the cultural event in 2002.
Helen Mirren, British actress and Academy Award winner, took part in the 18th edition of the Dialoghi.
Gustavo Zagrebelsky, Italian constitutionalist, participated in the 19th edition.
Luigi Zoja, Italian psychoanalyst, discussed the effects of technology on psychoanalysis during the 2018 edition of the event.
== External links ==
La Repubblica - I Dialoghi di Trani (in Italian)
Corriere della Sera – I Dialoghi di Trani (in Italian)
I Dialoghi di Trani - Official website (in Italian) |
424 | 71,482,585 | 0 | Diotto | Italy | The Diotto (Italian pronunciation: ['djɔtto]) is the celebration for the anniversary of the founding of Scarperia, held each year on 8 September. The name itself recalls the date: dì as for day and otto which means eight. Actually, the founding occurred on 7 September 1306, but it was decided that the anniversary date should have been the day after, birth of the Virgin Mary.
The celebration is a historical reenactment made up of a pageant from Florence and Scarperia, and a competition called Palio, which designate both the event and the prize.
== History ==
Scarperia was founded by decision of the Florentine Republic in 1306 to administrate and defend a vast territory north of Florence, on the slopes of Apennine Mountains. In the beginning a Captain was appointed mainly with military purpose, then during the Renaissance in 1415 the figure changed in a Vicar who was able to manage and rule the growing town in every aspect. At the take office a celebration was held in the little village, primarily with tournaments, tug of war and arm wrestling, to show the new vicar the strength and stamina of the inhabitants. In the post-war era the commemoration mutated in a historical reenactment: first a costumed entertainment show, and since 1969 a palio disputed between the wards of the town.
== Wards, team composition and games ==
The former comune of Scarperia, since January 1, 2014 frazione in the Scarperia e San Piero municipality, is subdivided into thirteen rioni (wards). Every team is made up of six players plus a non-player captain at least 16 years old; they represent a rione and wear a different colour:Red of Castel San Barnaba
White of Santa Croce e Fagna
Blue of Senni, Birilli e Crocioni
Yellow of Rosine
Black of Ponzalla
Purple of San Gavino e Topo
Green of Sant'Agata
Pink of San Clemente
Sky blue of Marcoiano
Grey of Cerliano
Orange of Poggio Savelli
Burgundy of La Torre e Petrona
White and green of Montaccianico
Since only four teams take part to the final, the qualifiers (some days before) are needed to define the three rioni that will join the defending champion at the Diotto.
=== The vigor games ===
The palio is divided into five different games (giochi di gagliardia), which are always played following the same order:knife throwing
bricks race
tug of war
bigonce race
pole climbing
Winning a game let the team score four points, the second gets three, the third two, the fourth one. If a team is disqualified during a game, it scores one point. If a team or a player doesn't want to finish the game or the violation is serious, the team scores no points.
If it's necessary due to a tie at the end of the fifth game, the tie-breaker is the knife throwing to determine who is the winner.
==== Knife throwing ====
A player from each team has to throw one by one six knives towards a wooden target from a distance of four meters at least, trying to gather as much points as he can. If the knife is stuck into the red and smallest circle the team gets five points, for the yellow medium circle it gets three points, for the green and largest circle one point, if the tip isn't driven into the wood, or the knife falls down, or rather it's stuck outside the green circle, the team doesn't score any points.
==== Bricks race ====
It's a relay race in which every player must run on bricks for the entire distance of the field of play (piazza: square), so that the follower can do the same, until the fourth relay runner has finished. The racers use three bricks for the run plus two backup ones, which can replace the damaged or broken bricks. A runner cannot put the foot on the ground, or three times the heel down, until he has completed the quarter: if the player does so, he must restart.
==== Tug of war ====
All the six components of the team pull a rope of hemp fiber to beat the opponents, until a tape passes a line marked on the ground. Since the sloping square favors one of the two teams, the regulation provides for two rounds. If the rounds end with a tie, there's a deciding match where the sides of the square are set by flipping a coin. The ranking is drawn up after two semifinals and two finals.
==== Bigonce race ====
It's a fast and spectacular relay race for all the six components of the team, four of which are the runners and two the torri (towers). The game is about getting into the bigoncia, running a whole piazza and jumping out of it, while the two torri, remaining out of the field of play, help the racers to get in and out as quickly as they can. The bigoncia is a wooden slats wine barrel - made bottomless - with the shape of truncated cone and has very tight size, so that rushing in it is difficult. Running backwards is forbidden for safety reasons.
==== Pole climbing ====
The challenge is divided in two heats: the semifinals and the finals, in single race each, drawing the pole by flipping a coin. A specialist player for every team has to climb a wooden pole about eight meters tall, grab a little flag (representing the Cockaigne), descend and run to the camp-master waiting in the middle of the square to give him the pennant before the opponent. The pole is not greased or soaped, but the width and height of it make this game the most dangerous and arduous. A climbing technique which is considered too perilous or monkey-like (stretched arms, and chest far from the pole) will lead to disqualification.
==== Tie-breaker ====
In case two or more teams are in a draw after the fifth game, a knife throwing will determine the winner. If there is a new tie after that, series of three knives will be thrown until one team prevails.
== The pageant ==Since Scarperia was built by decision of the Republic of Florence in the 14th century and was the main Terra nova (new land) north of the city, when a Vicar was appointed the many nobles and families representing the Florentine aristocracy traveled to reach the village. Nowadays, retracing the celebrations held back then, the pageant (Corteo storico) from Florence follows the incoming Vicar, escorted by armed soldiers as halberdiers, culverin conveyors and armigers, at the sound of drums and clarions, accompanied by the gonfaloniere and flag throwers. After sunset the outgoing Vicar meets the incoming one with his own pageant from Scarperia and together they reach Piazza dei Vicari, where the herald describes the possessions that the new dignitary will rule. After the Vicar has sworn an oath of loyalty to Florence in a solemn ceremony, the palio begins.
== Bibliography ==
Various Authors. Il Palio del Diotto [The Palio of Diotto] (in Italian). Edizioni Firenze. ISBN 88-7970-285-8.
== External links ==
Diotto: Proloco Scarperia (in Italian) The Diotto summary by the local association who arranges and organizes the event.
The Renaissance in Scarperia (in English) Brief history and explanation of Diotto and the pageant. |
425 | 246,944 | 0 | Festa de l'Unità | Italy | Festa de l'Unità is an annual social-democratic festival in Italy, originally organised by the Italian Communist Party (PCI) to finance and spread its official newspaper l'Unità (Unity), and now organised by the Democratic Party. It is often misspelled Festa dell'unità (Unity party), since people forget where the name comes from.
The event is generally organized as many separated happenings, usually one for each city, but where the PCI was more present, every local branch organized its own happening and often all of them collaborated to the organization of a large one as well. Typical aspects are political conferences, low-price or free typical foods, live music, prize games and street markets. Small events start already in July, but the main happenings take place in September.
While the political aspect was preponderant in its first times, and is at times still important, it has developed with time into a social event for the youth (music events and discos) and elderly people (talking about the political adventures of their past and dancing swing).
In some parts of Italy, especially in Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany, each and every small village seems to have its own festa de l'Unità, which is often the biggest social event of the year. In Bologna and in Florence, they have developed into a two-week-long, tens-of-thousands-people-packed event that has little resemblance to the original political gathering, and are instead two of the biggest attractions for young people in the vicinity.
Following the birth in 2007 of the Democratic Party the name of the Festa dell'Unità was changed, at a national level, to the Festa Democratica. At the provincial level, however, and for important local party organisations, the traditional name Festa de l'Unità was retained, while elsewhere new hybrid appellations have been adopted such Festa del Partito Democratico or Festa di [place name]. The traditional name was restored in 2014, after the election of Matteo Renzi as new national Secretary of the party.
== Sources ==Italian Communist Party
Democratic Party (Italy) |
426 | 15,334,892 | 0 | Festa della Repubblica | Italy | Festa della Repubblica (Italian: [ˈfɛsta della reˈpubblika]; English: Republic Day) is the Italian National Day and Republic Day, which is celebrated on 2 June each year, with the main celebration taking place in Rome. The Festa della Repubblica is one of the national symbols of Italy.
The day commemorates the 1946 Italian institutional referendum held by universal suffrage, in which the Italian people were called to the polls to decide on the form of government following the Second World War and the fall of Fascism.
The ceremony of the event, organized in Rome, includes the deposition of a laurel wreath as a tribute to the Italian Unknown Soldier at the Altare della Patria by the President of the Italian Republic and a military parade along Via dei Fori Imperiali in Rome.
== History ==On 2 and 3 June 1946, an institutional referendum was held with which the Italians were called to the polls to decide which form of state – monarchy or republic – to give to the country. The referendum was announced at the end of World War II, a few years after the fall of the Fascist regime in Italy, the dictatorial regime that had been supported by the Italian royal family, the House of Savoy, for more than 20 years.
The 1946 Italian general election to elect the Constituent Assembly of Italy was held on the same days. As with the simultaneous Constituent Assembly elections, the referendum was not held in the Julian March, in the province of Zara or the province of Bolzano, which were still under occupation by Allied forces pending a final settlement of the status of the territories. The Constituent Assembly was formed by representatives of the anti-fascist forces that contributed to the defeat of Nazi and Fascist forces during the liberation of Italy, in World War II.The supporters of the republic chose the symbol of the Italia turrita, the national personification of Italy, to be used in the electoral campaign and on the referendum card on the institutional form of the State, in contrast to the Savoy coat of arms which represented the monarchy. This triggered various controversies, given that the iconography of the allegorical personification of Italy had, and still has, a universal and unifying meaning that should have been common to all Italians and not only to a part of them: this was the last appearance in the institutional context of Italia turrita.
This institutional referendum was the first vote by universal suffrage in Italy. The result of the popular consultation, 12,717,923 votes for the republic and 10,719,284 for the monarchy (with a percentage, respectively, of 54.3% and 45.7%), was communicated on 10 June 1946, when the Court of Cassation declared, after 85 years of the Kingdom of Italy, the birth of the Italian Republic, being definitively sanctioned on 18 June.The King of Italy, Umberto II of Savoy, decided to leave Italy on 13 June to avoid the clashes between monarchists and Republicans, already manifested in bloody events in various Italian cities, for fear they could extend throughout the country. He went into exile in Portugal. From 1 January 1948, with the entry into force of the Constitution of the Italian Republic, the male descendants of Umberto II of Savoy were banned from entering Italy; the provision being repealed in 2002. 11 June 1946, the first day of republican Italy, was declared a public holiday.
On 2 June the birth of the modern nation is celebrated in a similar way to the French 14 July (anniversary of the storming of the Bastille) and to 4 July in the United States (anniversary of the declaration of independence from Great Britain). The unity of Italy and the birth of the modern Italian state is celebrated on 17 March, in honour of 17 March 1861, the date of the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy. Before the birth of the republic, the national celebratory day of the Kingdom of Italy was the feast of the Statuto Albertino, which was held on the first Sunday of June.
The first celebration of the Festa della Repubblica took place on 2 June 1947, while in 1948 there was the first parade in Via dei Fori Imperiali in Rome; 2 June was definitively declared a national holiday in 1949. On this occasion the ceremonial included the past review of the armed forces in honor of the republic by the President of the Italian Republic; the demonstration took place in Piazza Venezia, opposite the Altare della Patria. After the deposition of the laurel crown to the Italian Unknown Soldier by the President of the Italian Republic Luigi Einaudi, the banners of the armed forces abandoned the formation, they walked the stairway of the monument and paid homage to the president with a bow.
In 1949, with the entry of Italy into NATO, ten celebrations took place simultaneously throughout the country: on the occasion, to highlight the bond of the newly formed republic with Mazzinianism, current of the Risorgimento which was headed by Giuseppe Mazzini, fervent Republican, a celebratory monument was inaugurated in the current Piazzale Ugo La Malfa in Rome, in memory of the Genoese patriot, in front of which the main event of the Festa della Repubblica took place.In 1961 the main celebration of the Festa della Repubblica did not take place in Rome but in Turin, the first capital of a united Italy. Turin was the capital of Italy from 1861 to 1865, followed by Florence (1865–1871) and finally by Rome, which is its capital since 1871. In 1961, in fact, was also celebrated the centenary of the unification of Italy (1861–1961). In 1963 the demonstration was not carried out on 2 June for the health conditions of Pope John XXIII, now dying, and was postponed to 4 November, simultaneously with National Unity and Armed Forces Day.
In 1965 the banners of the suppressed military units that took part in the World War I also participated in the main celebration of Rome; in that year the 50th anniversary of Italy's entry into the First World War was also commemorated. Specifically, Italy officially began military operations in World War I on 24 May 1915, with the first cannon shot fired by Fort Verena, on the Asiago plateau, towards the Austrian fortresses located on the Vezzena Plain: to the first infantry of the Royal Italian Army that crossed the border is dedicated the first stanza of La Leggenda del Piave.
Due to the severe economic crisis that gripped Italy in the 1970s, to contain state and social costs, the Festa della Repubblica, with Law n. 54 of 5 March 1977, was moved to the first Sunday of June, with the consequent suppression of 2 June as a public holiday connected to it. In 2001, on the impulse of the then President of the Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who was the protagonist, at the beginning of the 21st century, of a more general action to promote national symbols of Italy, the Festa della Repubblica has abandoned the status of a moveable feast, summarizing its traditional location of 2 June, which has now returned to being a holiday in all respects.
== Celebration ==The official ceremony of the Rome celebration includes the solemn flag-raising ceremony at the Altare della Patria and the tribute to the Italian Unknown Soldier with the deposition of a laurel wreath by the President of the Italian Republic in the presence of the most important officers of the State, or of the President of the Senate, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, the President of the Council of Ministers, the President of the Constitutional Court, the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Defense. After the playing of the National Anthem Il Canto degli Italiani, the Frecce Tricolori cross the skies of Rome.
Following the ceremony the President is then driven to Via di San Gregorio with the presidential Lancia Flaminia escorted by a patrol group of Corazzieri on a motorcycle where, together with the military commander of the capital garrison, usually a Major General, he reviews the parade formations presenting arms as the bands play their service or inspection marches. The Head of State then processes to the presidential tribune which is located in Via dei Fori Imperiali, gets down the vehicle, and processes there to meet other dignitaries and as he arrives in his spot in the dais the Corazzieri's mounted troopers, which had provided the rear escort during the review phrase, salute the President as the anthem is played. It is tradition, for the members of the Italian government and for the presidents of the two chambers of parliament, to have pinned on the jacket, during the whole ceremony, an Italian tricolor cockade. Following the anthem, the parade begins, which the ground columns of military personnel saluting the President with eyes left or right with their colours dipped as they march past the dais. Mobile column crew contingent colour guards perform the salute in a like manner.The ceremony concludes in the afternoon with the opening to the public of the gardens of the Quirinal Palace, seat of the Presidency of the Italian Republic, and with musical performances by the bands of the Italian Army, the Italian Navy, and the Italian Air Force, of the Carabinieri, of the Polizia di Stato, of the Guardia di Finanza, of the Polizia Penitenziaria and of the State Forestry Corps.
On the feast day, at the Palazzo del Quirinale, the Changing of the Guard with the Corazzieri Regiment and the Fanfare of the Carabinieri Cavalry Regiment in high uniform is carried out in solemn form. This solemn rite is only performed on two other occasions, during the celebrations of the Tricolour Day (7 January) and the National Unity and Armed Forces Day (4 November).
Official ceremonies are held throughout the national territory. Among them are the traditional receptions organized by each prefecture for the local authorities, which are preceded by solemn public demonstrations with reduced military parades that have been reviewed by the prefect in his capacity as the highest governmental authority in the province. Similar ceremonies are also organized by the Regions and Municipalities.
All over the world, Italian embassies organize ceremonies to which the Heads of State of the host country are invited. Greetings from the other Heads of State reach the President of the Italian Republic from all over the world.
== Parade ==The Italian Armed Forces, all the police forces of the Republic, the Vigili del Fuoco, the Protezione Civile and the Italian Red Cross take part in the military parade. The military parade was included for the first time in the protocol of official celebrations in 1950.
In 1976 the military parade was not organized following the disastrous earthquake of Friuli, while the following year, in 1977, in full austerity, it was decided not to resume the traditional military parade to avoid burdening further expenses on the state budget. This decision was also reiterated in the following years. Instead of the military parade, a demonstration was organized in Piazza Venezia, which was attended by representatives of the Italian armed forces.
The military parade was reinserted in the official ceremony of the main celebration of Rome in 1983; in that year the Festa della Repubblica was organized on the first Sunday of June, which was the 5th, between the Aventine and Porta San Paolo to commemorate the Resistance to the German occupation of the city of Rome during the World War II. The following year, in 1984, the parade returned to Via dei Fori Imperiali, while in 1985 it took place between Via dei Cerchi and the Baths of Caracalla. In 1989 the military parade was eliminated again; in its place, a historical exhibition was organized in Piazza di Siena in Rome. Until 1999, the celebration of the Festa della Repubblica was limited exclusively to the ceremony at the Altare della Patria.
The parade returned permanently to the ceremony in 2000 on the initiative of the then President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi. In 2004, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi granted a special privilege to the municipal police corps of Rome, representing all the local Italian police, and the Protezione Civile personnel to take part in the parade in honour of their services to the country and their communities.
The military parade also includes some military delegations from the United Nations, NATO, the European Union and representatives of multinational departments with an Italian component. One of the most awaited parts of the celebrations, the parade is saluted by the President in his or her capacity as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
=== Brief summary of the parade segment ===
As earlier stated the parade begins with the playing of the National Anthem as troopers of the Corazzieri salute the President. After the troopers march off the grandstand, the parade begins as the Central National Band of the Carabinieri marches past the dais, the first band of the parade, to herald the official arrival of the parade commander, usually a Major General of the Army, who drives past the grandstand with his motorized escort, followed by a motorized colour guard. Veterans contingents in vehicles from the Armed Forces, all police forces and the Vigili del Fuoco follow the command contingent.
The personnel are followed by the ground contingent, made up of personnel of the Armed Forces, all police forces, Civil Protection and civil service personnel. They march past the dais in a strict order of precedence with the military contingents marching past first followed by the police and civil contingents.1946 Italian institutional referendum
National symbols of Italy
Republic Day
Public holidays in Italy
Anniversary of the Unification of Italy
Anniversary of the Liberation
National Memorial Day of the Exiles and Foibe
National Unity and Armed Forces Day
Tricolour Day
== Citations == |
427 | 57,296,253 | 0 | Festival of the snake-catchers | Italy | The Festival of the snake catchers (or snake-charmers) (Festa dei Serpari di Cocullo) is an annual festival held on May 1 in Cocullo, Italy in honour of St. Dominic di Sora, patron saint protecting against snakebite and toothache. Its origins date back to paganism and have roots in an ancient celebration in honour of the Roman goddess Angitia. The festival involves a procession carrying the statue of St. Dominic, draped with live snakes, through the streets of the village.
== Overview ==
After Mass, the statue of St. Dominic di Sora is brought out and paraded through the streets, completely covered in snakes, followed by the Serpari (a hereditary brotherhood of local snake-charmers) who are also draped with snakes.
This festival has pre-Christian roots and is related to a much older rite, that of the snake deity, Angitia. In pagan times, the snake-charmers were the priests at the sanctuary of Angitia and the snakes were associated with healing. Cocullo was the territory of the Marsi, known for their magic arts and power over serpents.
The festival was nominated as a cultural ceremony to be protected by UNESCO. |
428 | 6,560,343 | 0 | Giubiana | Italy | The Giubiana is a traditional celebration having great popularity in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, and particularly in Brianza, as well as in the region of Piedmont. During the last Thursday in January, bonfires are lit, on which the Giubiana (i.e. a puppet of an old witch) is burnt.
== The name ==
The name of this witch, and of the festival, changes according to the different languages spoken in these regions:Giubiana in northern Brianza
Gibiana in southern Brianza
Giöbia/Gioeubia in the province of Varese
Giòbia e Giobiassa in Piedmont
According to some, she is named after the ancient Roman God Jupiter, and this is why celebrations are held on Thursdays (in Anglo-Saxon tradition the day of Thor, but in the Latin tradition the day of Jupiter). Furthermore, according to popular traditions, on Thursday nights (or Saturday nights) witches assembled for Sabbath.
== The festivity ==
In the days before the festival the villagers collect all that's combustible (wood, hay, paper etc.), and put a pyre together. After a procession through the village street, the Giubiana is placed on the pyre and set on fire. The rite is both symbolic and propitiatory. The Giubiana is burnt to ashes to terminate the winter, so that the pyre flame is believed to predict an abundant harvest in the upcoming year.
In some parts of eastern Brianza, the Giubiana is accompanied by a masculine character, the Ginée, her husband and the personification of January.In Canzo the celebration is particularly well-constructed; other symbolic and traditional characters are seen during the procession along historic centre, for example Anguana (a Celtic water fairy), the Òmm selvadech (the Wild Man), the Bear and the Hunter, the Executioner, the Candelabrum-bearers, the 'Bun e Gramm' (good boys and bad boys, that are pro and contra the burning), the so-called Lawyer of the Lost Causes (from Milan forum), the soothsayer, the Scarenna men, the Woman of the Street, the historical Firemen, the Shepherd, the Woodsman, the Carriage of the Peasants, the Sledge, and others. The Cumpagnia di Nost organizes the festivity, in which the town is adorned with black and red hangings (for mourning and bonfire); the symbol of the festivity is the red leg of the Giubiana; also the music of the drums and of the baghèt (lombard bagpipe) is mournful, but after burning it becomes cheerful because the evil has been eliminated; traditional costumes are worn. The atmosphere is sacral and joyful, thanks to the Celtic and Christian symbolism.
In Busto Arsizio the tradition is similar but different in only one point; the characters are prepared months before the festivity, the main reason is to create perfectly the exact face and body of all the characters, the Giubiana is the most important festivity in Busto Arsizio due to its historical meaning, or as many people say, the ceremony takes place in the center of the city just to hunt the bad luck and then celebrate the moment of good luck.Since a few years, one of the groups who prepare their own Giubiana, the Giovani padani group, a political movement related to the right-wing party Lega Nord, have started creating politicised characters containing propaganda messages and offences to other parties and politicians, which have nothing to do with the traditional celebration of the end of the winter.
== Sources ==
Montorfano, Giancarlo; Ariel Macchi (2000). Una storia della Giubiana. La Vita Felice. ISBN 88-7799-090-2. |
429 | 44,464,410 | 0 | International Cartoonists Exhibition | Italy | The International Cartoonists Exhibition, known familiarly as Rapalloonia, is an annual comics festival held in Rapallo, Liguria, Italy.
Founded in 1972, Rapalloonia is one of the oldest Italian exhibitions devoted to comics. Conceived in order to popularize and increase the importance of work done by comic authors, it was the first exhibition of its kind to display original artwork. It is one of the few comics festivals to have been founded and always directed by professional authors of the field — Carlo Chendi, Luciano Bottaro, and Giorgio Rebuffi. Other collaborators include the restaurateur Fausto Oneto, the artistic director Giovanni Nahmias and the association president Daniele Busnelli Since 1993, the festival has awarded U Giancu's Prize, given to a selection of accomplished comics creators.
Rapalloonia has not only been held in Rapallo, having traveled over the years and collaborated with other comics festivals in other places. The exhibition has twice moved to the site of Lucca Comics & Games and has collaborated with Strisce d'Africa (Comic Strips of Africa), dedicated to the European and American cartoons stories set in Africa and to those created by indigenous authors. The show has also collaborated in Venice with Venezia nel Fumetto (Venice in comics).
For each exhibition, Rapalloonia produces catalogs/monographic publications based on that year's theme. The catalogs are between 70 and 120 pages in length, with large pages, either in color or black-and-white.
== Associazione Culturale Rapalloonia ==
Associazione Culturale Rapalloonia is a cultural association which pursues the promotion of comics, cartoons and related art forms, through channels of information and culture. The arms of Rapalloonia! were designed by the musician and actor Luigi Maio. Carlo Chendi, one of the association's founders, became honorary president in 2014, succeeded as president by Davide Caci. Rapalloonia! works with partners to promote comics as a form of expression and means of communication. Some of these non-profit organizations include Comune di Rapallo, Regione Liguria, Provincia di Genova and UNICEF.
== History ==
The International Cartoonists Exhibition was formed by Carlo Chendi (1933–2021), an Italian cartoonist and Disney Italy screenwriter, and the cartoonists Luciano Bottaro (1931–2006) and Giorgio Rebuffi (1928–2014), who founded Studio Bierreci. It was originally dedicated to two main categories: cartoonists and readers. The aim of the festival was to show how a comic page is born, illuminating the processes by which pictures are drawn by hand before being photographed and downsized, ready for print. The first exhibition, in 1972, showed the work of cartoonists from eight different countries. As with the 1973 show, no particular theme was selected for exhibition.
The 1974 exhibition, however, was given to the subject of women in comics, both as main characters and as authors. This show was an enormous success, drawing attention from the mass media. Special guests Oriana Fallaci and Natalia Aspesi wrote articles in their respective newspapers, and RAI (Italy's national public broadcasting company) reported on the exhibition on national television.
Later shows continued similarly, with various themes being chosen for the exhibition. One was dedicated to Corriere dei Piccoli; two to publishing house (Edizioni Alpe and Edizioni Bianconi), two to Cristoforo Colombo; three to comic schools: the Connecticut School (Mort Walker, Dik Browne and many others) and to Italian schools Strisce di Terra (Strips of Earth) and Strisce di Mare (Strips of the Sea); one to the cartoon heroes of the western world; one to satire; one to the topic of Christmas, made in Milan and Rapallo, connected to fundraising for the charity Francesca Rava N.P.H. that helps children of Haiti and of other Caribbean countries; five dedicated to famous characters: Martin Mystère, Ken Parker, Paperinik, Julia, and Dylan Dog; two to the sea: Nuvole d’acqua salata (Clouds of saltwater) and Mare a strisce (Sea of comic strips); one to Magie e Incantesimi (Spells and Enchantments); one to W.I.T.C.H.; and one to the music, with the title Note a fumetti (loosely music to comics). Finally, six shows were dedicated to different authors: Luciano Bottaro, Ivo Milazzo, Silver, Ro Marcenaro, and Carl Barks. For the first time, one was dedicated to Idee e Creatività (ideas and creativity), to demonstrate that without an idea, story, or screenplay, cartoons cannot exist: the four writers celebrated were Tiziano Sclavi, Giancarlo Berardi, Carlo Chendi, and François Corteggiani.
The 2022 edition celebrated the 50th anniversary of Rapalloonia. The 2023 edition, held 30 September to 8 October 2023, celebrated 30 years of the U Giancu Prize.
=== Editions ===
Exhibitions over the years have had different themes: below are the most appreciated and remembered editions: 2005
The 33rd edition of Rappoloonia was dedicated to Carl Barks: international guests included the Carl Barks Fan Club and Don Rosa, the natural heir of Barks.2006
The 34th edition was held in November 2006, and it had as theme Comics Schools, in which the main Italian and foreign comics schools participated.2010
The 38th edition, held from September 25 to October 10, 2010, was dedicated to women in comics. The focus was on the fictional criminologist Julia Kendall, created by Giancarlo Berardi, creator of the famous Ken Parker. Julia, who aesthetically resembles Audrey Hepburn, lives and works in Garden City, a fictional American metropolis. She is a criminology teacher at Hollyhock University but often assists the police with investigations that require her expertise. Given the importance of the theme, a debate on women was organized, including a lesson on stalkers, a real issue affecting women. For the first time, the Rapalloonia Prize was awarded to someone outside the comics world: Alessandra Bucci, the deputy superintendent of state police and head of the Homicide police headquarters in Genoa, for her parallel life with Julia.2011
The 39th edition, held from October 1 to 16, 2011, was marked by a sad event: the death of Sergio Bonelli shortly before the exhibition. Bonelli was the editor of Dylan Dog and Tex Willer from 1986, originally created by his father, Gian Luigi Bonelli. This edition also paid tribute to Sergio Cofferati, former secretary of CGIL and current MEP, with a contribution to his literature. The exhibition concluded with a press review in honor of Bonelli, and it was named Happy Birthday, Dylan Dog after the main character of the horror comic Dylan Dog. Created by writer Tiziano Sclavi and inspired by actor Rupert Everett, Dylan Dog's stories are set in London, where he lives at 7 Craven Road.
In his career, Bonelli inherited Tex from his father, started Dylan Dog, and created two characters: Zagor and Mister No. Zagor is similar to Tarzan, featuring elements such as the West, mysterious forests, Indians, and wilderness; while Mister No shares Bonelli's traits as an avid traveler and dreamer, a Yankee who said no to war and progress, siding with the weak.2012
The 40th edition, held from November 10 to 25, 2012, was one of the most significant. Despite a weather alert during that period, the opening day took place at the Teatro Auditorium delle Clarisse, with a special presentation by Rudy Zerbi and Luigi Maio, and the screening of a documentary by Giancarlo Sordi in memory of Sergio Bonelli, who had passed away a year earlier. The documentary was titled Come Tex nessuno mai. The significance of that edition didn't end there. It marked the 40th anniversary of the exhibition with displays of original drawings and classic comics from the first edition. It also celebrated 20 years of the perfect union between cartoons and the cuisine of restaurateur Fausto Oneto (U Giancu), 30 years of Martin Mystère, the detective of the impossible created by Alfredo Castelli, and 60 years of Carlo Chendi's career, featuring his works on Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Pepito. During the exhibition, an important announcement was made: the city decided to honor Chendi's memory by naming a street or square after Walt Disney. Cartoons thus became part of Rapallo's place names, and the Rapallo castle was renamed Paperopoli. This edition of the exhibition was aptly named the Cartoonist's Celebration edition.
Moreover, November 30 was a special day: Carlo Chendi worked as a professor for a day. The exhibition and the teachers of the Chiavari School of Cartoons collaborated on a challenging and interesting project. In local secondary schools, students were paired with some of Italy's most popular artists to explain how a comics story is created, from its initial idea to publication. For example, Egle Bartolini, the designer of Titti and Silvestro, participated. All these events aimed to continue the tradition in Rapallo, which is considered the capital of cartoons.2014
The 42nd edition, held from September 27 to October 19, 2014, was named Sportoonia and was dedicated to sport. The main theme was the relationship between art and sport, which was not a random choice, as Rapallo was the European City of Sport that year. Additionally, sports activities are as integral to comics as they are to everyday life. For the first time, the exhibition included manga, since Japanese cartoons prominently feature sports themes, exemplified by titles such as Holly and Benji and Mila and Shiro.2017
The 2017 edition, held September 30 to October 8, featured such guests as Alessandro Bilotta, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Mirka Andolfo, Corrado Mastantuono, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Enrico Marini, and Riccardo Burchielli.2022
The COVID-19 pandemic prevented Rapalloonia from happening in 2019, 2020, and 2021; the festival returned in 2022 (from Oct. 1 to Oct 9) to celebrate its 50th anniversary. That year's exhibition was known as A World of Comics – The Incredible Adventure of the Bierrecì Group.
== U Giancu's Prize ==
The annual awarding of U Giancu's Prize is closely tied to the International Cartoonists Exhibition, taking place on the same day as the exhibition's opening, though in a different location (the U Giancu restaurant). Cartoonists, authors, comedians, editors, actors, and fans gather for a big dinner at U Giancu, which resembles a cartoon museum. Every year, they eat, drink, laugh, draw, and chat late into the night, celebrating the U Giancu Prize.
U Giancu's Prize was created in the autumn of 1992. The name U Giancu comes from the restaurant where several people had gathered that night: Fausto Oneto, the owner of the restaurant U Giancu; his wife; Italian comics creator Luciano Bottaro; Bottaro's friend Piero Campana, who had historically assisted at the restaurant; and Claudio Bertieri. During their gathering, Bertieri proposed the idea of celebrating their mutual friend, the cartoonist Antonio Canale, who had died a few months earlier. They contacted Emanuele Luzzati, an Italian animator and illustrator, and asked him to create a small statue. Luzzati created The White Pulcinella, which became the symbol of the prize. (The term U Giancu is Genoese dialect for the white.) To complete the work, Oneto decided to have the statue placed in an elegant olive wooden box.
In the beginning, the prize was given only to a realistic/adventure artist and to a humor artist: the first prize-winners were Aurelio Galleppini and Francesco Tullio Altan. When Chendi returned to Rapallo in 1996, he asked Oneto to associate the Prize with the exhibition, to move the famous cartoonists dinner from Wednesday to Saturday, and to also award a prize to a scriptwriter. As a result, in 1996, the first writer to win the prize was Sergio Bonelli for his stories of Zagor, Mister No, and Tex Willer. As a result, from 1996 to 2014, the U Giancu Prize was awarded annually to three individuals: a comic cartoonist, a writer, and an realistic/adventure cartoonist.
Special U Giancu's Prizes awarded in 2005 (to Umberto Virri), 2006 (to Paul Karasik), 2007 (to Maurizio Mantero and Valentina De Poli), 2008 (to Stefano Goria), 2009 (to Roberto Genovesi), and 2012 (to Alfredo Castelli).
In 2015, U Giancu's Prize was revised to reflect four categories: Writer, Humor Artist, Lifetime Achievement, and Promising Italian Talent (the last one known as the PaChenTo Prize).
There were no U Giancu's Prizes awarded in 2019, 2020, or 2021.
The 2023 Rapalloonia festival saw a celebration of 30 years of U Giancu's Prize.
=== U Giancu's Prize winners ===
Lucca Comics & Games
Yellow Kid Award
Angoulême International Comics Festival
=== Citations ===
=== Resources ===
L'Albo D'oro di U Giancu [U Giancu's Golden Album]. Rapollo, Italy: U Giancu. 2023 – via 100Torri.it.
== External links ==Official website
Ristorante U Giancu |
430 | 74,945,060 | 0 | IT.A.CÀ - Festival of Responsible Tourism | Italy | IT.A.CÀ Migrants & Travellers - Festival of Responsible Tourism (in Italian Language IT.A.CÀ Migranti e viaggiatori - Festival del Turismo Responsabile) is an Italian widespread annual festival, dedicated to sustainable and responsible tourism.
== History ==
IT.A.CÀ Festival was founded in 2009 when three no-profit assosiations from Bologna, Italy (ASD Yoda, with Cospe Onlus and Nexus Emilia Romagna) started supporting and promoting Sustainable tourism.
The first few-day-long editions took place in the Bologna area but the success and the growing network of interested assosiations made the Festival grew quickly with new places added to the schedule year by year. More than 300 events were set for the 2018 edition, while in 2019 Liguria joined the IT.A.Cà network, followed by Sardinia in 2021 with its Ogliastra sub-region. In 2021 the 13th edition took place with stages in over 14 Italian regions between May and November, reaching the more than 500 Italian and international players from the fields of tourism, culture and envirorment.
The following year, the Festival started adopting a central theme strategy, with the 14th edition of 2022 around Habitat - Living the future. Morover, in the same year, with the support of the Comune of Lanusei in Sardinia and of Sardaigne en liberté, IT.A.Cà festival stated a European project for an International Festival of Responsible Tourism, thanks to the network of international players already involve in the Italian edition. The First meeting took place in Algarve, Portugal on 22 April 2022.
== Values and Mission ==
IT.A.CÀ Festival (whose name recalls Ulysses native island with an assonance of the bolognese dialect for You are at home?) aims to creating a network of different organizations involved in responsible travel, and to engage participants in a multisensory experience., with an agenda that guided tours aimed at enhancing the cultural and historical heritage of the area, debates and meetings with experts in the field, seminars, lunches at kilometer zero, experiential dinners, writing contests, illustration and photography, exhibitions, concerts, film screenings and theater.
Through a series fo free events, workshops, conferences, activities, sports in plain nature (including bike tours and trekking with donkeys) and cultural events, the festival aims to raise awareness in travellers, institutions, industries and tourist players on the weight of traditional tourism and the alternative positive edges of Sustainable tourism.
== Festival Editions ==
=== XIII Edition - 2021: Right of Breathing (Diritto di Respirare) ===
The 13th edition moved through Italy with the theme of Right of Breathing, involving 16 regions with more than 25 different stages, spread from May to November.
The high significance of this edition is pinpointed in the debut of Sardinia in the network, and the consequent stage, amog others in the region, of Lanusei, where - from 24 September to 3 October - a meeting of international player took place (elected as European meeting), forging the base for next year's international festival debut.
During this meeting in Lanusei different players attended, including representant of the Forum Anders Reisen, to discuss about underpaied work, social justice and minimum wage.
=== XIV Edition - 2022: Habitat - Living the Future (Habitat - Abitare il futuro) ===
The 2022 edition took place aroun sustainability of living and of territories. In addition to the University of Bologna, who supported the festival since the beginning, other Italian Universities took part, including University of Cagliari and University of Pavia.
=== XV Edition - 2023: A whole other story - Communities tell the territories (Tutta un’Altra Storia – Le comunità raccontano i territori) ===
The 15th edition of 2023 includes 20 stages in 11 regions, from may to October. Events took place from North Italy to the South, giving voice to the territories, that becomes real narrators of their story, their need and their future.
== Awards ==
In 2018 the IT.A.Cà received the UNWTO Award in the Non-Governamental Organizations by the World Tourism Organization of the United Nations |
431 | 46,297,004 | 0 | Komikazen | Italy | The Komikazen International Reality Comics Festival (Italian: Komikazen festival internazionale del fumetto di realtà) was an annual festival focusing on non-fiction comics. It occurred every year between 2005 and 2016 in Ravenna, Italy, usually in the month of October. Komikazen was sponsored by the Mirada Association and organized by Elettra Stamboulis and Gianluca Costantini.
Created with the aim of researching and investigating the relationships between the presentation of reality and graphic literature, the festival was intended to promote and celebrate Ravenna as the capital of reality-based comics. The festival had no commercial areas, but instead focused on exhibitions, workshops, and discussions.
As in the French city of Angoulême during the Angoulême International Comics Festival, shops in Ravenna often customized their window displays with comics themes during the festival period. Related exhibitions in various venues in the Ravenna area generally remained on display for at least a month after the festival.
== History ==
Mirada (look in Spanish) was founded in 1997 and moved to Ravenna in 2000. Its mission is to identify and promote young artists from the Ravenna region. Mirada was part of the Periscopages Association (based in Rennes, France), an organization devoted to independent comics that included Babel (Athens, Greece), Comica (London, UK), Chili cum Carne (Lisbon, Portugal), the Boom Festival (St. Petersburg, Russia), and La Maison du Livre (Beirut, Lebanon). Periscopages Association disbanded in 2012.
The first Komikazen was held on September 30, 2005, with special guests Phoebe Gloeckner, Joe Sacco, and Marjane Satrapi.
The 2006 festival featured Turkish cartoonists of the long-running comics magazine Leman.
In 2007, the festival expanded to two days, and inaugurated the GEAR Awards, celebrating young artists of the local Emilia-Romagna region. In attendance were more than 50 artists from the nonfiction comics magazines Strapazin (Switzerland), Babel (Athens), Glomp (Finland), Chili Com Carne (Portugal), Hard Comics (Romania), and Stripoteka (Sarajevo, Bosnia). The exhibition Honey Talks was sponsored by Stripburger. Artists featured in the exhibition included Danijel Zezelj, Rutu Modan, and Matthias Lehmann.
The 2008 festival featured the first exhibition of Lebanese cartoonists in Italy.
The 2009 show focused on stories that originate with individual tension, research and experimentation.
The 2010 Komikazen expanded to three days.
The theme of the 2012 festival was the representations of Italy and featured more thirty Italian cartoonists and caricaturists: Luca Amerio, Luca Baino, Francesco Barilli, Paolo Bacilieri, Lelio Bonaccorso, Riccardo Cecchetti, Sara Colaone, Paolo Cossi, Gianluca Costantini, Manuel De Carli, Matteo Fenoglio Luca Ferrara, Manfredi Giffoni, Rocco Lombardi, Simone Lucciola, Riccardo Mannelli, Giuseppe Palumbo, Paolo Parisi, Luigi Politano, Tuono Pettinato, Marco Pugliese, Davide Reviati, Marco Rizzo, Luca Salici, Caterina Sansone, Leonora Sartori, Pietro Scarnera, Elettra Stamboulis, Mattia Surroz, Alessandro Tota, Bepi Vigna, Andrea Vivaldo, Zerocalcare, Andrea Zoli. In addition, Komikazen was final event in the Italian national competition Reality Draws.
The 2013 festival was themed in solidarity with the Occupy movement—99 cartoonists came to Ravenna and made work related to the concept of We are the 99%.
The theme of the 2014 festival was autobiography and biography. Headline guests included Eddie Campbell and Gipi.
The 2015 festival featured special guests Ted Rall and Carlos Latuff.
The final Komikazen festival was held June 20–22, 2016.
== Official prizes ==
The GAER (Giovani Artisti dell'Emilia Romagna) prize is awarded to young cartoonists of the Emilia-Romagna region, whose work is then published in time for the following year's festival. Award ceremonies and exhibitions are held at the Ravenna Office of Youth Policy.2007 — awarded to Marino Neri and Leonardo Guardigli, whose work was published by Kappa Edizioni and Centro Fumetto Andrea Pazienza respectively
2008 — Marina Girardi, published by Comma 22
2009 — Pietro Scarnera, published by Comma 22
2010 — Fabio Sera, published by Comma 22
2011 — Andrea Zoli, published by Comma 22
2012 — Jacopo Frey and Nicola Gobbi, published by Comma 22
== Locations and dates ==
European comics
Lucca Comics & Games
== External links ==
Mirada Association website |
432 | 48,818,946 | 0 | Last White Christmas | Italy | The Last White Christmas was a music festival held in Pisa, Italy on December 4, 1983. Several albums were released with recordings from the event. A 35th anniversary event was held in 2018.
== Last White Christmas ==
The Last White Christmas music festival was held in Pisa, Italy on December 4, 1983: the day of Saint Barbara. The festival, organized by the Granducato Hardcore (GDHC), was held in the deconsecrated church of San Zeno. The church hosted the first GDHC initiatives until July 1894 when the circle Victor Charlie opened.
In one of the bands that performed at festival also played Fefo Forconi then with Toxic Reasons.
== Albums ==
The recording of the concert (six hours), engineered by Alessandro Sportelli and Alessandro Paolucci via a cassette tape deck wired directly to soundboard, no ambience mics ... (Alessandro Sportelli interview), was later released by Bad Compilation Tapes / Borderless Countries Tapes of San Diego February 1984, in two volumes titled BCT #6 Last White Christmas I and BCT #7 Last White Christmas II as a co-release with Cessophonya Records of Jim Plumbago in Italy. About half the tracks were used. These two live albums were later reissued on CD in 2000 by BCT (Bad Compilation Tapes) in conjunction with Schizophrenic Records of Hamilton (Ontario, CA), Enterruption of San Francisco (California, U.S.), Ponk-111 of Walnut Creek (California, U.S.) and Human Stench of Pittsfield (Massachusetts, U.S.) with a few extra tracks. Limited edition: 500 pressed each.
Last White Christmas tracks
Some record productions made with recordings taken from Last White Christmas vol.I and vol.II:Raw Power (tape, BCT, USA, 1984)
Senza Tregua (tape, Ribelli Uniti Records, ITA, 1984)
Last White Christmas (cd, Bad Compilation Tapes, Schizophrenic Records and Human Stench, USA & Canada, 2000)
Last White Christmas II (cd, Bad Compilation Tapes, Schizophrenic Records and Human Stench, USA & Canada, 2000)
Senza Tregua: Granducato Hardcore (LP, Enterruption, BC Tapes & Records, Schizophrenic Records and Ponk-111, USA, 2002)
Urla Dal Granducato Vol. 1 (LP, Area Pirata, ITA, 2003)
Urla Dal Granducato Vol. 2 (LP, Area Pirata, ITA, 2006)
Last White XMas (double CD, Area Pirata, ITA, 2020)
Urla Dal Granducato Vol. 3 (LP, Area Pirata, ITA, 2023)
=== Reception ===
A must for the international collector.
== Legacy ==
Ten tracks taken from the recording of the concert were published on the album Urla dal Granducato by Area Pirata Records in 2003.
In December 2018, the 35th anniversary of Last White Christmas was celebrated with the LWC35 concert in the historic Lumiere cinema of Pisa, the first cinema to be opened in Italy (1899). Among the guests of concert were polemica of Hilary Blinder, ex drummer of Sabot. In the cinema hall, there was an exhibition of 35 posters made by Italian and international graphic designers and illustrators for the 35th anniversary of the concert. Among the artists who participated with their own work created for the 35th anniversary of the concert there were: Winston Smith, Craig Henning, John Yarbrough (designer of the cover of the first concert release on cassettes), Tuono Pettinato, Vittore Baroni, Giuseppe Palumbo and Prof.Bad Trip.
In June 2020, the Italian label Area Pirata re-released the Last White Christmas concert thanks to the granting of the reprint rights free of charge by Chris Chacon of BCT.
== Bibliography ==
Polvani, Fabio (2003). Blow-up Magazine #60.
Philopat, Marco (2006). Lumi di punk. La scena italiana raccontata dai protagonisti. Agenzia X, Milano, Italia. ISBN 978-8895029085.
Calmbach, Marc (2007). More than Music: Einblicke in die Jugendkultur Hardcore. [transcript], Bielefeld, Germany. ISBN 978-3899427042.
Nozza, Diego (2011). Hard core. Introduzione al punk italiano degli anni Ottanta. CRAC Edizioni, Italia. ISBN 978-889-7389026.
Bestley, Russ; Ogg, Alex; Loren, Dennis (2012). The Art of Punk: The Illustrated History of Punk Rock Design. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Voyageur Press. ISBN 978-0760344101.
Bestley, Russ; Ogg, Alex; Loren, Dennis (2014). The Art of Punk: The Illustrated History of Punk Rock Design. Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-1783057368.
Cecchi, Antonio (2016). No more pain. Viaggio nell'anima. Ed. Area Pirata Records, Pisa, Italia. ISBN 978-889-4207606.
Greene Jr., James (2017). Brave Punk World: The International Rock Underground from Alerta Roja to Z-Off. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1442269842.
Senesi, Giorgio (2019). Dritti contro un muro. L'hardcore punk italiano degli anni '80 raccontato da 140 protagonisti. Feltrinelli. ISBN 979-1220047739.
== External links ==
Flipside, No. 41 (1983) LWC p. 47
Maximum Rocknroll, No. 12 (March 1984) LWC review by Tim Yohannan p. 73
Maximum Rocknroll, No. 14 (June 1984) LWC photoreport p. 52
Maximum Rocknroll, No. 18 (October 1984) Chris Chacon interview pp. 22–23
Maximum Rocknroll, No. 220 (September 2001) LWC I in the top 10 by Rob Coons p. 141
Maximum Rocknroll, No. 233 (October 2002) LWC II p. 133
BCT (Borderless Countries Tapes/Bad Compilation Tapes) San Diego, CA
Last White Christmas I on Discogs
Last White Christmas II on Discogs
Italian Hardcore Scum Explosion! by Stuart Schrader
LWC Zine, 1984
LWC35 (1983-2018)
LWC35 vol.01 first part
LWC35 vol.01 second part
LWC35 vol.02 (with texts by Vittore Baroni/Blow Up and Chris Chacon/BCT) |
433 | 76,727,703 | 0 | Marino Wine Festival | Italy | The Marino Wine Festival ('a Sagra by antonomasia in Marino dialect) is a well-known traditional festival that occurs every first Sunday in October in Marino, a town in the province of Rome.
It was established in 1925 on the initiative of poet Leone Ciprelli and has been regularly organized every year since then. The Opera Nazionale Dopolavoro granted the event the title of Sagra, with which only a few other similar events in Italy could boast. Its roots, however, go back to earlier historical events: coinciding with the secular festival is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, celebrated to commemorate the victory of the Holy League against the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571.
== History ==
=== Origins of the religious festival ===On October 7, 1571, the combined forces of Spain, the Papal States, the Republic of Genoa, the Republic of Venice, the Duchy of Savoy, and the Knights Hospitaller defeated the Ottoman naval forces commanded by Muezzinzade Ali Pasha at the Battle of Lepanto on the Isthmus of Corinth in Greece. The Christians, united for the occasion in the Holy League, were commanded by John of Austria, while the papal contingent was led by Marcantonio Colonna, lord of several Lazio fiefdoms including Marino.
After the victory, the Christian commanders returned to their own nations: Marcantonio Colonna landed at Gaeta and immediately went to Marino, where his wife Felicia Orsini and children were staying at Palazzo Colonna. The victorious commander's entry into Marino took place on November 4, 1571, and his stay lasted until December 4, the date of his triumphal entry into Rome that Pope Pius V wished to grant the admiral.
The expedition, which ended victoriously, had been placed under the protection of Our Lady of the Rosary depicted in the Standard of Lepanto, now preserved in Gaeta Cathedral where it was deposited by Marcantonio Colonna at the time of his landing. Therefore, Pope Pius V proclaimed Our Lady of the Rosary the patron saint of the Papal States and ordered that in all localities subject to his temporal rule the solemnity of Our Lady of the Rosary be celebrated on October 7 each year. This practice, certainly encouraged by the Colonna family, also took over in Marino. Marcantonio also deposited in the fief several war relics taken from the Ottomans, which were later deposited in the Basilica of St. Barnabas: today only one Turkish shield that survived the French plunder of 1798 remains.
With the establishment of the Sagra dell'Uva (Grape Festival) in 1924 and the fixing of the date of the event to the first Sunday in October, de facto in Marino the religious feast of Our Lady of the Rosary is generally celebrated on a different date from the one set by the Catholic Church, unless the first Sunday in October falls on the very 7th.
=== Origins of the secular festival ===Wine production in the territory of Marino has its roots already in the Roman age: ancient authors knew and appreciated much of the white wine produced in the area of the Alban Hills under the name of Albanum, from the name of the ancient city of Alba Longa, a legendary mother-city of Rome that stood precisely on the shores of Lake Albano. During the Middle Ages and then in the modern age viticulture represented the main source of employment in Marino and its territory, as well as in all neighboring municipalities.
In 1536 Emperor Charles V of Habsburg, visiting Rome, had the opportunity to drink Marino's wine during a banquet, and according to chronicles he expressed appreciation for it.
The people of Marino were very attached to viticulture, so much so that on several occasions they turned to the protection of Our Lady of the People, a miraculous thirteenth-century effigy preserved in the Basilica of St. Barnabas, to save the countryside from hailstorms or untimely rains. Even in 1611 the Community in an extraordinary assembly on February 2 chose to adopt as its patron saint His Divine Majesty St. Barnabas, so that he would protect the fief from some continuous hailstorms that had occurred in the previous three years.
At the beginning of the 20th century the idea arose to create a festivity to sponsor the product of the Marinese vineyards and to attract visitors to the city from Rome: transportation had been greatly facilitated with the completion of the Rome-Albano railroad in 1889; the gradual completion of the Roman Castles Tramways, which connected extensively almost all the localities of the Roman Castles with the capital, could only benefit the typical out-of-town tourism of the Romans.
Following a serious production crisis, caused by a series of natural disasters, the municipal administration thought in 1904 to draw attention to the local wine with a major event: the Feste Castromenie. The festivities took place between September 11 and October 10, 1904; it does not seem that they were repeated in the following years, until the Roman poet of Marinese origin Leone Ciprelli conceived the Sagra dell'Uva, in 1925.
=== The 1920s ===
It may well be said that the whole of Rome is interested in the original and exceptional festivity, conceived, with a high sense of poetry by Leone Ciprelli, which will be celebrated tomorrow in Marino. [...] Tomorrow will be a truly memorable date for Marino.
The Celebration Committee in charge of organizing the first Sagra was chaired by Luigi Capri Cruciani, who also offered much of the wine distributed from the fountains at 7 p.m. on Sunday, October 4, 1925. Among the events of the first edition were a horse race organized along Via Castrimeniense, a monumental lighting system with colored lights and the election of the Grand Magistrate of Grapes, who was in charge of choosing the best bunch. At 6 p.m. themed floats paraded.
During the second edition, on Sunday, October 3, 1926, the Queen of the Grape Harvest was elected for the first time, in San Barnaba Square, in a fashion somewhat similar to a modern beauty contest; the parade of floats was attended by actor Bruto Castellani. The I Concorso Poetico Musicale (First Musical Poetry Contest) was also held, with the jury presided over by the Roman poet Trilussa. The 1926 edition coincided with the celebrations of the seventh centenary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, which were being held in nearby Albano Laziale: neither the Albano nor the Marino authorities agreed to move their respective events.
The third edition, on Sunday, October 2, 1927, was accompanied by unfavorable weather: however, the president of the Festival Committee, Barnaba Ingami, informed the press that the fountains of Marino spout wine even under water. Since the mayor of London, Sir Rowland Blades, was visiting Rome, the people of Marino invited him to see the Sagra, declaring themselves willing to replicate the miracle of the fountains the following Tuesday. However, Sir Rowland did not travel to Marino.
On the occasion of the fourth edition, on Sunday, October 7, 1928, the abbot-parish priest Monsignor Guglielmo Grassi decided to bring in the religious procession for the first time also the Turkish shield kept in the Basilica of St. Barnabas, spoils of the Battle of Lepanto. The same edition of the Sagra dates back to a disagreement between podestà Ugo Gatti and the abbot-parish priest: the podestà demanded that the scene of the supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii be repeated a second time so that the late Istituto Luce film studio could film it: Monsignor Grassi refused.
In the fifth edition, the historical costume procession was held for the first time, on the initiative of Leone Ciprelli. In the newspaper La Tribuna, an anonymous article first polemicized the damage that could occur to the 17th-century fountain of the Four Moors, annually stifled by plasterboard installations.
Scholar Ugo Onorati has shown that in these years, roughly between 1926 and 1936, the Marinese festival was the second heart of Roman music, after the great event of San Giovanni. Through the promotion of Leone Ciprelli, the poetic-musical contests organized in Marino during the days of the Sagra attracted the attention of the greatest exponents of dialect poetry and music, from Trilussa and Petrolini to Romolo Balzani and Giuseppe Micheli.
=== The 1930s ===By now the Marino Festival has entered the number of grand festivals celebrated in Italy.
On September 28, 1930, by order of the central fascist government, a Grape Festival was celebrated in all municipalities in Italy. In Marino, this occasion was only a preview of the traditional Sagra that was held on Sunday, October 5. For the occasion, the first Wine Shop in Italy was opened on the ground floor premises of Palazzo Colonna.
For the 1931 Sagra, Il Piccolo calculated a turnout of nearly 50,000 people. On the occasion of the 1932 Sagra, the Turkish shield preserved in the Basilica of San Barnaba was once again carried in procession. On the occasion of the ninth edition of the Sagra, on Sunday, October 1, 1933, the Ferrovie dello Stato and the Roman Castles tramways granted the application of the reduced popular fare for the routes between Rome and Marino.
On Sunday, October 6, 1934, for the eleventh edition of the Sagra, the EIAR, the state radio station, declared that it had installed some microphones in Marino to broadcast the various stages of the festival. In 1936, due to the Ethiopian War, the Sagra festivities took place in a subdued manner and were ignored by the national press. In compensation, the Sagras of the following years became a kind of showcase for the autarky imposed by the fascist regime. In 1940, for the sixteenth edition of the Sagra, the last one celebrated in grand style under the fascist regime, nearly 2,000 liters of wine were poured from the fountains.
=== The 1940s ===
Thus reducedIt rained wine againOf good omenTo the guests and to Marino!
During the difficult years of the war, the Sagra celebrations were extremely limited due to World War II. Marino was hit several times by aerial bombardment and shelling, starting with the devastating bombing on February 2, 1944. Palazzo Colonna and the fountain of the Four Moors were completely destroyed by the bombs, and the basilica of San Barnaba was severely damaged. Over two hundred civilians lost their lives in the Anglo-American bombing.
The first post-World War II Sagra, the twenty-first edition, was held on Sunday, October 7, 1945, once again under the supervision of Leone Ciprelli, amid the rubble of war. Many Marinese people wanted to end this tradition, seen as a remnant of the ceased fascist regime, but Ciprelli managed to convince everyone of the goodness of the Sagra, which belonged to no one but the Marinese people.
For the twenty-first Sagra, in 1946, Mayor pro tempore Zaccaria Negroni, Leone Ciprelli and the 49 members of the Festival Committee resumed construction of the plasterboard structures around the fountains from which the wine was to flow. On Sunday, October 5, 1947, for the twenty-second edition, the Turkish shield was also brought back into precession.
In 1945 the Gotto d'Oro Social Winery had been founded, which at the time had the name Goccia d'Oro, changed later by analogy with an Apulian winery: from the 1948 Sagra the new institution began to collaborate actively in the organization of the event, distributing wine from the semi-destroyed Four Moors fountain. On the occasion of the 1949 Sagra the scenic arched illuminations located along Corso Trieste made their first appearance.
=== The 1950s ===
During the twenty-ninth Sagra dell'Uva on Sunday, October 4, 1953, the Festival Committee, authorities and some journalists organized a commemoration in memory of Leone Ciprelli, who died on January 30 of that year. Present among others were Senator Zaccaria Negroni and abbot-parish priest Giovanni Lovrovich.
For the organization of the thirty-first edition, on Sunday, October 2, 1955, the Pro Loco of Marino was established, with the purpose of continuously taking care of the organization of the event year by year. For the 1956 Sagra thus were drawn up the registers of expenses: there were revenues of £ 4,221,153 and expenditures of £ 4,187,172. In addition, numerous folkloric associations and bands began their activities, such as the Volemose Bene, which is still active, or the historic Marino Brinda.
For the thirty-third Sagra of 1957, Senator Zaccaria Negroni proposed to prefectural commissioner Nicola Marini d'Armenia to reopen the Bottega del Vino, which had been opened by the fascist regime, and entrust it to the Pro Loco. After the 1959 Sagra, on the other hand, a delegation of Marinese went to Pope John XXIII to offer a symbolic gift of grapes and wine: the pope reciprocated the visit to Marino in August 1962.
=== The 1960s ===At the thirty-sixth edition on Sunday, October 2, 1960, the atmosphere was still permeated by the aftermath of the Summer Olympics held in Rome: numerous sportsmen and foreign visitors took the opportunity to come to Marino for the festivities. Among the distinguished presences recorded in Marino in that edition was that of American actor Charlton Heston, who was besieged by the crowd and forced to flee.
For the thirty-seventh edition on October 1, 1961, Mayor Giulio Santarelli invited as guests of honor actress Sophia Loren with her husband Carlo Ponti: the couple owned a historic villa along the Via dei Laghi in Marino territory. The godmother of honor for the event was Virna Lisi. On Monday, October 2, 1961, a concert was held in Piazza San Barnaba with the participation of Carla Boni, Gino Latilla, Little Tony, Jenny Luna, Alighiero Noschese, Nunzio Gallo and Wolmer Beltrami.
The following year, 1962, a miscellaneous art show was organized with the participation of Domenico Modugno and Edoardo Vianello. In addition, the III Regional Horse Competition and the XIX Wine and Grape Show were held. As part of the events of the thirty-ninth edition of the event, in 1963, Leone Ciprelli's body was moved from Rome to the Marino Municipal Cemetery.
During the forty-first edition, on Sunday, October 3, 1965, Marino was the start and finish of the Giro del Lazio, a cycling competition of 250 km in length. In 1967, having reached the forty-third edition, the fountain of the Four Moors had been moved from its original location in Piazza Lepanto and placed in its current location in Piazza Matteotti: moreover, in the same edition, the custom of festively decorating the balconies of Corso Trieste was resumed.
In 1969, on the occasion of the forty-fifth edition of the Sagra, the History and Art group resumed organizing the historical costume procession that had been somewhat forgotten over the years.
=== The 1970s ===
For the forty-sixth edition of the Sagra dell'Uva on Sunday, October 4, 1970, there was an evening concert by Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, a progressive rock group founded by Marinese Vittorio Nocenzi. The forty-seventh edition of the Sagra dell'Uva was marked by traffic jams. The main local chronicles reported on the massive traffic to and from Rome that paralyzed three consular roads. Momento Sera of Oct. 4, 1971 even declared, the ottobrata of the Romans made the good soul of Napoleon pale as he tried to reach Paris after the Beresina.
The concert of the 1973 edition featured Ricchi e Poveri and Pippo Baudo, and the parade of the historical procession was also held exceptionally in the hamlets of Frattocchie and Santa Maria delle Mole, which were in constant urban growth. The fiftieth anniversary of the Sagra, on Sunday, October 6, 1974, went almost unnoticed because of the crisis Marino had fallen into after the separation of the hamlet of Ciampino, which became an autonomous municipality in July: the organization of the event had reverted to the Pro Loco. The floats also paraded through the streets of the hamlets.
In the editions of the 1970s there were numerous theatrical performances in dialect or by local authors, a sign of the vitality of Marinese theater. For the fifty-fourth edition in 1978, the overall expenditure for the organization amounted to £ 17,150,000. On Sunday, October 7, 1979, the II Biennial Exhibition of Marino Handicrafts was held inside the public park of Villa Desideri. The Festival Committee stated that 100 quintals of grapes and 3500 bottles of wine had been ordered.
=== The 1980s ===Sunday, October 5, 1980, marked the fifty-sixth Sagra. The city administration signed twinning agreements with the municipalities of Zaanstad (Netherlands) and Neukölln (Germany). A major band gathering was held in the city with the Enrico Ugolini Philharmonic Concert and other bands from Lazio. The most anticipated event, however, was Ivan Graziani's evening concert, which cost the organizers £ 5,280,000.
In 1981, a public fundraiser among citizens was held for the fifty-seventh edition, which yielded £ 7,820,000. Events included a concert by Banco del Mutuo Soccorso at the Municipal Stadium and a reception for representatives of the five twin cities at Palazzo Colonna.
On Sunday, October 3, 1982, the RAI television program Domenica in, hosted by Pippo Baudo, devoted a space to the fifty-eighth Sagra dell'Uva. During the 1983 Sagra a bust of Leone Ciprelli was relocated in the courtyard of Palazzo Colonna. In the same year, more than sixty wineries from Lazio participated in the Exhibition of Typical Wines of the Roman Castles. There was also the issuance of the first special illustrated cancellation for the Sagra dell'Uva by the Italian Postal Service.
The poster for the 60th edition, Sunday, October 7, 1984, was signed by Umberto Mastroianni, who had been residing permanently in Marino for several years at the prestigious Casino Colonna. During this edition, some protests were raised, led by the abbot-parish priest Giovanni Lovrovich, to drape a nude Dionysus made of plasterboard towering in the very central Pompeo Castiglia Square.
In preparation for the sixty-second edition, on Sunday, October 5, 1986, Mayor Giulio Santarelli created the Ente Sagra dell'Uva, which took on the task of organizing the event in a professional manner by turning away any voluntary contributions. The festivities for this edition began on September 20 with the departure of the Giro del Lazio and continued among exhibitions, cultural events and conferences until the show on the evening of Monday, October 6, with the participation of Gigi Sabani and Anna Oxa.
After the controversy related to the 1987 edition, in which the Ente Sagra did not organize the historical costume parade to avoid the onerous rental costs, the volunteer associations and the Pro Loco decided to create bit by bit the historical costumes that are still the attraction of the parade today. Pippo Franco was the star of the closing show of the sixty-third edition.
In 1988, for the sixty-fourth edition, the Ente Sagra organized the I International Stone Stage, while on Monday, October 3, the day of the Sagretta, Rai 2 filmed the Marino Star miscellaneous art show held in Piazzale degli Eroi.
1989 was the year of the twinning with Irving, solemnized during the sixty-fifth edition of the Grape Festival. On the occasion of the same edition, a tribute of wine and grapes was brought by Marinese people to Pope John Paul II during his general audience at the Vatican.
=== The 1990s ===
With the sixty-eighth edition of the Sagra on Sunday, October 4, 1992, the end of the Ente Sagra was decreed, whose organizational powers were given to the mayor and the Pro Loco. That edition included the II Incontro Polifonico Città di Marino, a festival of sacred choirs in the basilica of San Barnaba, a concert by African singer Rasely Hassou (Elia & Evolution Time) and a concert by Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. That year also saw the first edition of the Palio della Quintana organized by the Vascarelle district together with the other city districts and quarters.
In 1993, for the sixty-ninth edition, the memory of Leone Ciprelli was honored on the fortieth anniversary of his death, with the recitation of his play La Parrocchietta. On Sunday, October 2, 1994, under the management of prefectural commissioner Dr. Guglielmo Iozzia, the seventieth edition of the Sagra dell'Uva was held: a photographic exhibition curated by Vittorio Rufo, 70 years of Sagra, and an exhibition of the Denominazione di Origine Controllata wines of the province of Rome were organized.
On the occasion of the seventy-second edition, on Sunday, October 6, 1996, the premises, albeit not yet renovated, of the former convent of the Augustinian fathers at the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in the Borgo Garibaldi district were reopened for the presentation of a district wine shop with the participation of the then mayor of Rome Francesco Rutelli. That same year, the Gotto d'Oro Social Winery celebrated its 50th anniversary with the distribution of 12,000 bottles of local sparkling wine. At the Municipal Stadium, a soccer match was held between the titular team of SS Lazio and a representative group of local youths, which ended in a 10-0 win for the White and Sky Blues.
For the 1996 edition, 5,000 liters of wine and 12,000 tons of grapes were distributed: 70,000 participants according to estimates by the Rome Police Headquarters. In 1997, the seventy-third edition, an exhibition of the works of sculptor Umberto Mastroianni was held, while a Sagra dei Piccoli was proposed for the first time.
The poster for the 1998 edition was signed by cartoonist Giorgio Forattini, and depicted all the most famous political figures of the time - from Oscar Luigi Scalfaro to Giulio Andreotti - bottled in a bottle of white wine: for the same edition, a Turkish flag relic of the 1571 Battle of Lepanto was flown in from Spelonga, a hamlet of Arquata del Tronto, Marche.
=== The 2000s ===For the 76th edition of the Sagra dell'Uva, the poster was made by Gina Lollobrigida, patroness of the event. Prominent names in attendance on Sunday included the president of the Lazio Region Francesco Storace, the president of the Province of Rome Silvano Moffa, as well as the international presence of New York State Minister of Economic Development Charles Gargano.
In 2001 there was a historical fact: the Sagra, for the first time in its now long history, had to be moved by order of the prefect of Rome because of the constitutional referendum on federalism on Oct. 7. Therefore, the event was postponed to the second Sunday of the month, Oct. 14. The patroness of the seventy-seventh edition was Barbara Bouchet; the festivities lasted for over a week, until the following Sunday, Oct. 22. More than 200,000 attendees were estimated, including the newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini on an official visit.
Rain partially ruined the seventy-ninth edition on Sunday, October 5, 2003, with Enzo De Caro and Flavia Vento participating in the historical costume parade. The newly appointed mayor Ugo Onorati announced that 146,597.56 euros had been spent.
On Sunday, October 3, 2004, the historic 80th edition of the Sagra was celebrated: eighty - one for each edition - cast-iron fountains were installed along Corso Trieste, which were supposed to spout wine at the appointed time for the miracle of the fountains that spout wine. During the same edition, relations with the twinned European cities were re-established, with the proclamation of a new twinning with the Greek city of Nafpaktos. Festivities were also held in the hamlets of Marino.
In 2006 during the Sagra celebrations Hans Werner Henze, the German composer who had recently decided to settle in Marino, was awarded honorary citizenship of Marino.
In 2007, on Sunday, October 7, the eighty-third edition of the Sagra saw on the final evening a concert by Gigi d'Alessio in Piazza San Barnaba, at which a big screen was also mounted in Piazzale degli Eroi. The poster for this edition was created by Loredana Zelinotti.
On Sunday, October 5, 2008, the eighty-fourth edition of the Sagra dell'Uva was held, with the participation of comedian Roberto Ciufoli - as Marcantonio II Colonna during the historical procession on Sunday - and Enrico Montesano on Monday evening. On Saturday, Oct. 4, a delegation from the Spanish twin town of Paterna was received at Palazzo Colonna; the expense disclosed for the edition was around 70,000 euros, and attendance on Sunday afternoon was calculated at 80,000 people. The eighty-fourth edition would also go down in history for a notable incident: when making the wine flow out of the fountains on Sunday afternoon, the attendants made a mistake so that the wine for a few minutes flowed from the taps of the houses in the historic center and not from the Four Moors fountain. The mistake was widely reported in the national and even international press, so much so that the well-known British newspaper The Times devoted an article to the unusual episode:A town where wine gushes from an ornate fountain in the main square is the ideal place to live for many people. But a town where it pours out of the taps and into the kitchen sink is a place not very far removed from heaven.
The British Broadcasting Corporation, Britain's largest broadcaster, also spread the news of the mistaken miracle.
=== The 2010s ===The 86th edition was held Oct. 1-4, 2010. The religious procession was attended by several politicians, also in view of the March 2011 local elections: the president of the Lazio Region Renata Polverini (The People of Freedom), the president of the Province of Rome Nicola Zingaretti (Democratic Party), the vice-president of the Regional Council Luciano Ciocchetti (Union of the Centre) and the regional councilor Luca Malcotti, as well as the regional councilor Bruno Astorre. During the reception at Palazzo Colonna, the president of the Chamber of Deputies Gianfranco Fini, at the time coming back from the split of Future and Freedom from the People of Freedom and his break with Silvio Berlusconi, also made an appearance. The final show was animated by Fabrizio Corona and Valeria Marini.
The 2011 edition was held from September 29 to October 3. It featured Raimondo Todaro and Sara Santostasi in the roles of Marcantonio Colonna and Felice Orsini, Mario Biondi and Max Giusti in the Saturday and Monday entertainment nights.
The presentation of the 2012 edition took place at the National Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions in Rome, EUR. The grand final concert of the 88th Sagra was performed by Tiromancino. The following year (89th edition, October 4-7, 2013) an exhibition on the figures of the Servants of God Zaccaria Negroni and Guglielmo Grassi was held by the Pro Beatification Association. The evening concerts were those of Giuliano Palma and the orchestra of Zelig and Alex Britti.
For the 90th edition (Oct. 3-6, 2014) the poster was signed by Sicilian artist Turi Sottile, to whom an exhibition was dedicated at the Civic Museum. Scheduled events were those of Enrico Ruggeri, comedians Ale and Franz and Edoardo Bennato.
For the ninety-second edition (Oct. 1-3, 2016) the poster was designed by local artist Vito Lolli. A special logo for this edition was created by the consortium of productive excellence of the territory Sua Eccellenza Marino, based on a design by Emiliano Fabi. For the closing concert on Monday night, the progressive rock group Banco del Mutuo Soccorso was called to perform. For the first time, the historical procession in 16th-century costumes was also presented in the streets of the hamlet of Santa Maria delle Mole on the afternoon of Friday, Sept. 30.
== Program ==
The program of the Marino Wine Festival is the result of eighty years of experiments and changes. Generally, for several years now, a set program is followed without making significant changes. The core of the festival is Sunday afternoon, with the secular recurrence and the miracle, however, depending on changes in municipal juntas and economic availability, the festivities may begin a month earlier or not at all. In recent years, the festivities begin on Thursdays or Fridays and last no longer than the Monday of the Sagretta, a custom desired by Marinese people as a less crowded replica of the much-loved festival. In addition to the Sunday events, there are other fixed events established on the Saturday of the eve and the Monday of the Sagretta.
=== Saturday eve ===On the Saturday afternoon of the eve, usually around 6 p.m., through the streets of the historic center there is a historical re-enactment of the announcement of the Christian victory in the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. A herald on horseback, accompanied by trumpeters, drummers and flag-wavers, walks along Corso Vittoria Colonna and Corso Trieste reading the proclamation summoning the people in front of Palazzo Colonna. Then, people in 16th century costumes playing the governor and the notables of the feud appear at the balcony of the palace overlooking Piazza della Repubblica and announce the Christian victory and especially the victory of the feudal lord Marcantonio II Colonna, informing that the following day he will solemnly return to his feud.
In recent years, the tone of the proclamation has been made more peaceful, avoiding remarking on the enormous losses inflicted on the Turkish enemy and the number of prisoners captured, who nevertheless still proudly stand, carved in peperino, tied to the fountain of the Four Moors.
=== Festival Sunday ===
There, around the fountain of the Moors, a mad battle broke out, with unholy regurgitation, toward the spouts of free wine.Waves of assault followed one after another uninterruptedly against the wall of the transfixed carabiniers, which provided the citadel with the free sparkling wine; swarms of paper mugs, fluttering in mid-air, pervaded the cupidity of the wine-gatherers; some happily took twenty-five, some thirty. Firmly planted wide-legged and tall on the fountain's own stronghold, the vanguardists surround it as if with a second and interior ammunition. They do the honors, hand the paper glass to the leading men of the assault phalanxes, splash some free sparkling wine on the heads of the carabiniers as well, given the difficulty of maneuvering in the storm. The new wine pours from the copper spouts, goes beyond the black and red cloth of the police force, the epaulettes, the silver chevrons, into the glasses: and ends amid coughs and sneezes half in the throat, half in the nose, half in the breeches, half in the waistcoat between the shirt and the skin of the people, who drink it and get soaked, driven back by elbowings saturated with folklore, with playful laughter and shouts, at times disappointed or happy.Sunday is the focus and raison d'être of the Marino Wine Festival. All the most important and anticipated events are concentrated there, from the religious procession to the supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii, from the historical costume procession to the parade of floats and the miracle of the fountains that spout wine.
==== The religious procession ====
On Sunday morning a solemn mass is held in the basilica of St. Barnabas, presided over by the bishop of Albano and the abbot-parish priest. The religious service is attended by civil and military authorities, the mayor and representatives of neighboring or twinned municipalities.
At the end of the service, the procession in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary begins to unfold through the streets of the historic center. The members of the confraternities carry in procession two large 17th-century tapestries (to which two modern tapestries depicting Servants of God Zaccaria Negroni and Guglielmo Grassi have been added) and other objects of 17th and 18th-century manufacture, while the members of the Sodality of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary to the cry of Evviva Maria carry on their shoulders, taking turns, the heavy processional machine of about 600 kilograms, on which the wooden statue of Our Lady of the Rosary is raised. This custom, which is very tiring especially on steep or uphill stretches, was recently revived and made official with the establishment of the Sodality of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in 2002.
The procession travels through all the main streets and squares of the historic center, namely Piazza San Barnaba, Via Roma, where there is the salute of the sodality to the twinned Madonna de u Sassu, Via Cavour, Matteotti and Corso Trieste, following a circular route that brings the procession back in front of the Basilica of San Barnaba for the supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii.
==== The supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii ====
From the throne of mercy, where you sit, Queen, turn, O Mary, your pitying gaze on us, on our families, on Italy, on Europe, on the world. Take compassion on the afflictions and travails that embitter our lives. See, O Mother, how many dangers in soul and body, how many calamities and afflictions trouble us.
Once the religious procession is back in St. Barnabas Square, in front of the Basilica of St. Barnabas, the bearers of the Confraternity of the Rosary place the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary on a small vehicle and the abbot-parish priest, in the presence of the authorities with the pennants of their respective institutions and the entire crowd, recites the text of the supplication to Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary of Pompeii.
At the end of the recitation, children in traditional costume symbolically bring the statue a gift of wine and grapes on behalf of the entire Marinese community. Then, the bearers bring the statue back inside the Basilica, where it will remain for a few days on display beside the main altar. At this point, the religious celebration can be said to be over.
==== The historical procession ====In the early afternoon of Sunday, crowds of visitors and locals flock to the sides of Corso Vittoria Colonna and Corso Trieste in order to watch the historical parade in 16th-century costumes. The procession, first held in the 1929 edition at the initiative of Leone Ciprelli, was effectively revived starting in 1970 thanks to a number of volunteer associations that are responsible for making the valuable costumes and keeping them. Over the years, the richness of the wardrobe has grown exponentially, but so has popular participation. The most popular clothes are those of the nobility, while the traditional dress of simple commoners is less popular. Over the years, the event has been enriched by the participation of historical reenactment groups from other parts of Italy, such as the flag-wavers from Cori, the historical group of Certame from Popoli Terme and the slingers from Ischia.
The procession is supposed to retrace the triumphal entry of Marcantonio II Colonna, victor of the Battle of Lepanto, into his castle in Marino, and his first meeting with his wife Felice Orsini and their children, who during his absence resided precisely in Palazzo Colonna. The historical date of Marcantonio Colonna's entry into the castle is November 4, 1571: historical chronicles do not show any triumphal entry, and one can imagine the annoyance caused to the people of Marino by the bivouac of soldiers that Colonna had probably brought with him. The real triumphal entry of Marcantonio Colonna took place on December 4, 1571, in Rome, at the behest of Pope Paul V: as a Roman condottiere, Colonna entered through Porta San Sebastiano and arrived at the basilica of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli passing through the Roman Forum. A first critical remark about the historical procession was made as early as 1935 by the parish newspaper Il Campanile, which, on November 10, 1935, would have liked the historical procession to cover the distance between Marino and Rome, to be more faithful to the historical original.
In any case, the procession has been in recent years developed into two sections: the procession with Marcantonio Colonna and his retinue starts from the public park of Villa Desideri and runs along Corso Vittoria Colonna, while the procession of Felice Orsini and the nobility starts from Palazzo Colonna and runs along Corso Trieste. The two sections of the procession meet in Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, where the governor hands over the keys of the castle to his lord; a call for peace and brotherhood among peoples has been read by Marcantonio Colonna for a number of years, and then the reunited procession makes its way to Palazzo Colonna to receive the greetings of the authorities.
For the first time in 2016, the historical procession was repeated, in the form of a war procession, along Via della Repubblica in Santa Maria delle Mole, the main street of the populous hamlet in the municipality of Marino, which is otherwise excluded from the festivities.
Among the most important appearances in the procession were the striking dresses of the nobility, especially those of the ladies. The robes of the Turkish prisoners have for some years had their chains removed and scimitars rendered back. Included in the procession are the local flag-waving groups Colonnae Signifer and Città di Marino. Generally, in line with the economic availability of municipal administrations, the part of Marcantonio Colonna and his consort Felice Orsini is played by nationally renowned actors and actresses: among others, Andrea Giordana (1998), Giuliano Gemma (1999), Orso Maria Guerrini (2000) and Enzo De Caro with Flavia Vento (2003), Ascanio Pacelli and his wife Katia Pacelli (2007), and Roberto Ciufoli (2008). Colonna's heavy armor was painted by sculptor Umberto Mastroianni.
==== The parade of floats ====The parade of floats is the choreographic event that until the invention of the historical parade drew all the enthusiasm from organizers and visitors. In Marino, Carnival has always been carefully organized, especially by the strong anti-clerical side that organized the Carnevalone every Ash Wednesday, an event that drew thousands of people from the Roman Castles and Rome. The fascist regime, as soon as it came to power, saw fit to suppress this event, which was clearly republican and anti-fascist, but the same enthusiasm that was directed toward the Carnevalone was turned from 1925 to the parade of floats, a kind of autumn carnival.
Throughout the Fascist Festivals, the floats followed and developed a unique theme, which was either biblical - Noah's love of wine (1925), Moses touches the rock and wine comes out (1926) - or historical. Later, consistent with economic availability, massive floats were also made, but the initiative gradually waned over the years. Today only a few floats remain, organized by the Gotto d'Oro Social Winery or the St. Barnabas Parish Oratory, followed by the very few wine carts that remain in working order.
Along with the floats, the city bands also parade: the Enrico Ugolini Philharmonic Concert, the Volemose Bene Recreational Society and the Ferentum marching band, the only ones left of the many recreational societies that once performed during the festival.
==== The miracle of fountains that spout wine ====
Marinese fountains, on this occasion, are inexhaustible, because they are secretly connected to a mysterious wine cellar, a kind of wine spring, the location of which only the mayor knows.It is the fundamental event of the Sagra dell'Uva. The fact that the fountains spout wine instead of water is not something invented in Marino in 1925: in Rome already on two occasions, in 1644 for the election of Pope Innocent X and in 1670 for the election of Pope Clement X, the fountains at the base of the Capitoline steps spouted wine to the amazed crowd. In France, in the Alsatian town of Wangen, a fountain distributes wine every July 3. However, the miracle of Marino is the most famous in Italy.
Procedurally, the miracle is very simple: wine is made to flow in the pipes of the city fountains while the water supply is suspended. The fountain-symbol of the miracle is the fountain of the Four Moors (properly called of the Slaves), built in 1636 to a design by Pompeo Castiglia at the behest of Prince Filippo I Colonna, who wanted to commemorate the victory over the Turks achieved by his ancestor Marcantonio II Colonna: eight Turks or Moors, men and women, appear in the fountain, stripped naked and chained to a marble column, the heraldic symbol of the Colonna family.
However, for reasons of public order since the first edition of the event, the distribution takes place in several fountains: among the most important are the Triton fountain in Piazza San Barnaba, erected in 1889 to a design by Michele Tripisciano; the Fontanile Comunale, erected in the late 19th century along Via Castrimeniense; and the modern fountain built for the 1990 World Cup along the boundary wall of the Villa Desideri park in Corso Vittoria Colonna. Sometimes artificial fountains are erected in the streets: the last time happened in 2004, when a series of artificial beverini were placed along Corso Trieste.
Predictably, it can happen that there are people who get tipsy due to alcoholic excesses, and in the past there have sometimes been accidents, but never of such severity as to completely overshadow the festival. Therefore, in recent years a major deployment of law enforcement and security personnel is arranged.
==== The vendemmiata ====
The vendemmiata (grape harvest) is a tradition that has now practically fallen into decline at the Sagra dell'Uva: since the 1920s, wires were lowered from the balconies of Corso Trieste to which bunches of grapes were tied, which the crowd had to collect. Later, other variants of the vendemmiata were developed: the gathering of bunches of grapes from balconies or lower windows; for organizational purposes, today it is preferred to distribute the grapes from the wine distribution points.
=== Sagretta Monday ===
On the day following the Sunday of the Sagra proper, it has become the custom, since after World War II, to replicate the secular festival program for a generally smaller audience. Obviously, the procession and supplication to Our Lady of Pompeii are not carried out, only the historical procession, however, without the participation of celebrities or foreign groups, the parade of floats and the miracle of the fountains that spout wine.
This re-enactment of the Sagra in a more modest and family-friendly version is called Sagretta, or Sagra dei marinesi, and is now a fixture in the program of each edition.
On Monday evening there is a closing concert, usually in San Barnaba Square, and at the conclusion of the festival fireworks are shot off from the Domenico Fiore Municipal Stadium.
Marino DOC
Sagra (festival)
== Bibliography ==
Lovrovich, Giovanni; Negroni, Franco (1981). Lo vedi ecco Marino. Marino: Tipografia Santa Lucia.
Rufo, Vittorio (1991). Immagini di una città. Ciampino.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Onorati, Ugo (2004). La Sagra dell'uva di Marino. Ciampino: Arti Grafiche Ciampino.
Onorati, Ugo (2010). La basilica collegiata di San Barnaba apostolo. Marino.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Rufo, Vittorio; Scialis, Edoardo (2014). Novanta Sagre dell'Uva tra storia arte e folklore: ottobre 1925 - ottobre 2014. Marino.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
== External links ==
Site dedicated to the Marino Wine Festival.
Official website of the Marinese Arts and Costumes Association. Archived from the original on February 21, 2009. Retrieved September 14, 2008.
Unofficial site on the Marino Wine Festival. Archived from the original on January 7, 2007. Retrieved September 14, 2008.
Marta Di Flumeri, La gloriosa Sagra dell'Uva di Marino, in Vivavoce.it.
Rome Art Lover: An October outing to Marino for the Sagra dell'Uva.
Marino vitivinicola. |
434 | 26,685,351 | 0 | Misteri di Trapani | Italy | The Processione dei Misteri di Trapani or simply the Misteri di Trapani (in English the Procession of the Mysteries of Trapani or the Mysteries of Trapani) is a day-long passion procession featuring twenty floats of lifelike sculptures made of wood, canvas and glue. These sculptures are of individual scenes of the events of the Passion, a passion play at the centre and the culmination of the Holy Week in Trapani.
The Misteri are amongst the oldest continuously running religious events in Europe, having been played every Good Friday since before the Easter of 1612, and running for at least 16 continuous hours, but occasionally well beyond the 24 hours, are the longest religious festival in Sicily and in Italy.
A short video of The Easter Procession.
== History ==
In the late Middle Ages and early renaissance the phenomenon of the Passion plays had spread in most Catholic countries. Passion plays, also when springing from a sincere religious devotion, were anyway occasionally mutating in farces, a trend which became more widespread in the early 16th century, to the obvious discomfiture of the Catholic hierarchies, who then started to oppose them.In the late 16th century, religious authorities but also lay authorities ended up to forbid or anyway to strongly limit passion plays in various place around Europe, meanwhile in certain areas, like in parts of the then sprawling Spanish Empire, these started to be substituted by processions of figurative art depicting the various episodes of the Passion of Jesus.
Just like the procession of the pasos in Seville, or the procession of the vare in Caltanissetta or in many similar processions in various parts of the contemporary Spanish Empire, in Trapani at some point during the Counter-Reformation the episodes of the passion of Jesus started to be narrated through sculptural groups who were created from local artists.
As the most famous contemporary historian of the story of the city of Trapani, Francesco Pugnatore, does not mention the existence of the Misteri in its magnum opus, the much detailed 'Historia di Trapani' published in 1594, we can reasonably presume that the procession of the Misteri was not held before at least the latter part of the 16th century. As the Fellowship of the Precious Blood of Christ and of the Mysteries (in Latin Societas Pretiosissimi Sanguinis Christi et Misteriorum), one of the two religious societies which were managing the procession of the Misteri in the early to middle 17th century, was founded by in 1603, and the procession is explicitly referred on a document notarized 20 April 1612, the deed of trust on which the Guild of the Journeymen was granted the caretaking of the group representing the Ascent to Calvary, we can also reasonably assume that the procession of the Misteri was surely held before the Easter of 1612.
== The sculptures ==The 'Misteri' are an artistic representation of the Passion and Death of Jesus through twenty sculptural groups, including two statues of the Dead Jesus and of the Lady of Sorrows.
They were granted in trust, by deeds, by the Brotherhood of St. Michael the Archangel, which instituted the rite in the late 16th century, to the members of the local Guilds in exchange of the promise to carry them during the passion procession every Good Friday.
== List of the 20 groups and of the related guilds ==
The Separation (or The License or The Departure) by the guild of the Goldsmiths
The Washing of the Feet by the guild of the Fishermen
Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane by the guild of the Farmers
The Arrest by the guild of Metalworkers
Jesus falls into the Cedron Brook by the guild of the Sailors
Jesus before Hanna by the guild of the Grocers
The Denial by the guilds of the Barbers and of the Hairdressers
Jesus before Herod by the guild of the Fishmongers
The Flagellation by the guilds of the Bricklayers and of the Stonemasons
The Crowning with Thorns by the guild of the Bakers
Ecce Homo! by the guild of the Shoemakers
The Judgement by the guild of the Butchers
The Ascent to Calvary by the People, the citizens and denizens of Trapani
The Disrobing by the guilds of the Drapers and of the Cloth Merchants
The Elevation of the Cross by the guild of the Carpenters
The Wound to the Chest by the guilds of the Painters and of the Decorators
Descent from the Cross by the guilds of the Tailors and of the Upholsterers
the Transport to the Sepulchre by the guild of Saltpan Workers
The Sepulchre by the guild of Pasta Makers
The Sorrows by the guilds of the Waiters, of the Drivers, of the Hotel Workers, of the Confectioners and of the Bartenders. |
435 | 77,945,952 | 0 | Natale di Roma | Italy | The Natale di Roma, historically known as Dies Romana and also referred to as Romaia, is a festival linked to the foundation of the city of Rome, celebrated on April 21. According to legend, Romulus is said to have founded the city of Rome on April 21, 753 BC.
From this date, the Roman chronology derived its system, known by the Latin phrase Ab Urbe condita, meaning from the founding of the City, which counted the years from this presumed foundation.
== Celebrations of the festival in the age of Rome ==The celebration of the anniversary of the Urbe as an element of imperial propaganda ultimately assigned fundamental importance to the question of the year of foundation.
Starting from Emperor Claudius, the method of calculating the City's age, proposed by Marcus Terentius Varro, prevailed over others. Claudius was the first to have the anniversary of Rome celebrated in 47, eight hundred years after the presumed date of foundation. In 147-148, Antoninus Pius initiated a similar celebration, and in 248, Philip the Arab celebrated the first millennium of Rome, along with the Ludi Saeculares (celebrated every hundred years), as Rome reached ten centuries. Coins have survived that celebrate the event. On a coin of the claimant to the throne Pacatianus, the number 1001 explicitly appears, indicating how the citizens of the Roman Empire understood they were at the beginning of a new era, a Saeculum Novum. When the Roman Empire became Christian, in the following centuries, this millenary image was utilized in a more metaphysical sense.
During the imperial age, the feast of Saint Caesarius of Terracina (whose name Kaisarios likely predestined him to become the patron saint of Caesars) was established for the day April 21, the date of the foundation of Rome: this date acquired significant meaning, especially for the imperial propaganda it served; a pretext to celebrate the figure of the emperor and his patron saint.
== The festival after the fall of the Western Roman Empire ==
With the earlier spread and later adoption of Christianity as the state religion, along with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the subsequent invasions, migrations, and conquests by barbarian populations, Rome, like everything that was its empire, saw the disappearance of many of its customs and traditions, including many of its festivals.
=== During the Reinassance ===
The Roman Academy of Pomponio Leto (a student of the pagan theologian Gemistus Pletho) soon became a circle of literati devoted to classical antiquity, even aiming to restore the ancient Roman religion (a unique project in the context of 15th-century humanism, indicating a certain subversive inclination). This seems to have taken place within the Academy itself, where they ritually celebrated the birthday of Rome (April 21) and where Leto had restored the Pontifex Maximus.
This is also seemingly confirmed by some inscriptions discovered in the 19th century in the Roman catacombs, where the names of the members of the Roman Academy are found alongside inscriptions encouraging debauchery. Pomponio Leto is called Pontifex Maximus and Pantagathus, meaning priest.
=== During the Risorgimento ===
Some of these were recovered by Humanism, but it was with the advent of the Risorgimento that the celebration of Natale di Roma was restored as a tradition. The most revolutionary among the Mazzinians, Garibaldians, and some liberals celebrated the event, for instance, in the spring of 1849, when Rome, having recently become a free Republic that had overthrown the temporal power of the Pope, fought for survival. It is said that a meal was held in the Forums with toasts for the presumed foundation of the Urbe by Romulus and the refounding (liberation) by the revolutionaries themselves. Francesco Sturbinetti delivered one of the most heartfelt speeches.
=== During the Fascist era ===
On April 3, 1921, during a speech in Bologna, the then leader of the Italian Fascist Movement Benito Mussolini proclaimed the anniversary of the founding of Rome as an official holiday of fascism. This decision was commented on by Antonio Gramsci as the fascism's attempt to naturalize its role in Italian history, through the claim to Roman origins.
In the document that sanctioned the national-fascist fusion between the Italian Nationalist Association and the National Fascist Party, signed on March 16, 1923, representatives of the two political forces established to celebrate the unifying agreement with a manifesto containing an appeal for national unity, to be posted in all Italian cities on the evening of April 20, the eve of Natale di Roma, a day signifying the occurred rebirth of Roman greatness.
On the same April 19, a draft decree-law proposed by President Benito Mussolini was approved by the Council of Ministers, abolishing the holiday on May 1 and fixing the celebration of Labor Day on April 21, Natale di Roma. It was the first celebration instituted by Mussolini's government, which, starting from April 21, 1924, became a national holiday, named Natale di Roma - Labor Day. This decree was repealed in 1945, restoring Labor Day to May 1.
=== Italian Republic ===
In the years of the Italian Republic, Natale di Roma has been celebrated with conferences and historical reenactments. In recent years, this event has regained significance, leading Italian institutions to recognize it more. Associations such as the Gruppo Storico Romano (GSR) have contributed to organizing the event through historical reenactments and religious events with the affiliated associations involved in the modern Roman religion. The Gruppo Storico Romano annually organizes a parade with participants in period costumes and representations of scenes from ancient life and celebrations that echo the religious rites of ancient Rome.
In 2024, the 2777th Natale di Roma was held, with the participation of Italian institutional representatives. During the event, a plan was announced to increase funding for historical reenactments and possible legislation aimed at regulating such celebrations to preserve and enhance cultural traditions. Additionally, the band of the Italian Army participated in the celebrations. Every year, organizations from across Europe come to celebrate this date, demonstrating the importance and international appeal of the event.
Foundation of Rome
Ab Urbe condita
Reconstructionist Roman religion
Neopaganism in Italy
== Bibliography ==
Plutarch, Life of Romulus. |
436 | 854,114 | 0 | Palio | Italy | Palio is the name given in Italy to an annual athletic contest, very often of a historical character, pitting the neighbourhoods of a town or the hamlets of a comune against each other. Typically, they are fought in costume and commemorate some event or tradition of the Middle Ages and thus often involve horse racing, archery, jousting, crossbow shooting, and similar medieval sports. Once purely a matter of local rivalries, many have now become events that are staged with an eye to visitors and foreign tourists.The Palio di Siena is the only one that has been run without interruption since it started in the 1630s and is definitely the most famous all over the world. Its historical origins are documented since 1239 even though the version seen today was the final evolution of races held from the second half of the 16th century. In 1935, Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini sent out an official declaration that only the one of Siena could bring the designation of Palio. All other horse races held in various parts of Italy are actually just modern reenactments. After the Second World War, nevertheless, many other palios arose throughout the various regions of Italy, which could be considered just attempts of imitation of the Palio di Siena. Here is an incomplete list:
== Italian Palios ==
=== Palios with horse races ===
==== Tuscany ====
Palio of Bientina, third Sunday of July
Palio of Buti in honor of St. Anthony the Abbot,
Palio di Castel del Piano of Castel del Piano, racing on 8 September
Palio delle Contrade, in Faella
Palio dei Rioni di Castiglion Fiorentino the third Sunday of June
Palio of Casole d'Elsa, Second Sunday of July
Palio of Piancastagnaio
Palio di Fucecchio, at the end of May
Palio in Montelaterone
Palio in Monticiano
Palio di Siena, race is held on 2 July and 16 August
Palio della Costa Etrusca in San Vincenzo (suspended)
Palio del Valdarno, a Faella, in Pian di Scò
Palio in Pian di Scò, on 7 August
Palio delle Bandiere e dei Territori in Follonica
Palio di San Luca in Impruneta in October
==== Lazio ====
Corsa a vuoto of Ronciglione, a Carnival feast. In August
Palio del Tirreno of Maccarese-Fiumicino, not held in 2008.
Palio Madama Margarita di Castel Madama, every second Sunday in July
Palio dell'Arcata in Acquapendente
Palio in Bomarzo
Palio del Tributo in Priverno
Palio of Tolfa last Sunday in August
Palio of Sacrofano, Second Sunday in September
Corsa of Formello, on 10 August
Palio di San Matteo, on 22 September
Corsa al Fantino in Capranica
Corsa in Campagnano di Roma
Palio of Selci in September
Corsa of Monterosi, on 15 September
Carosello Storico dei Rioni of Cori, in June and July
Pallio della Carriera in Carpineto Romano (RM).
Palio delle Quattro Porte – Vallecorsa
==== Lombardy ====
Palio della Valle Olona
Palio di Legnano, Last Sunday in May
Palio di S.Pietro at Abbiategrasso
Palio degli Asini in Premosello
Palio of Rho, Second Sunday in October
Palio di Avucat at Caponago, second Sunday in September
==== Piedmont ====
Palio di Asti, every third Sunday in September
Palio dei Borghi of Fossano, at the end of June
Palio storico dei Borghi di Avigliana, at Avigliana, Third Sunday in June
==== Sardinia ====
Palio of Cagliari
Palio dei Comuni of Fonni, First Sunday in June
Palio dei Comuni of Goceano
Palio Sas Carrelas, at Bono
Palio of Sassari
==== Umbria ====
Palio (Giostra) del Giglio at Monteleone d'Orvieto, 16 August
Palio di Nera Montoro in September
==== Veneto ====
Palio di Feltre First Sunday in August. Horse race and Archery contest
Palio dei 10 Comuni del Montagnanese, at Montagnana, first Sunday in September
Palio delle contrade di Monselice Second and Third Sunday in September.
==== Marche ====
Palio dell'Assunta di Fermo, on 15 August
Palio of Montegiorgio
Palio of Sant'Emidio also called Quintana in Ascoli Piceno
Corsa del Drappo in Loreto, on 7 September
Contesa della Margutta a Corridonia, early September
Palio della miniera di zolfo di Cabernardi, early August
Palio dei Castelli in San Severino Marche, early June
==== Emilia-Romagna ====
Palio di Ferrara, Last Sunday in May
Palio del Maggio, at Savigno in May
Palio delle contrade in San Secondo Parmense
Palio di Parma,
Palio del Niballo, at Faenza
Palio di Giovecca, at Giovecca
Palio of Mordano
==== Sicily ====
Palio of Butera
Palio of Piazza Armerina, 11 to 13 August
Palio dell'Ascensione in Floridia
Palio di San Vincenzo, in Acate
==== Basilicata ====
Palio di Sant'Antonio abate in Pignola, on 17 January, a race with Horses, donkeys and mules
==== Abruzzo ====
Palio della Giostra Cavalleresca in Sulmona Last Saturday and Sunday of July
Palio della Giostra Cavalleresca dei Borghi più Belli d'Italia – in Sulmona
Palio della Giostra Cavalleresca d'Europa – Sulmona
==== Puglia ====
Palio del Viccio of Palo del Colle – held at carnival.
=== Palios with donkey races ===
==== Umbria ====
Giochi de le Porte of Gualdo Tadino
==== Lombardy ====
Corsa cogli Asini of Dairago
Palio degli Asini in Bereguardo
Palio del Cinghiale, in Cesano Boscone
==== Piedmont ====
Palio degli Asini di Alba in Alba
Palio degli Asini di Cocconato in Cocconato
Palio degli Asini di Quarto d'Asti in Quarto d'Asti
Paglio ragliante di Calliano in Calliano
Palio dei Borghi in Venaria
==== Toscana ====
Palio dei Ciuchi of Campagnatico, in September
Palio dei Micci of Pozzi, frazione di Seravezza
Palio dei Ciuchi of Carmignano, in September
Palio dei somari of Bagnolo
Palio dei somari of Torrita di Siena
Palio dei Somari of Montepulciano Stazione
Giostra dei sestrieri, Palio dei Ciuchi of Roccatederighi
Palio de' Ciui of Lugnano
Palio dei somarelli of Vallerona
==== Campania ====
Il Palio di Somma Vesuviana, second Sunday in September
Palio del casale, Palio Nazionale degli asini, Camposano
Palio del ciuccio, Cuccaro Vetere.
==== Lazio ====
Palio delle Contrade, in Gonfalone di Arpino.
Palio delle Contrade of Corchiano, First Sunday in August
Palio delle Contrade of Allumiere
Palio di San Ciro at Sora
==== Marche ====
Palio del Somaro in Mercatello sul Metauro
==== Emilia-Romagna ====
Palio di Ferrara
Palio di Parma,
Palio dei somari of Grizzana Morandi
==== Friuli ====
Palio dei Borghi di Fagagna, second Sunday in September
=== Palios with boat races (Palii remieri) ===
==== Tuscany ====
Palio dell'Argentario, in Porto Santo Stefano, 15 August
Palio di Calcinaia of Calcinaia
Palio di San Ranieri, in Arno and Pisa on 17 June
Palio Madonna del Lago of Massaciuccoli, since 1967
==== Liguria ====
Palio Marinaro di San Pietro, at Genoa, first Sunday of July
Palio del Golfo, at La Spezia, first Sunday of August
Palio dei Sestieri, in Ventimiglia, second Sunday in August
Regata dei Rioni di Noli, in Noli, Second Sunday in September
==== Apulia ====
Palio of Taranto
==== Trentino ====
Palio dell'Oca, in Trento
==== Veneto ====
Regata Storica, in Venice
==== Calabria ====
Palio di San Giorgio, in Reggio Calabria, on 23 April
==== Lazio ====
Palio del mare of Gaeta
=== Palios with weapons ===
==== Tuscany ====
Palio della balestra in Lucca, on July 12, a crossbow contest
Palio in Pescia, an archery contest
Disfida con l'Arco in Montopoli in Val d'Arno (Pi), an archery contest
Palio del Diotto in Scarperia, on 8 September (one of the games is a knife-throwing)
==== Umbria ====
Palio di San Rufino in Assisi, a crossbow competition
Palio dei Terzieri, in August, an archery contest
==== Lazio ====
Palio of Orte, an archery contest
==== Friuli ====
Palio di San Donato, in Cividale del Friuli, last Sunday in August, an archery contest
Palio of Cordovado, first Sunday of September, an archery contest with a medieval costume parade
==== Emilia-Romagna ====
Palio di Santa Reparata e della Romagna Toscana, in Terra del Sole, a crossbow contest
==== Veneto ====
Palio della Marciliana, in Chioggia, a crossbow contest.
== External links ==Il Palio Di Siena Official Site
Il Palio Di Siena English Site
Giostra del Saracino
Palio of Asti
Palio of Siena
Palio of Ferrara
Palio dei Rioni, Castiglion Fiorentino
Palio Madama Margarita
Palio of Legnano
Palio della balestra Volterra
Certame della Contea di Popoli
Palio of San Rufino
Palio dei 10 Comuni
Ottava di S. Egidio – Palio of archery |
437 | 74,216,808 | 0 | Palio del Golfo | Italy | The Palio del Golfo is a rowing challenge that is held every year, on the first Sunday of August, in the sea of the Gulf of La Spezia.
== History ==
The Palio founded in 1932. There are 13 borgate that challenge in the regatta: Porto Venere, Le Grazie, Fezzano, Cadimare, Marola, La Spezia Centro, Canaletto, Fossamastra, Muggiano, San Terenzo, Venere Azzurra, Lerici, Tellaro.
== The Thirteen borgate ==
Porto Venere
Le Grazie
Fezzano
Cadimare
Marola
La Spezia Centro
Canaletto
Fossamastra
Muggiano
San Terenzo
Venere Azzurra
Lerici
Tellaro
== Winners ==
Regatta of the Historical Marine Republics
Palio Marinaro di San Pietro
== External links == |
438 | 46,731,330 | 0 | Palio di Legnano | Italy | The Palio di Legnano (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpaːljo di leɲˈɲaːno]; known locally simply as Il Palio) is a traditional event generally held on the last Sunday of May in the City of Legnano, Italy, to recall the Battle of Legnano held on 29 May 1176 by the Lombard League and the Holy Roman Empire of Frederick Barbarossa. This Palio is composed by a medieval pageant and a horse race. Until 2005 the whole event was named Sagra del Carroccio.
Legnano is subdivided into eight contrade, each of which takes part both in the medieval pageant and in the horse race held at the stadio Giovanni Mari. This is considered one of the most important non-competitive events of this type in Italy. In 2003 the historic pageant was shown at the Columbus Day in New York City.
A lot of Palio-centric events take place in Legnano during May and July, such as the choral exhibition La Fabbrica del Canto '(The factory of singing)' born in 1992 from an idea of the musical association Jubilate. In 2015, institutions made 29 May a holiday for the whole of Lombardy.
== The premises ==
=== Oldest celebrations ===The earliest documented commemorations of the battle of Legnano (29 May 1176) between Frederick Barbarossa and the Lombard League took place on 28 May 1393 in Milan in the basilica of San Simpliciano. In the document, which consists of a four-page decree issued by the podestà, the vicar and the Dodici di provvisione of the municipality of Milan, magistrates of the city were required to prepare a solemn procession to complete the civil ceremony which should have been concluded at basilica of San Simpliciano; at the time every civil celebration was in fact accompanied by a religious function. On this occasion it was decreed that on 29 May, the date of the battle of Legnano, it would be a day of civil and religious festivities throughout the Milanese countryside.
In 1499, with the occupation of the Duchy of Milan by the French Army, the festivity was first suppressed, then restored by St. Charles Borromeo in 1596, and finally suspended again from 1784. On 29 May he returned to being commemorated during the Italian unification as a symbol of the Italians' struggle against the foreign invader. The most important commemorations were those of 29 May 1848 in Milan during the revolutions of 1848, which took place solemnly in the basilica of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan, and those of 1876 in Milan and Legnano on the occasion of the 7th centenary of the battle. For the 7th centenary of the battle, more than 40,000 people from all over Italy and 197 banners representing all the provinces and municipalities of the Italian peninsula came to Legnano.In Legnano, from the following years, on the wave of the celebrations of the 7th centenary, commemorations of the battle were occasionally organized by the population. The turning point came on 29 June 1900 with the inauguration of the Monument to the Warrior of Legnano by Enrico Butti, who replaced a previous statue made for the 7th centenary of the battle by Egidio Pozzi: from this date the official celebrations of the battle were transferred from Milan to Legnano, with the people of Legnano who began to remember the military battle on an annual basis. The monument was built at the behest of Giuseppe Garibaldi: on 16 June 1862, during a visit to Legnano at the invitation of the mayor of Legnano Andrea Bossi, Garibaldi gave a speech urging the people of Legnano to erect a monument in memory of the famous battle of 29 May 1176:[...] We care little about the memories of patriotic events; Legnano lacks a monument to ascertain the value of our ancestors and the memory of our connected fathers, who managed to beat foreigners as soon as they understood each other. [...]
As for the religious celebration at the basilica of San Simpliciano in Milan, still in the 21st century, on the last Sunday of May, the battle of 29 May 1176 is remembered with a procession and a religious function which includes the vigil of a copy of the cross of Aribert: a delegation from the city of Legnano and its contrade also participates in this celebration.
=== The attempt of 1926 ===The first proposal to organize an event with the contribution of the municipal administration of Legnano was hypothesized in 1926 by Carlo De Giorgi, journalist and local exponent of the National Fascist Party. De Giorgi, founder of the local periodical Lo Specchio, tried to put this idea into practice to commemorate the 750th anniversary of the battle, which fell in 1926.
This idea was not followed because of the too high cost of organizing the event, which was estimated at 50,000 lire, an amount judged excessive even by Fabio Vignati, then podestà of Legnano and then head of the municipal administration, as well as a person attentive to the history of Legnano and often generous, even economically, towards cultural initiatives.
The estimated 50,000 pounds included 35,000 pounds to be used to pay the loan for 400 medieval clothes, and 15,000 pounds for horses destined for horse racing and for the oxen that should have pulled the copy of the Carroccio. This would have been a very conspicuous economic commitment: by comparison, to completely restore the bell tower of the basilica of San Magno, Legnano, again in 1926, 48,000 lire was spent.
=== The feast of the Carroccio of 1932 ===The first event officially organized by the town authorities of Legnano, which took place in 1932, was still on the initiative of Carlo De Giorgi. This time the purpose of organizing a demonstration to commemorate the battle of Legnano followed because the political climate had changed in the meantime: fascism, for some time, had been busy stimulating the birth of events that celebrated national pride even with the giving of important funding. One of these events was the battle of Legnano, where the Italian troops of the Lombard League defeated the German armies of the Holy Roman Empire, ending the hegemonic dream of the German emperor Frederick Barbarossa on Northern Italy.
This event, which was called Festa del Carroccio and which this time had the full support of the municipal administration, included a gastronomic fair set up in the modern Via Diaz and Matteotti, a medieval pageant through the streets of Legnano and a horse race that came organized at the local sports field Brusadelli (built as a sports center for the dopolavoro of the Cotonificio Dell'Acqua, now it is named after Pino Cozzi, historical president of the Unione Sportiva Legnanese) and which did not end due to the death of a jockey, a teenager of only 15 years untrained to the races, who fell from his horse and was killed instantly. With the Festa del Carroccio, it then passed from austere and solemn civil celebrations to a folkloristic and sporting show, although not lucky, at least in its first edition, due to the misfortune mentioned.
As a result of the tragedy that struck the young jockey, in the years immediately following, the horse race was not repeated, without prejudice to the organization of the other events, which continued to take place even later. The ten contrade that were to participate in the first edition of the Palio di Legnano (1935) were established in 1932 on the occasion of the Festa del Carroccio: Ponzella, Olmina, San Bernardino, Legnarello, San Martino, Sant'Erasmo, Sant'Ambrogio, San Domenico, La Flora and San Magno, with the last eight still taking part in the modern event.
== History ==
=== The 1930s ===
==== The first edition ====The Palio di Legnano, in its modern version, was organized for the first time on 26 May 1935 among the ten contrade mentioned above, later reduced to eight. The palio was born then during the fascist era, in a historical context in which the state authorities were committed to coercively promote all aspects related to Italian nationalism, recalling, where necessary, the events that marked the history of Italy in a victorious way. Referring to the first edition of the palio, the fascist hierarch Rino Parenti wrote:[...] to the men of New Italy the value and the heroism of the ancient warriors. [...]
In the first pre-war editions, the victory at the palio was not determined only by the horse race, but also by three other competitions: a foot race, a bicycle race and an automobile competition. The contrade were then assigned a score for each placement in the four specialties, whose sum proclaimed the winner of the palio. The first edition of the horse race, which was held in 1935, was won by the Contrada San Domenico, followed by Legnarello and La Flora. The debut of the Legnano palio was a success, both in the public and in the organization, so much so that tourists from other Italian cities also attended.
The name of the jockey who won the first edition of the horse race, Vittorio Ciapparelli, is however disputed by Franco Marini, formerly Grand Priory of the Contrada San Domenico and eyewitness of the 1935 horse race: Marini claims that the competition was actually won by a horse without jockey previously led by Pierino Ramolini, an event that was resumed and transmitted, according to the former Grand Prior of the Contrada San Domenico, by the newsreel Luce. However, Marini's thesis is contradicted by official sources that report, as the name of the victorious jockey, that of Ciapparelli. This contradictory information is due to the fact that in the first editions the horse race was not considered of primary importance compared to the other events of the event, so much so that its first roll of honor was only compiled in 1938: just on this first edition of the list of winners of the horse race the name of Vittorio Ciapparelli is reported.
==== The other editions of the decade ====The first edition of the horse race was held at the sports field Brusadelli, while later the race was moved to the city stadium in Via Pisacane, where it is still organized. The transfer to the city stadium was not the only novelty of that year: from the canapo (the front rope) it was passed to the starting belts, and the bareback riding was replaced by the mount with the saddle. The canapo was then reintroduced in 1952 to then be replaced by ribbons in the following year, while from 1961 to 1963 the departure of the horses was decreed by the opening of cages. In 1963 the starting ribbons were reintroduced, which were replaced in 1974, this time definitively, by the canapo.
Already from the second edition (1936) the name of the event changed into Sagra del Carroccio: this was due to a direct order by Benito Mussolini, which forced the organizers of the event to change the name of the event in such a way that the term palio was associated, exclusively, with the homonymous manifestation of Siena. On 5 June 1935, shortly after the end of the first edition of the event, Galeazzo Ciano, undersecretary of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of Italy with responsibility for the Press and Propaganda, sent a telegram to the prefect of Milan, immediately forwarded to the prefectural commissioner of Legnano, which reported the following order:[...] For obvious reasons the Duce has established that the palio denomination is reserved for the traditional Sienese event and that the Legnano one is instead called Sagra del Carroccio. [...]For the 1936 edition the organizing committee made an effort to make the palio more evocative: the contrade were the main protagonists in the organization and the soldiers of the 3rd Regiment Savoia Cavalleria of Milan were involved in the medieval pageant, where they played the Company of Death. The second edition of the event was attended by other soldiers of the Italian Armed Forces stationed in Legnano as part of the historic procession. In 1936 the historic contrade were reduced to nine, with the suppression of the Contrada Ponzella, a number that fell to eight in 1937, with the suppression also of the Contrada Olmina. The popular and qualitative growth of the event continued to progress also in the following years, above all as regards the parade, which gradually became more and more suggestive.
In 1937 it was officially decided to cadence the Sagra del Carroccio every year: on this occasion the contrade endowed themselves with peculiar colors and a banner, while important personalities of the city life were put at the head of the historical contrade; it is from this edition that the competition between the contrade began to spread. Three official committees were then set up for the organization of the event: the actual organizing committee, pertaining to the after-work of municipal employees, which was dedicated to the general aspects, and two specific committees dealing respectively with the artistic-cultural aspects and those purely administrative.The Sagra del Carroccio was interrupted after the 1939 edition: the organizers did not want to irritate the German ally with a demonstration that called for an Italian military victory over German armies. This sentiment was also shared by the upper echelons, and therefore all the celebrations of the date of May 29 that were held on the national territory were suspended. The 1939 edition was attended by the princes of House of Savoy, some military and civilian personalities of Milan and the representatives of the municipalities that had once coalesced in the Lombard League. This edition was a great success, both among the citizens of Legnanese and among tourists, so much so that it is remembered as one of the most successful palios. Due to the suspension of the event, the copy of the cross by Aribert, coveted palio of the horse race, was kept in the church of Sant'Erasmo, a religious building of reference for the homonymous contrada that won in 1939, for more than ten years.
=== The 1950s ===
The Sagra del Carroccio was not resumed until May 1952 on the initiative of the Famiglia Legnanese (non-profit cultural association based in Legnano), the provost of the city and the municipality of Legnano, this time totally detached from the political significance imposed by the fascist regime before the war; the funds needed to hold the palio were made available by the municipal administration and a loan from the Banca di Legnano. Anacleto Tenconi, then mayor of Legnano, recalled those moments:In the context of new feelings and aspirations we returned to the search for ancient traditions, which re-created a historical identity, reigniting a dignity and a pride, which had fallen asleep during the disastrous war events. In truth, the memory of the Sagra del Carroccio, although set aside, had never been extinguished. [...] The initiative was somewhat reckless and difficult [...] several Legnanesi were reluctant to accept the resumption of the event, given its pre-war origin of the fascist period, having the fear that the restoration of the Sagra del Carroccio could cause political conflicts. But in the end the supporters of the recovery prevailed.
As already mentioned, with the fall of the Fascist regime in Italy and the end of the second world war, the political connotations that had so characterized the prewar editions were eliminated from the event. The Sagra del Carroccio, in addition to the historical sense that recalls the famous battle, also acquired a meaning linked to that important and heartfelt moment of celebration of the city - with the contrade ideally gathered around the Carroccio - which is still valid today.
With the resumption of the organization of the event, the duration of the celebrations passed from one to two weeks and then evolved, over time, to a whole month, the so-called Maggio Legnanese. Since 1954 the Legnano palio has officially been counted among the Italian historical events; in the same year a representation of the protagonists of the Sagra del Carroccio, together with eleven other delegations of historic Italian events, was invited to the Colombian celebrations which were organized in Genoa from 3 to 15 October.
In the following year the College of captains and contrade was established, whose function is still to coordinate the activities, actions and intentions of the samei. Thanks to the work of the college, the contrade played an increasingly important role in the palio. Since 1955 the organizing committee of the Palio di Legnano has been formed by this college, the municipality of Legnano and the Famiglia Legnanese.
The 1955 horse race was suspended and not attributed to a disputed start due to an error by one of the judges of the competition, while that of the following year was poisoned by controversy due to another error by the judges who - without the photo finish - they qualified for the final San Martino instead of Sant'Erasmo.
In 1959 a monumental fountain was carved in front of the church of Santissimo Redentore in the Contrada Legnarello, on which the coats of arms of the contrade and the most important symbols of the palio were carved. The same year, on 19 May 1959, Pope John XXIII granted a private audience in the throne room to the mayor of Legnano as the supreme magistrate of the palio, to the captains of the contrade and to a representative of the Famiglia Legnanese.
The editions of the 1950s of the Sagra del Carroccio were also successful in the media: in 1952 the Legnese demonstration had the honor of appearing on the covers of La Domenica del Corriere and Grazia magazine while, in the same year, the satirical magazine Candido placed part of a comic story by Giovannino Guareschi at the Sagra del Carroccio which had among its protagonists Stalin, Palmiro Togliatti, Pietro Nenni and Nilde Iotti. In this decade a greater involvement of the civil society in the Legnano area and of the municipalities that had once coalesced in the Lombard League was also decided.
The financing of these editions, as well as from the municipality of Legnano, which used the proceeds obtained from tickets sold to attend the horse race, came from the province of Milan and from private subjects such as Cariplo, Banco Lariano and Banca di Legnano: the latter, in the 1990s, it became one of the sponsors of the palio.
=== The 1960s ===In 1960 a curious thing happened: a strike by some jockeys, who did not reach the economic agreement with their contrade to participate in the palio, despite the pressing negotiations that lasted almost until the horse race, caused the defection, to the last moment, of four of them. Each jockey was therefore obliged to run for two contrade.
In 1961 the captains of the contrade of Legnano had an official meeting with the archbishop of Milan Giovanni Battista Montini, future Pope Paul VI. The horse race of 1961 was the only one in which a female jockey participated, Cucca Felli, a young horsewoman from Casorate Sempione, who ran for the Contrada San Magno fighting for the victory until the middle of the race. Also in 1961, a copy of the Carroccio used in the Legnese demonstration took part in the historical procession organized in Turin on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the unification of Italy.
In 1962 a fundamental event took place for the palio: in that year the medieval pageant was completely reorganized, with the quality of the costumes which grew considerably. Moreover, the costumes, and their realization, became specific of the Sagra del Carroccio; until 1962 many of them were borrowed from subjects external to the Legnese demonstration: most of the clothes came from the La Scala theater in Milan, where they were mostly used in the opera La battaglia di Legnano by Giuseppe Verdi.
In 1969 the armory room was added to the headquarters of the Contrada San Bernardino. On this occasion the furniture was also changed, which from a Spartan became valuable, with furniture that recalled the medieval style. This seat of the Contrada San Bernardino was the first manor, in the modern sense of the term, of a contrada of Legnano. Such were the importance and the peculiarity, that his photos were printed for years on the brochures and leaflets.
=== The 1970s ===In 1970 a striking fact occurred which caused quite a stir. Giuseppe Gentili, known as Ciancone, jockey of the Contrada La Flora, was convinced by two contrada members of San Bernardino to go to Parma to a restaurant to have a lunch before the race. After the meal, the three returned to Legnano late for the horse race. The jockey of La Flora could not therefore participate in the race, and invented a mysterious abduction carried out by the contradaioli of San Bernardino. The police then discovered the deception and arrested the jockey for a false complaint.
From 1971, in the horse race, the saddle was abolished with the return to the obligation, on the part of the jockeys, of the bareback riding, a type of mount that had characterized the first editions of the palio. This return to the past led to the participation of the famous jockeys who already ran the Palio di Siena and the Palio di Asti at the horse race at the Sagra del Carroccio. Among them we must certainly mention Andrea Degortes (called Aceto), Leonardo Viti (called Canapino), Salvatore Ladu (called Cianchino), Mario Cottone (known as Truciolo) and Antonello Casula (called Moretto). In 1974 the canapo (the front rope) was reintroduced for the start of the horse race.
In 1972 an unknown hand set fire to the manor of the Contrada San Domenico, which destroyed the headquarters of the contrada and all that was inside it, such as the weapons and clothes of the medieval pageant. Of all the preserved material only a velvet masculine garment escaped from the fire, which is still exhibited at the museum of the contrada.The 1976 edition of the palio was special: the 8th centenary of the battle of Legnano was celebrated. On this occasion, specific cultural, sporting, artistic and historical events were organized as a corollary to the main event. The captains of the contrade of Legnano were the protagonists, on 2 and 3 April, of a ride reminiscent in period costume whose path wound between Legnano and Pontida, site of the legendary Oath of Pontida that saw, according to tradition, the birth of the Lombard League: the itinerary, 70 km long, was divided into two stages, with an intermediate overnight stay on the night of 2 April inside the Royal Villa of Monza. In the same year a second cavalcade of the captain was prepared, this time destined for the Morimondo Abbey. The Carroccio used in the Palio di Legnano and the copy of the cross by Aribert were brought, on May 14, with a solemn ceremony, to the Basilica of San Simpliciano in Milan. In the following years the captains repeatedly recalled the stages of the battle of Legnano going back along the descent of Frederick Barbarossa in the Olona valley, a descent that was the premise for the famous armed clash of 29 May 1176.In 1976 it was also organized, at the Arena Civica in Milan, an extraordinary palio, which was won by San Magno; this event was heralded by a historic parade through the streets of the Lombard capital, from the Sforza Castle to the Arena Civica, which consisted of 600 participants. Saturday, May 29, the 8th centenary was solemnly celebrated in Legnano with a procession that left from Palazzo Malinverni, the city hall, and arrived at the monument to the Warrior of Legnano. The celebration ended then at the Galleria di Legnano. The 1976 Sagra del Carroccio was particularly solemn and was accompanied by an important public setting: along the streets of Legnano in fact 50,000 people congregated. The President of the Italian Republic Giovanni Leone was unable to be in Legnano to attend the event due to some commitments. However, the head of state sent a message:[...] The memory of this great historic event is an opportunity to renew not only the memory of the struggles for the independence of the free medieval municipalities, but also to reaffirm the civil and democratic commitment of our republican institutions. [...]
The horse race of 1977, won by the Contrada Sant'Erasmo, was not assigned due to some heated arguments that occurred at the end of the race between the jockeys of the contrade of San Bernardino, La Flora and San Magno. The Contrada Sant'Erasmo, which could have struck four consecutive victories, in protest, did not participate in the next edition of the palio.
=== The 1980s ===In 1980 a second extraordinary palio was organized, this time to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the foundation of the college of the captains and the contrade, which was then won by San Martino. Also on this occasion, to commemorate this anniversary, many special events were organized that were preparatory to the actual palio. Moreover, the contrade became comparable to real associations, being endowed with a statute that still describes their prerogatives in detail; this change was necessary because with the passing of the decades the activities of the historical contrade had widened more and more: the life of the contrade therefore had to be regulated with greater precision. The strengthening of the pride of belonging to one's own historical contrada and the intensification of rivalry between the contrade is also of these years. The latter, starting from this decade, began to purchase the manors that housed them at their own expense and began to set up the museums of the contrada. In addition, the process of improving the quality of the costumes of the medieval pageant continued, which became increasingly sought after and of a higher quality.The 1981 final was run twice due to the arrival in perfect equality of San Domenico and San Bernardino, so much so that it was not possible to establish the winner even at the photo finish. A further final was then reduced to these two contrade and disputed over a course of three laps of the field, where San Domenico won
In 1983 a representative delegation of the palio was invited to Konstanz, Germany, for the commemoration of the 8th centenary of the homonymous peace treaty, epilogue of the struggle between Frederick Barbarossa and the Lombard League, while the 1984 edition of the horse race was the only one to be postponed due to adverse weather conditions; the horse race was then run the following Sunday. The medieval pageant, on the other hand, did not take place. Also in 1984 a representative of the Legnanese event was invited by the Sicilian Region to the Festival of the almond tree in bloom of Agrigento.In 1985 the Carroccio used in the palio was completely rebuilt according to criteria more similar to those of the original medieval cart which was used in the battle of Legnano thanks to the consultation of sources of the time, who managed to provide detailed information on its characteristics; both the materials and the construction techniques used to make the new copy of the Carroccio traced those dating back to the Middle Ages. Craftsmen and specialized companies were involved in the construction of the new symbolic cart. The new Carroccio were then applied eight panels bearing the coats of arms of the contrade of Legnano. This new wagon, which has dimensions 2.60 x 5.40 x 6 m, is fully functional and plays a unique, symbolic and historical role.Since 1986 the role of the municipal administration in the organization of the Palio di Legnano in importance: in fact, that year the institution of the Cavaliere del Carroccio (Carroccio knight), which is appointed by the supreme magistrate, or by the mayor of Legnano on the proposal of the college of captains and of the Famiglia Legnanese, and which still characterizes the Palio di Legnano. In other words, the command of organizing the palio passed to the municipality of Legnano, which began to exercise it through a steering committee. In addition, the budget and the final balance of the event, as well as the detailed program of the event, starting from that date, began to be previously approved by the Municipal council: the economic accounts, in particular, were included in the budget of the municipality of Legnano.
This change was necessary to link to the Sagra del Carroccio a juridical person to whom to associate the administrative, financial and penal responsibilities of the event. Being the protagonist of the municipality, the civil society of the city of Legnano was increasingly involved in organizing the event: from associations to Italian Armed Forces stationed in Legnano, from parishes to companies, from traders to craftsmen.
Until 1987 the performance of the flag wavers was also part of the Legnanese event: they were eliminated from the program because they were not historically contextualised. The flag-wavers, in fact, appeared a few centuries after the battle of Legnano. However, having entered the collective mind of the people of Legnano in 2016, their reintroduction into the official program of the Legnano race was decided.
A unique event in the history of the Palio di Legnano that concerns a jockey and that happened in 1987 caused a sensation: the disqualification for life of the jockey Mario Cottone, known as Truciolo, due to his participation, together with some contradaioli of San Martino, in an expedition punitive in the manor of Legnarello occurred on the evening of the eve of the palio.
=== From the 1990s to the 21st century ===It was the 1990s who discovered the greatest development of the Sagra del Carroccio. In this decade the so-called Maggio Legnanese was overcome, that is the series of events linked to the palio that were organized only during this month of the year: starting from this decade, the events began to be prepared also in other periods of the year, enriching the program of the event with many other types of events, so as to give the Sagra del Carroccio a much wider breath.
In 1990 the Permanent commission of costumes was founded, which deals with the conformity of the material used in the medieval pageant with respect to the invoice of the weapons, the clothes and the hairstyles used in the 12th century; this committee was officially included in the palio regulation in 1995. In its first years of activity the permanent commission of the costumes did a job of improvement of the clothes wearing by the figurants of the contrade, to then pass to a role of supervision and consultancy.In 1991 a delegation from the Sagra del Carroccio formed by about a hundred representatives was invited to the Fête de la Renaissance in Lyon, France, during which they paraded in costume through the city streets of the transalpine city, reproducing the historical procession of the Palio di Legnano. The following year a delegation from the city of Lyon and its contrade, called les Pennones de Lion, attended the Sagra del Carroccio.
Since 1992, at the behest of the college of captains and the contrade, a veterinary commission has been active which closely follows the development of the horse race and deals with the medical fitness of horses; in the event of an accident of the latter, a local veterinary clinic intervenes and immediately takes care of injured animals. Furthermore, this commission has been provided with ample decision-making powers, so much so that it can decree the immediate exclusion from the tender of a horse considered unsuitable. From 1992 it also finds space, among the events linked to the Palio, La Fabbrica del Canto, an international choral music event born in 1992 from an idea of the musical association Jubilate. From 1993, within the Sagra del Carroccio, exhibitions and conferences on the Middle Ages began to be prepared.Given the recognized quality of the material used during the historic parade, in 1995 an exhibition was organized within the Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci, concerning the display of the clothes, ornaments and weapons of the medieval pageant of the Palio di Legnano. In 1996 the theme parade was introduced: each contrada participates in the historical procession showing a particular aspect of the Middle Ages (war, work, music, etc.). In 1997, a theater workshop was added to the events linked to the palio. In May 1998 a cavalcade in medieval costume was organized of the captains of the contrade, whose route ran from Legnano to the monastery of Cairate, a place where Barbarossa stayed the night before the battle.In 2002, the historic Palio parade in Legnano was also revived at Columbus Day in New York City. In the same year, the House of Savoy, or the ruling dynasty in Italy from 1861 to 1946, officially granted the title of sovereign to the Contrada La Flora. For the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the college of captains and contrade, in 2005, another extraordinary palio was played, the so-called palio d'Onore.
In 2006 the event returned to its official name Palio di Legnano. The 2006 edition was instead suspended and not attributed due to an invasion of the Contrada San Domenico; the college of magistrates of the palio, in addition to not assigning the 2006 edition, made a fine of 10,000 euros in the Contrada San Domenico, disqualifying it for the 2007 edition.
The 2009 edition of the horse race was instead the first to be disputed on the sand. In 2015 the palio was decided by the photo finish between heated controversy: Sant'Ambrogio and Legnarello arrived almost in a draw, and therefore technology was used, which decreed the victory of the latter. Because of the controversies that have arisen, since 2016 the regulation of the palio for photo finishing has changed: the latter can be used only if requested by the finishing judge, by the Cavaliere del Carroccio and by at least one of the three magistrates.
== The contrade ==
=== The eight historic contrade ===The eight contrade of Legnano are: Contrada La Flora
Contrada Legnarello
Contrada San Bernardino
Contrada San Domenico
Contrada San Magno
Contrada San Martino
Contrada Sant'Ambrogio
Contrada Sant'Erasmo
Each of the eight contrade has a regency formed by a captain, a great prior and a chatelaine. The captains of the eight historical contrade are gathered in the college of captains and contrade, which was founded in 1955 and which has the function of coordinating the activities, actions and intentions of the same. This college, which is presided over by the grand master of the college of captains and contrade, is located within the Visconteo Castle of Legnano.
The antagonism and the competition between the contrade are very much felt, with a strong goliardic component and particularly in the period of the year in which the palio is organized, without prejudice to the strong mutual respect that leads to reciprocal aid in the organization of the event as in the case, for example, of the frequent exchanges of the material used in the parade. To avoid the pranks, which are frequent near the date of the palio, the horses that will participate in the horse race, on the eve of the latter, are hidden in a secret place and cared for by the Contrada members.
There are two contrade that have an additional title in the name; San Magno has in its name the term Noble, which derives from the territory of the contrada, which includes the historic center of Legnano, and from the fact that since ancient times, within the confines of the contrada, there are several noble families lineage, while La Flora boasts the title of sovereign, an attribution granted by the House of Savoy in 2002.
=== The activities of the contrade ===During the year the contrade organize parties, cultural and historical events, as well as folkloristic and charitable events. In the first decades of existence of the event, their headquarters were frequented only during the previous month at the palio, but with the passing of the years the activities of the contrade experienced a constant phase of growth that led the historical contrade to diversify the initiatives, with the organization of the latter taking place throughout the year. The contrade were often protagonists, even financially, in the restoration of historic buildings in the contrada, such as the churches to which the contrade refer.
Of great attraction is the propitiatory dinner on the eve, which is organized the evening before the palio and which is greeted by the contrada decked out for a party, attended by hundreds of contrada members and the jockey who will race the horse race.
=== The manors ===The contrade are located in the so-called manieri (manors); sometimes the manors, which are the property of the contrade, are housed in ancient Lombard courts, that is to say in buildings particularly linked to the territory, especially to that of the historical contrada of which they are the seat.
The manors house all the activities of the contrada as well as the costumes, weapons and ornaments of the medieval pageant, the memorabilia and the banners - both of the present and of the past - as well as the documentary archive of the contrada.
=== The contrade suppressed ===
Contrada Olmina
Contrada Ponzella
In the first years in which the Palio di Legnano was disputed there were also the contrade of Ponzella and of Olmina, which were incorporated, respectively, by San Bernardino and La Flora (in 1936) and by Legnarello (in 1937); they were merged in the 1930s because at the time the neighborhoods to which they referred were not very inhabited, and therefore had great difficulty in financially supporting the participation in the palio.
The banners of the two suppressed contrade still participate in the medieval pageant of the Palio di Legnano: in particular, they follow the banner of the contrade to which they have been annexed, supplies of their armed escort.
== The organization of the palio ==The reasons that induce Legnanesi to organize the palio annually with great profusion of efforts and means - including financial ones - are expressed in Article 1 of the regulation of the event, which reads:[...] The Palio di Legnano is the historical re-enactment of the battle of Legnano which is celebrated every year in order to enhance the ideals of freedom and autonomy of the municipalities. The Palio di Legnano is the culminating moment of the cultural activity and social aggregation of the city contrade. [...]
The organization of the palio, structured in this way since 1986, or since his leadership passed to the municipal administration, is led by the palio committee, which is composed of the supreme magistrate, the Cavaliere del Carroccio, from the grand master of the college of captains and the contrade, from the president of the Famiglia Legnanese, from the great priors and other members who are representing the Municipal council, the Famiglia Legnanese and the college of captains and contrade. The supreme magistrate, who is the mayor of Legnano, decrees, through a public tender, the official start of the palio.Then there is the board of magistrates of the palio, which is formed by the grand master of the college of captains and the contrade, by the president of the Famiglia Legnanese and by the supreme magistrate, who chairs the sessions. This body has the function of resolving disputes between the contrade. Finally, to make sure that the ceremonial of the event is scrupulously observed, the college of magistrates of the palio and the Cavaliere del Carroccio, having consulted the palio committee, appoint two masters of ceremonies who come from the contrade and join the official master of ceremonies of the municipality of Legnano.
The Cavaliere del Carroccio, who holds the role of executive director of the organization of the palio, is appointed by the supreme magistrate after hearing the president of the Famiglia Legnanese and the grand master of the college of the captains and the contrade. A very important task of the Cavaliere del Carroccio is to name the mossiere (or the starter horse race). Until 1985 the functions of the Cavaliere del Carroccio were attributed to the president of the Sagra del Carroccio.
In the pre-World War II editions the organizational aspects were very different, given that they were strongly conditioned by political power. There was a council of the palio, which was formed by the political and military authorities of the fascist regime, by an assembly made up of the captains of the contrade, or by those who still hold the historic contrade, and by a so-called Magistrate, which was a collegial body consisting of two members appointed by the beam secretary and the podestà of Legnano. From 1952, when the organization of the palio was resumed after the pause due to the war events of the World War II, the preparation of the event was entirely left to the Famiglia Legnanese. This situation lasted until 1986 when, as already mentioned, the organization passed to the municipal administration.
== The event ==
=== The preparatory events ===The Palio di Legnano has a ceremonial including some important events that are preparatory to the medieval pageant and the horse race. The first of these is the translation of the cross of Aribert from the religious building of reference of the contrada that has conquered the previous edition of the palio, to the main church of Legnano, the basilica of San Magno. Shortly after, the supreme magistrate, or the mayor of Legnano, officially listed the palio with a public tender:[...] You gentlemen have been summoned by me to listen to the reading of the announcement, by which We, the supreme magistrate of the palio, declare open the historic competition between the contrade of Legnano. The gentlemen will now receive a copy of the announcement, they will post it in their manors, they will spread it between the priory and the people of their contrade. [...]
Then there is the civil investiture of the captains of the contrade, which once took place on the day of the patron saint of the city, St. Magnus (5 November), but which since 2008 has been moved near the palio to provide this event better visibility. The text of the oath of the captains before the magistrates of the palio states.By the will of my contrada I assume the office of captain for the year of the Lord [current year] and in the name of our patron saints I promise loyalty to the colors of the contrada and loyalty to the magistrates of the palio.
Subsequently, the contrade officially join the palio, an event that is preceded by the solemn presentation of the regencies of the same. These events are heralded by the following speech by the Supreme Magistrate:[...] You gentlemen were summoned by me last April to hear and receive the announcement, through which we, the supreme magistrate of the palio, declared the competitions open between the contrade of the city for the conquest of the cross of Aribert. We are here with our approval to wait for their Lords to register their contrade, to present the captains, the chatelaines and the esquires. We will accept the registrations and give the money in order that everything is done as per consecrated tradition . [...]
Then, on the third Friday of May, the vigil of the cross of Aribert takes place in the basilica of San Magno, in which the representatives of the contrade participate; this religious ceremony is characterized by a very precise liturgy, with specific sacred readings and songs.
The preparatory events continue at Palazzo Malinverni, the city hall, on the morning of the day of the race, on the last Sunday of May, with the surrender of honors by the grand priors, the captains and the chatelaines to the supreme magistrate and the representatives of the municipalities once coalesced in the Lombard League which annually appear in Legnano on the day of the palio. The ceremonial then continues with the oath of the representatives of the contrade before the copy of the cross of Aribert, with which the protagonists of the palio promise, similarly to what was done by the soldiers of the Lombard League before the battle of Legnano, unity and fidelity in name of freedom.
The ceremonial continues with a solemn Mass officiated on the Carroccio, on the occasion placed in San Magno Square, in front of the main entrance of the basilica and next to Palazzo Malinverni. After this sacred rite, doves are freed in memory of the famous legend told by Galvano Fiamma: the latter claimed that, during the battle of Legnano, three doves had settled on the antenna of the Carroccio causing the defeat of Frederick Barbarossa after leaving the burials of saints Sisinnio, Martirio and Alessandro (the so-called holy martyrs, which are celebrated on May 29) at the basilica of San Simpliciano in Milan. The ceremony concludes with the religious investiture of the captains and the blessing of the horses and jockeys that will take part in the horse race.
=== The medieval pageant ===In the afternoon of the day of the palio, shortly before the horse race, a medieval pageant is held on the streets of the city which consists of more than 200 horses and 1,000 figures in medieval costumes whose clothes, shields, weapons, etc., scrupulously reflect those of the 12th century. The contrade, whose registration to the horse race is optional, are instead obliged to participate in the horse show with a maximum number of one hundred and ten participants and sixteen horses. All the horses used in the parade are led by hand by expert grooms.
As already mentioned, the clothes used in the first decades of the events came from the La Scala in Milan, where they were mostly employed in the opera La battaglia di Legnano by Giuseppe Verdi. However, these dresses were designed for this lyric opera, and therefore their style was greatly influenced by Verdi's romanticism, so as to have a Renaissance rather than Romanesque style, that is the shape corresponding to the historical era in which the battle of Legnano was fought. The clothes used from 1962 onwards are instead commissioned by the regency of each contrada to specialized artisan tailors.
With the choice of creating an autonomous clothing collection, it was decided to focus on the 50 years before and half a century after the famous armed clash of 29 May 1176. Extensive studies were then carried out in order to be able to make clothes that conformed as closely as possible to the styles used in this historical period: in particular, the collection of sculptures created by Benedetto Antelami, a contemporary artist at the battle of Legnano who made a large number of statues, works that are very rich in details, especially clothes. The finds preserved inside the Vatican Museums, the Great Museum of the Duomo of Milan and in other exhibition spaces scattered throughout the Italian peninsula, Germany and France were also precious.
As already mentioned, the conformity that the material of the parade must have with the historical knowledge concerning the military and civil life of the 12th century is controlled by the permanent commission of customs. This commission, which consists of three experts of national caliber appointed by the organizing committee and two representatives per contrada, was established in 1990 by the college of captains and the contrade.
The parade begins with the processions of the individual contrade, which from their manor head into the city center for the actual parade. The latter opens with a procession formed by the bands of municipalities that were once coalesced by the Lombard League. Their members wear the uniform of the belonging musical body and carry the banner of their own municipality (the one in Legnano closes this part of the procession). The type of music played is military in nature.
The central part of the parade consists of figurants from the contrade who are dressed in medieval clothes. Each historical contrada passes by following a specific theme; the contrada that closes this part of the procession is the one that won the palio of the previous year, while the others parade, starting from the head of the procession, in increasing order of victories). At the same number of victories, the farthest from the show's head is the one with the most recent latest victory. The subjects represented by the eight contrade, which were introduced in 1996 to better represent the medieval atmosphere, are, are: Contrada La Flora: war;
Contrada Legnarello: strength and work;
Contrada San Bernardino: the triumph for the capture of weapons;
Contrada San Domenico: the commoners and the games;
Contrada San Magno: the nobility and the clergy;
Contrada San Martino: music and dance;
Contrada Sant'Ambrogio: the courtiers;
Contrada Sant'Erasmo: astrology and hunting.
The medieval pageant through the city streets ends with the passage of the Carroccio pulled by six white oxen and by the transit of its armed entourage which is formed, among other things, by the figurants who interpret the chivalry of the Company of Death. The procession winds through the streets of Legnano to finish at the stadio Giovanni Mari, occasionally decorated with a medieval-style setting.
On the Carroccio there is a copy of the cross of Aribert (coveted palio of the horse race), an altar and the martinella, or from the bell which in medieval times had the function of recalling the soldiers around the wagon. The martinella is made to sound inside the stadium at the end of the parade, after the pigeons have freed themselves in flight, recalling for the second time the aforementioned legend told by Galvano Fiamma. On the Carroccio there are nine figures, three with religious clothes and six with civilian clothes impersonating musicians, being provided with clarets.
In 2000 the original martinella of the Battle of Legnano was identified: it was kept on the bell tower of the hermitage of Sant'Alberto di Butrio di Ponte Nizza, in the province of Pavi, in Lombardy. In the same year in which it was made, it was paraded in the medieval pageant of the Sagra del Carroccio.
=== Events preceding the horse race ===Other highly symbolic moments are planned inside the stadium. Initially the representatives of the armed forces present in Legnano (Carabinieri, Polizia di Stato, Guardia di Finanza and local police) parade, followed by the civic gonfalons of the municipalities that had once coalesced in the Lombard League, the flags of the Metropolitan City of Milan and the Lombardy Region, then the banners of the Milanese associations pass in procession and finally the gonfalon of Legnano parades; the latter then honors the authorities and other municipal banners.
The Legnano banner was paraded and the honors given to the other municipal banners and to the authorities, after the flag-raising of the Italian flag and the performance of Il Canto degli Italiani by Goffredo Mameli and Michele Novaro, the Italian national anthem since 1946, entered the stadium the representatives of the contrade, strictly in alphabetical order, with the contrada that won the last palio that closes this part of the procession; then enters the Carroccio pulled by six white oxen and the group of figurants, once formed by young conscripts stationed in the disused Legnanese barracks of the Italian Army, who impersonate the armed squad that defended this military chariot during the battle of Legnano; this phase of the palio is closed with the entry of the figurants who interpret the Company of Death.At this point of the event the representatives of the contrade move to the center of the stadium and solemnly pay honor to the Carroccio. During the ceremony the chancellor pronounces these words:29 May 1176 - 29 May [current year]. Roll the drums! Arm yourself in defense! Ground the colours! Dames on your knees! Captains, to arms! HONORS TO THE CARROCCIO!
Immediately after the honors surrendered to the Carroccio the flight of the doves takes place, which is accompanied by the ringing of the martinella and by the sound of the clarions of the musicians of the Carroccio. Shortly after the supreme magistrate decrees, after drawing lots, the eliminatory batteries of the horse race. All the protagonists of this phase therefore leave the field in order to allow the figurants of the Company of Death, just before the horse race, to re-propose the charge that was made, according to legend, by the military team led by Alberto da Giussano in the final stages of the battle of Legnano.
=== The horse race ===The culminating moment of the palio is the horse racing with bareback riding which, as already mentioned, takes place in the city stadium. The race, in which the eight historic contrade participate, is disputed in the late afternoon of the last Sunday of May.
The horse race, which takes place on sandy terrain, begins with two eliminatory heats, each of which takes in four contrade. In these eliminatory batteries the jockeys of the contrade must perform 4 turns of the ring, each of which measures about 240 meters. The final that assigns the palio, which is entered by the first two classifieds of each drum, includes 5 laps of the ring. The horse race can also be won by a horse that remains without the jockey's mount during a race, as long as it does not violate the regulation. As for the jockeys, the regulation does not specify any limitation on their choice by the contrade.
The composition of the batteries and the order of arrangement of the horses at the rope (from the closest to the fence to the most external), as already mentioned, are defined by a draw that takes place before the race. The one who starts the horses in the eliminatory heats and in the final is the mossiere (or the starter of horse race), who is invested with his role by the Cavaliere del Carroccio and who decrees the departure with the lowering of the rope.
On the evening of Friday before the horse race the so-called provaccia takes place, that is a race that is disputed with the same regulation of the palio in which the emerging or local jockeys participate. The provaccia, which is dedicated to Luigi Favari, former president of the organizing committee of the palio, is preceded by another horse race which, this time, includes ponies ridden by very young jockeys. The provaccia was introduced in 1985 on the basis of the enthusiasm arising from the organization of the extraordinary edition of the 1980 Palio; in the first editions, at the Luigi Favari memorial, other sporting events were associated such as football matches and tug of war competitions. It was the provaccia itself that recorded the only victory of a horse that remained without the jockey's mount: in 2017 Legnarello won thanks to a horse without the jockey that was thrown off during the race. If a contrada wins, in the same year, both the palio and the provaccia, it is said that it has fatto cappotto (made a coat).
=== The symbols of victory ===The contrada winner of the horse race has the right to preserve, inside the church to which it refers, the cross of Aribert, that is a copper-embossed sculpture of 1936 work of the Legnanese craftsman Luciano Sai that reproduces, on a reduced scale, the original medieval cross; the latter, which was donated to the monastery of San Dionigi by Aribert, archbishop of Milan from 1018 to 1045, is kept in the museum of the Duomo in Milan. It was realized thanks to the contribution of the local industrialist Pino Mocchetti, captain of the Contrada Legnarello from 1935 to 1936.The copy of the medieval cross is kept by the winning contrada until the next edition of the palio. Also the official ceremony that gives the cross to the winning contrada is called translation of the cross: this event takes place solemnly on the evening of the Saturday following the palio.
Other symbols of victory are the pectoral cross, or a golden crucifix copy of the precious object placed on the Carroccio during the battle of Legnano, which is assigned to the captain of the winning contrada and which is returned shortly before the next palio; the victory band, or a white and red banner (the colors of the Legnano municipal coat of arms) which shows the date of victory in Roman numerals and which is delivered to the definitive winning contrada; the weight of silver, which is a precious sculpture of 1176 grams whose weight recalls the year of the battle (1176) and which is delivered to the outright winning contrada, being created every year by a different artist. The silver weight, whose shape changes every year, was introduced in 1992 and recalls a similar prize awarded to the winning contrada in the first editions of the palio.
By tradition, at the end of the horse race, the monument to the Warrior of Legnano is caparisoned in the colors of the winning contrada. The contrada that has not won the palio for the longest time is instead called Nonna (grandmother).
== Number of victories ==
13 - Contrada Sant'Erasmo (1937, 1939, 1958, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2014)
13 - Contrada Legnarello (1936, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1965, 1966, 1983, 1989, 1991, 2015, 2017, 2023 and 2024)
12 - Contrada San Magno (1963, 1971, 1973, 1979, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2011 and 2022)
9 - Contrada San Bernardino (1956, 1959, 1961, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1995 and 2007)
9 - Contrada La Flora (1938, 1960, 1997, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2018 and 2021)
7 - Contrada San Domenico (1935, 1972, 1981, 1984, 1996, 2013 and 2019)
6 - Contrada Sant'Ambrogio (1962, 1968, 1986, 1988, 2004 and 2012)
5 - Contrada San Martino (1957, 1967, 1992, 2003 and 2016)
=== Last winner ===
Contrada Legnarello (2024)
== Gallery ==
Battle of Legnano
Contrade of Legnano
Legnano
Palio
== Notes ==
=== Citations ===
== Bibliography ==
(in Italian) Autori vari, Il Palio di Legnano : Sagra del Carroccio e Palio delle Contrade nella storia e nella vita della città, Banca di Legnano, 2015.
(in Italian) Giorgio D'Ilario, Egidio Gianazza, Augusto Marinoni, Legnano e la battaglia, Edizioni Landoni, 1976.
(in Italian) Giorgio D'Ilario, Egidio Gianazza, Augusto Marinoni, Marco Turri, Profilo storico della città di Legnano, Edizioni Landoni, 1984
(in Italian) Giorgio D'Ilario, Sagra del Carroccio - Palio delle Contrade, Tipotecnica, 2000.
(in Italian) Gabriella Ferrarini, Marco Stadiotti, Legnano una città, la sua storia, la sua anima, Telesio editore, 2001.
(in Italian) Elena Percivaldi, I Lombardi che fecero l'impresa. La Lega Lombarda e il Barbarossa tra storia e leggenda, Ancora Editrice, 2009, ISBN 978-88-514-0647-9.
== External links ==(in Italian) Official website of Palio di Legnano
(in Italian) Official website of Collegio dei Capitani e delle Contrade |
439 | 36,817,830 | 0 | Palio di Parma | Italy | The Palio di Parma is a festival that is held once a year in the northern Italian town of Parma, and traces back to the ancient Scarlet Run. The Palio is normally hold on the third weekend of September.
== History ==
The origin of this festival can be reconducted to 1314 as reported by Giovanni Del Giudice in the Chronicon Parmense, talking about a festival hold to honour the engagement between Giberto III Da Correggio, ruler of Parma from 1303 to 1316, and Engelenda Rossi, also called Maddalena Rossi di San Secondo daughter of Guglielmo Rossi and Donella da Carrara rulers of Padova. This brought to an end of the several fight among their noble families wanting to dominate Parma. On that day, all the enemy families of Giberto Da Correggio were allowed to return in Parma, and even some prisoners gained back freedom. The games consisted in several competition with medieval weapons and horses.
The festival was held every year on 15 August, from the fourteenth century to Napoleon's arrival in the nineteenth century.
== Nowadays ==
Starting from 1978 the competition was brought to a new life. The town is divided in 5 different areas called Porte, referring to its ancient gates. Each of them forms a different team. There are 3 running competitions, one for men, one for women and one for children riding donkeys. In each of them the porte try to win a painting showing one of the monuments of the town and Holy Mary, protector of Parma.
== Porte ==
=== Winning porta ===
== Notes ==
== External links ==
Official site |
440 | 1,044,491 | 0 | Palio di Siena | Italy | The Palio di Siena (Italian: [ˈpaːljo di ˈsjɛːna]; known locally simply as Il Palio; from Latin pallium) is a horse race held twice each year, on 2 July and 16 August, in Siena, Italy. Ten horses and riders, bareback and dressed in the appropriate colours, represent ten of the seventeen contrade, or city wards, in a tradition dating back to the 17th-century. The Palio held on 2 July is named Palio di Provenzano, in honour of the Madonna of Provenzano, a Marian devotion particular to Siena which developed around an icon from the Terzo Camollia area of the city. The Palio held on 16 August is named Palio dell'Assunta, in honour of the Assumption of Mary.
Sometimes, in case of exceptional events or local or national anniversaries deemed relevant and pertinent ones, the city community may decide for an extraordinary Palio, run between May and September, such as on 9 September 2000, to celebrate the city entering the new millennium and on 20 October 2018, in commemoration of the centenary of the end of the Great War.
The Corteo Storico, a pageant to the sound of the March of the Palio, precedes the race, which attracts visitors and spectators from around the world.
The race itself, in which the jockeys ride bareback, circles the Piazza del Campo, on which a thick layer of earth has been laid. The race is run for three laps of the piazza and usually lasts no more than 90 seconds. It is common for a few of the jockeys to be thrown off their horses while making the treacherous turns in the piazza, and indeed, it is not unusual to see riderless horses finishing the race. A horse is not required to have a rider to win the race.
== History ==
=== Origins ===
The earliest known antecedents of the race are medieval. The town's central piazza was the site of public games, largely combative: pugna, a sort of many-sided boxing match or brawl; jousting; and in the 16th century, bullfights. Public races organized by the contrade were popular from the 14th century onwards; called palio alla lunga, they were run across the whole city.
When the Grand Duke of Tuscany outlawed bullfighting in 1590, the contrade took to organizing races in the Piazza del Campo. The first such races were on buffalo-back and called bufalate; asinate, races on donkey-back, later took their place, while horse racing continued elsewhere. The first modern Palio (called palio alla tonda to distinguish it from the earlier palio alla lunga) took place in 1633.
=== A second Palio in August ===
At first, one race was held each year, on 2 July. A second, on 16 August, was added from 1701, though initially, the August race was run intermittently rather than every year. The August race (il palio dell'Assunta), which coincided with the Feast of the Assumption, was probably introduced spontaneously as part of the feasting and celebration associated with this important festival. The date 16 August was presumably chosen because the other days of the mid-August canonical festival, the 14th and 15th of the month, were already taken up respectively by the Corteo dei Ceri (Procession of the Ceri) and by the census.
The August Palio started out as an extension of the celebrations of the July Palio and was organized and funded by July's winning contrada, though only if the contrada in question could afford it. After 1802, however, organisation and funding the August race became a central responsibility of the city, which removed annual uncertainty over whether or not an August Palio would run. It has been held at least since 15 August 1581 when 15-year-old jockey Virginia Tacci was the first female to ride a steed in the race.
=== Restriction ===
In 1729, the city's Munich-born governor, Violante of Bavaria, defined formal boundaries for the contrade, at the same time imposing several mergers so that the number of Sienese contrade was reduced to seventeen. This was also the year of the decree restricting to ten the number of contrade that could participate in a Palio; the restriction, which remains in force, resulted from the number and extent of accidents experienced in the preceding races.
== The seventeen contrade ==The seventeen contrade are: In each race, only ten of the seventeen contrade participate: the seven which did not participate in the previous year's Palio and three others chosen by drawing lots.
== The race today ==
The first race (Palio di Provenzano) is held on 2 July, which is both the Feast of the Visitation and the date of a local festival in honour of the Madonna of Provenzano (a sculpture of the Virgin Mary once owned by the Sienese leader Provenzano Salvani, which was supposed to have miraculous curative power). The second race is held on 16 August (Palio dell'Assunta), the day after the Feast of the Assumption, and is likewise dedicated to the Virgin Mary. After exceptional events (e.g., the Apollo 11 Moon landing) and on important anniversaries (e.g., the centennial of the Unification of Italy), the Sienese community may decide to hold a third Palio between May and September. The most recent was in 2018 to celebrate the anniversary of the end of WWI.
The field consists of ten horses, so not all seventeen contrade can take part in the Palio on any occasion. The seven contrade that did not take part in that month of the previous year are automatically included; three more are chosen by draw (twice a year, in the last days of May and at the beginning of July). Private owners (among them, some jockeys) offer the pick of their stables, selected during the year after trial races, other Palio races in Italy and veterinary examination, from which main representatives of the participating contrade, the Capitani, choose ten of approximately equal quality, three days before the race. A lottery then determines which horse will run for each contrada. Six trial races are run, the first on the evening of the horse selection and the last on the morning before the Palio. Corruption (bribery) is commonplace, prompting the residents of each contrada, known as contradaioli, to keep a close watch on their stable and their rider. The horses are of mixed breed; no purebred horses are allowed.The race is preceded by a spectacular pageant to the sound of the March of the Palio, the Corteo Storico, which includes (among many others) Alfieri, flag wavers, in medieval costumes. Just before the pageant, a squad of carabinieri on horseback, wielding swords, demonstrate a mounted charge around the track. They take one lap at a walk, in formation, and a second at a gallop that foreshadows the excitement of the race to come, before exiting down one of the streets that leads out of Piazza del Campo. Spectators arrive early in the morning, eventually filling the centre of the town square, inside the track, to capacity; the local police seal the entrances once the festivities begin in earnest. Seats ranging from simple bleachers to elaborate box seats may be had for a price, but sell out long before the day of the race.
At 7:30 p.m. for the July race, and 7 p.m. for the August race, the detonation of an explosive charge echoes across the piazza, signaling to the thousands of onlookers that the race is about to begin. The race itself runs for three laps of the Piazza del Campo, the perimeter of which is covered with several inches of dirt (imported and laid for the occasion at great expense to the city) and the corners of which are protected with padded crash barriers for the occasion. The jockeys ride the horses bareback from the starting line, an area between two ropes. Nine horses, in an order only decided by lot immediately before the race starts, enter the space. The tenth, the rincorsa, waits outside. When the rincorsa finally enters the space between the ropes the starter (mossiere) activates a mechanism that instantly drops the canapo (the front rope). This process (the mossa) can take a very long time, as deals have usually been made between various contrade and jockeys that affect when the rincorsa moves—he may be waiting for a particular other horse to be well—or badly-placed, for example.On the dangerous, steeply canted track, the riders are allowed to use their whips (in Italian, nerbi, stretched, dried bulls' hide) not only for their own horse, but also for disturbing other horses and riders. The Palio in fact is won by the horse who represents his contrada, and not by the jockeys. The winner is the first horse to cross the finish line—a horse can win without its rider (a condition known as cavallo scosso). A horse can also win without its decorative headgear (spennacchiera), although the opposite belief is widely held even among the Sienese. The loser in the race is considered to be the contrada whose horse came second, not last.
The winner is awarded a banner of painted silk, or palio, which is hand-painted by a different artist for each race. The enthusiasm after the victory, however, is so extreme that the ceremony of attribution of the palio is quite instantaneous, being the first moment of a months-long celebration for the winning ward. There are occasional outbreaks of violence between partisans of rival contrade.
There may be some danger to spectators from the sheer number of people in attendance. There have also been complaints about mistreatment of horses, injuries and even deaths, especially from animal-rights associations and even from some veterinarians. In the Palio held on 16 August 2004, the horse for the contrada of Bruco (the Caterpillar) fell and was badly trampled, as the race was not stopped despite possible additional safety risks for other horses. The horse died of its injuries, raising further complaints from animal-rights organizations.
The Palio differs from normal horse races in that part of the game is for the wards to prevent rival contrade from winning. When a contrada fails to win, its historical enemy will celebrate that fact nearly as merrily as a victory of its own, regardless of whether adversarial interference was a deciding factor. Few things are forbidden to the jockeys during the race; for instance, they can pull or shove their fellows, hit the horses and each other, or try to hamper other horses at the start.
The most successful ward is Oca, the Goose, which has won 64 races (at least according to their records, which start from 1644), followed by Chiocciola, the Snail, with 51, and Tartuca, the Tortoise, with 46. Oca is also the contrada with the most wins in recent history (from 1900 to 2010) with 21 victories, followed by Selva, the Forest, with 18, and Drago, the Dragon, with 17.
Among jockeys, the most victorious of all time is Andrea Degortes, nicknamed Aceto ('Vinegar'), with 14 wins (from 1964 to 1996). Angelo Meloni, nicknamed Picino (active from 1897 to 1933) has the second in the number of wins with 13 successes, and Luigi Bruschelli, nicknamed Trecciolino (still active), has the third most of 12 wins (although he claims 13 victories, his horse won without him one year).
The most successful horses were Folco and Panezio with eight wins each, followed by Topolone with seven.
In recent history (from 1900 to the present), only three wards have succeeded in winning both the July and the August races in a single year (the term in Italian is fare cappotto) with the same jockey. Tartuca (the Tortoise) accomplished the feat in 1933 with jockey Fernando Leoni (nicknamed Ganascia) on Folco. In 1997, Giraffa (the Giraffe) won both races, with jockey Giuseppe Pes, nicknamed Il Pesse. In 2016, jockey Jonatan Bartoletti, on the mount Preziosa Penelope, won both the July and August races for Lupa (the She-wolf).
== Ritual and rivalry ==
The Palio di Siena is more than a simple horse race. It is the culmination of ongoing rivalry and competition between the contrade. The lead-up and the day of the race are invested with passion and pride. Formal and informal rituals take place as the day proceeds, with each contrada navigating a strategy of horsemanship, alliances and animosities. There are the final clandestine meetings among the heads of the contrade and then between them and the jockeys. There is the two-hour pageant of the Corteo Storico, and then all this is crowned by the race, which takes only about 75 seconds to complete. Although there is great public spectacle, the passions displayed are still very real.
The contrada that has been the longest without a victory is nicknamed nonna ('grandmother'). Civetta (the Owlet) had the title from 1979 until 2009, when it won 16 August race. Torre (the Tower) had this title for being without victory for 44 years (from 1961 to 2005), and Bruco (the Caterpillar) held the title for not winning over 41 years (from 1955 to 1996). Last nonna was Lupa (the She-Wolf), which has not had a victory since 2 July 1989, a period of 34–35 years, until July 2016, when it finally won, leaving now the nonna title to Aquila (the Eagle).
== Palio (Drappellone) ==The drappellone ('banner'), or palio, known affectionately as cencio ('the rag') in Siena, is the trophy that is to be delivered to the contrada that wins the Palio.
The palio is an elongated rectangular piece of silk, hand-painted by an artist for the occasion. It is held vertically on a black-and-white shaft halberd and topped by a silver plate, with two white and black plumes draped down the sides.
The palio, along with the plumes, remains the property of the contrada. The plate is returned to the city of Siena before the two Palii of the following year, after the date and the name of the victorious contrada are inscribed on its back. There is one silver platter for the Palio in July and another for the August Palio. The plates are replaced approximately every ten years.
The value of the banner is unique, because it represents a particular historical period of the city of Siena. The palii often reflect the symbols of the various governments that have presided at various times, including the crest of the grand duchy of Lorraine, the crest of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany, the crest of the Kingdom of Sardinia, symbols from Fascist Italy, and most recently, imagery of the Republic.
The process that an artist should follow in designing the palio is rigid: it must follow a precise iconography that includes some sacred symbols, as the July Palio is dedicated to the Madonna of Provenzano, and that of August to the Madonna of the Assumption. It must present the insignia of the city, those of the third part of the city, and the symbols or colors of the ten contrade participating in the race. There are, however, no limits regarding the style of the art. The palio is first presented at a press conference in the courtyard of the Podestà of the City Hall about a week before the race.
== Preparations throughout the year ==Although many activities take place within each contrada, the organization of the Palio is still the largest, since it is not just in two races each year. Each time, the festival itself runs for four days of events, the preparation for which lasts all year.
Beginning in early winter, the contrada leaders talk and develop strategies, making contacts with the jockeys and horse owners. These leaders prepare those who will race in the Piazza del Campo or take part in minor Palios elsewhere in nearby towns (la cosiddetta provincia) and bring them to training courses organized by the city in the spring.
The full activities of the Palio start to grow in momentum towards the end of May, with the drawing of lots of the three remaining contrade that will join the seven that have won the right to race. With districts and teams outlined, contrade begin to talk about deals (engagement of jockeys) and parties (secret pacts for the win), despite not knowing which horse they will draw in the lot.
About a week before the race, the palio (drappellone) itself is presented to the city, which has commissioned a local artist (in the case of the Palio of July) or internationally recognized artist (in the case of the Palio of August or a special Palio) to create the prize. Also at this time, visits occur to the horses which will be presented for the lottery.
In the first of the four days of the festival, the lottery is held to select which barbero (the term for 'racehorse' in the city of Siena and Tuscany) will go to which contrada. The stone race track around the square is covered with a layer of dirt composed of a mixture of tuff, clay and sand. Six trials are run, during which the riders have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with their horse and with the track itself, its sounds and rhythms of the race. The trials, Prova, are held the evening of the horse lottery and twice daily for the next two days. Attended by many tourists and contrada members in square, barriers are mounted on the outside of the track so no people may move in and out during the race. The children of the contrade are assembled in bleachers to sing closest to the city hall during the trials, but adults will sit there on the race day. Children are no longer allowed to stand in the middle of the piazza during the race, and can only view from a bleacher or window.
Among the events that mark the approach of the Palio are the rehearsal dinner, the mass of the jockeys and the blessing of the horse and jockey.
== Extraordinary Palios ==
An extraordinary Palio is a third Palio which may take place during the period between May and September and is associated with events or anniversaries of major importance for the community of Siena. The most recent extraordinary Palio was held in 2018. An extraordinary Palio on 9 September 2000 coincided with the advent of the new millennium and was won by Selva (Forest), by jockey Giuseppe Pes riding on the horse Urban II. Prior to this, the last extraordinary Palio was held on 13 September 1986 to celebrate the centenary of the abolition of the Balia and Biccherna governments.
In earlier times, the third Palio was a way to honor distinguished guests passing through or visiting Siena. Examples are the extraordinary Palio of 7 June 1676, during the visit to Siena of the wife of Prince Don Agostino Chigi, and that of 15 June 1673 (not considered official), honouring the visit to Siena of Cardinal Flavio Chigi. Even the Grand Duke of Tuscany requested another round of Palio, perhaps closer to the ordinary.
From the second half of the 19th century, extraordinary Palios began to be organized for celebration of special events, rather than illustrious visits. This was the case of a meeting of the Society of Sciences or the inauguration of important monuments (such as the inauguration of the monument to the fallen in the Battle of Curtatone and Montanara, on 29 May 1893). In 1896, they even ran four Palios, both ordinary and two extraordinary. The first extraordinary race was on 16 August, which is considered extraordinary because it was requested by the citizens as the original race was moved to 25 August due to transfer from Siena's VIII Corps, and the second was on 23 September for the inauguration of the monument to Giuseppe Garibaldi.
A third Palio, the Palio of Peace, was held in 1945 by popular acclaim to celebrate the end of World War II and was won by Gioacchino Calabro riding Rubacuori su Folco, for the contrada of Drago (Dragon). An extraordinary Palio was held in 1969 to commemorate the landing on the Moon by the Apollo 11 mission.
After 1945 the habit of running extraordinary palios to mark important centenaries emerged. A palio was held on 28 May 1950 to celebrate the five hundredth anniversary of the canonization of Saint Bernardine of Siena. On 5 June 1961 an extraordinary palio marked the centenary of unification. The most recent centenary palio, held on 20 October 2018, commemorated the ending of the First World War in 1918.
== Victories per contrada ==
== Controversy and equine security measures ==
For several years, the Palio has been the focus of numerous protests by animal-rights organizations, including the Anti-Vivisection League. Concerns include primarily race incidents causing falls, which in some cases have led to horses' deaths.
In 2011, these concerns resulted in Italy's tourism minister blocking the Palio from being nominated for listing in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.
The results of calculations on the percentage of accidents caused by the Palio vary depending on who makes them. According to the Anti-Vivisection League, a total of 48 horses have died from 1970 to 2007, an average of one dead horse per year. However, the calculations carried out by supporters of the Palio for the same period, which include all the tests held before the real race, give a rate of 2.05% of fatal accidents per ride.
Many rules governing the protection of animals have been developed and implemented only since the 1990s; supporters of the Palio stress that injuries have been drastically reduced since then.
In recent decades, the city of Siena has adopted a series of measures to ensure the protection of horses (and riders) before, during and after the race, but these measures are still judged insufficient by some animal welfare groups, who continue to seek abolition of the race. Among the measures taken include:A compulsory health check held by a commission appointed by the City Council and consisting of two surgeons
Serum chemistry analysis, introduced in May 1999 in order to confirm and verify what has always been required by the Rules, or the prohibition of administration of substances with stimulants and depressants and local anesthetics
Approval in 1999 the Protocol for the provision of incentives for the maintenance of the Palio horse and the establishment of the register of horses trained to run. A register of farmers was introduced in 2004, instead of half blood Arabian horses (deemed physically fit to travel) and a register of barriers
Building a track in the town of Mociano, identical in shape and slope to the Piazza del Campo. From March to June, in addition to Monticiano and Monteroni d'Arbia, the horses intended for the Palio train here.
Protections (formerly known as materassoni) present the curve of St. Martin in June 1999 set up a barrier of protection to high absorption in PVC, raising the parapet of the House and the curve of shirts introduction of safety for the emergency personnel of 118,
Intervention on the composition, method of implementation and monitoring of the layer of tuff
Care of horses that no longer run the Palio (due to age or injury) at the Equestrian Center of State Forestry, The Caggio, in the town of Radicondoli.
Alcohol test for jockeys by order of the Secretary of Health Francesca Martini.
== Photo gallery ==
== Feature films ==This is the race that is seen in:Palio by Alessandro Blasetti (1932)
La ragazza del Palio by Luigi Zampa (1957)
Bianco rosso celeste – cronaca dei giorni del Palio di Siena by Luciano Emmer (1963)
The Winds Rise, the first episode of the 1983 miniseries The Winds of War, ABC miniseries directed by Dan Curtis
Il bianco e il nero – Tutti i colori del Palio di Siena by Anton Giulio Onofri (2002)
The Last Victory by John Appel (2004)
Visioni di Palio by Anton Giulio Onofri (2004)
Piazza delle Cinque Lune by Renzo Martinelli (2006)
Quantum of Solace, the 22nd James Bond movie, directed by Marc Forster (2008)
Palio by Cosima Spender and John Hunt (2015)
== Notes ==
Ansano Ansanello Giovannelli
List of jockeys of Palio di Siena (with articles on Wikipedia in Italian)
Bravio delle botti of Montepulciano
The Girl who rode the wind by Stacy Gregg (featuring Palio and Palio of Peace also modern racing)
== External links ==The Palio Archived 7 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine (in English) The definitive English language site for all Palio Di Siena related information
Archive of the Palio di Siena I (in Italian) The Italian archive site includes access to short contemporary films of the Palio for 1930 and most subsequent years.
Archive of the Palio di Siena II (in English)
History of the Race (in Italian and English)
www.palio.be (in Dutch)
www.thepalio.eu (in English)
Siena - Map It Out! (in English) How to Survive a Day at the Palio
How to be more than a spectator (in English) |
441 | 71,212,040 | 0 | Palio Marinaro di San Pietro | Italy | The Palio Marinaro di San Pietro is a sporting event of historical re-enactment, established in 1955.
== History ==
The Palio founded in 1955 just like the Regatta of the Historical Marine Republics.
The Comune of Genoa equipped each of the coastal districts with a 22-palm regatta goiter boat, made of mahogany and cedar wood from Ligurian shipyards: there were 12, about 6.5 meters long and weighing about 300 kilograms, distinguished by a subsequent number, from Ponente to Levante. For each goiter boat there was a crew, strictly of the own rione, consisting of four rowers and a helmsman who guided the boat in the wake, or rowing standing up with two oars. The Sunday of the event, established each year, was the one immediately preceding or following the feast of San Peter and Paul.
There are 12 rioni that challenge in the regatta: Sant'Ilario (Purple), Nervi (Orange), Quinto (Light blue), Quarto (Gray), Sturla (Yellow), Vernazzola (Dark blue), Foce (Red / Blue ), Centro Storico (White / Yellow), Dinegro (White / Blue), Sampierdarena (White / Green), Sestri Pontente (White / Black) and Voltri (Green).
In origin, the Palio took place in the sea water space in front of the Foce beach, then very large, next to the church of San Pietro dedicated to the patron saint of fishermen. Subsequently, the construction of Piazzale Kennedy caused the competition venue to migrate to the waters in front of the San Nazaro bathing establishment.
In 1986 the wooden goiters were replaced by the current 5.5 meters long fiberglass goiters and weighing about 200 kilograms.
== The twelve rioni ==
Sant'Ilario (Purple)
Nervi (Orange)
Quinto (Light blue)
Quarto (Gray)
Sturla (Yellow)
Vernazzola (Dark blue)
Foce (Red / Blue)
Centro Storico (White / Yellow)
Dinegro (White / Blue)
Sampierdarena (White / Green)
Sestri Pontente (White / Black)
Voltri (Green)
== The historical parade ==
The historic parade is scheduled on the Saturday preceding Sunday's race.
== The race ==
The Palio takes place in the stretch of sea in front of the church of San Pietro at Foce, a district of Genoa.
The fiberglass goiters have a crew of four rowers and a coxswain in the race.
On 3 July 2022, only seven Genoese rioni: Sant'Ilario-Capolungo (purple), Nervi (orange), Quinto (light blue), Sturla-Vernazzola (blue), Foce (blue and red), Sestri Ponente (black and white) and Voltri (green) raced in the 62nd Palio Marinaro di San Pietro covering 1 nautical mile, composed of 6 turning points.
== The seven rioni ==
Sant'Ilario-Capolungo
Nervi
Quinto
Sturla-Vernazzola
Foce
Sestri Ponente
Voltri
== The trophy ==
The trophy Andrea Doria awarded the winning crew is a reproduction of the ancient door-knocker represent Neptune, from the Palazzo del Principe's northern entrance.
== Winners ==
Regatta of the Historical Marine Republics
Palio del Golfo
== External links ==
Il Palio di San Pietro |
442 | 51,907,640 | 0 | The Palio of Districts of Trento | Italy | The Palio of Districts of Trento (in Italian: Il palio delle Contrade di Trento) is a celebration in remembrance of the Battle of Calliano (1487) and takes place every year in September in the city of Trento, the capital of Trentino in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, a region of Northern Italy.
== Historical origin ==
The Palio is celebrated to remember the victory of the medieval Battle of Calliano, which ensued on the 10th August 1487 between the forces of the Republic of Venice and the combined forces of the Prince-Bishopric of Trento and of the County of Tirol in the hands of Sigismund of Habsburg, Archduke of Austria and ruler of Tirol from 1446 to 1490.
The forces of Trento and Tirol managed to defeat the soldiers of the Republic of Venice, under the command of Roberto Sanseverino d'Aragona (who died in the conflict) in the municipality of Pomarolo, near Calliano and Rovereto and 15 kilometres far from Trento.
== Program ==
The Palio of Districts of Trento consists in three days of festivity in the month of September, during which the eight districts (in Italian: contrade) of Trento engage in archery competitions. The tree-day festival is introduced by Il Corteggio (in English: The Court) and L'investitura dell'arciere (in English: The Investiture of the Archer) and ends with the delivery of La Feretra Imperiale to the archer of the winning District.
=== The Court ===
This event precedes the start of the celebrations and is a procession, in which around 500 people parade along the streets of the city centre, wearing medieval clothing representing the eight districts of Trento.
=== The Investiture of the Archer ===
The Investiture of the Archer occurs the day before the start of the Palio. In this occasion, each participating archer has to swear publicly in Piazza Duomo to be loyal to their own district. In turn, the archers receive the title of archer, their chosen battle name, the Tallero Stretto (official coin of the Palio) and three arrows to be used in the archery competitions.
This ceremony is officiated by a city official (usually the Mayor of Trento) and by the Prior of the Districts.
=== Archery competitions ===
The archers of the different districts face both ability and velocity trials from 15 meters. The final trial is contended by the three archers, who have achieved the highest scores in the first two trials.
=== The Imperial Feretra ===
The archer who wins the final trial obtains the Feretra Imperiale, the Palio, which is bestowed upon him by the Mayor of Trento.
=== Additional events ===
In the course of the festival, there are usually additional events, such as:Medieval Arts and Professions special Fair: a fair where medieval professions and skills are shown by local artisans and artists, who wear medieval clothing for the occasion.
Photographic Contest for Amateurs: a contest on a different topic for each edition of the Palio.
== Districts ==
The districts involved in the Palio are eight:Contrada Larga: it encloses Via Belenzani, Via delle Orne, Galleria Tirrena and Piazza Duomo. Originally, it was characterised by many towers and small forts. When these were removed, it acquired the present name (in English: Large District) to denote the new look: it was not narrow anymore, but rather wide.
Contrada San Benedetto: it encloses Via Oss Mazurana, Piazza Pasi, Piazza C. Battisti, Via Diaz, Passaggio San Benedetto and Via Malpaga. Its name refers to the now disappeared Church of San Benedetto and it was given in the 13th Century.
Contrada degli Orevesi: it encloses Via S. Pietro, Piazzetta Anfiteatro and Vicolo degli Orbi. In the past this was a district in which the majority of the shops were owned by orevesi (in English: goldsmiths). It was also known as the District of S. Pietro, due to the Church of San Pietro.
Contrada del Macello Vecchio: it encloses Via Mantova, Largo Carducci, Via del Simonino and Via Galileo Galilei. It is called District of the Old Slaughterhouse because in Largo Carducci, (also known as Piazza del Macello), the slaughter was carried out and the nearby shops were mostly owned by butchers.
Contrada Todesca: it encloses Via del Suffragio, Via San Marco and Piazza della Mostra. Its name, German District, is due to the fact that this part of the city was occupied by German people.
Contrada Santa Maria Maddalena: it encloses Via S. M. Maddalena, Via Livio Marchetti, Via Dietro Le Mura B, Via F. Ferruccio, Vicolo S. Maria Maddalena. Its name refers to the now disappeared Church of Santa Maria Maddalena.
Contrada Santa Maria: it encloses Via Cavour, Piazza S. M. Maggiore, Via Prepositura, Via delle Orfane, Via Torre Vanga, Via Zanella, Piazza Lainez and Via Pozzo. This district was also called District of the Orphans due to the presence of an Orphanage, which was at first dedicated to both males and females. Later on, though, it was for female orphans exclusively.
Borgo Antico San Martino: it encloses Via S. Martino, Via Torre d'Augusto, Largo N. Sauro, Via Malvasia, Via Manzoni and Piazza R. Sanzio. It takes its name from the Church of San Martino.
== Editions ==
In total, the Palio has been celebrated fifteen times, from 2000 to 2015. The fifteen editions are shown in the table below:In September 2016 the festival did not occur due mainly to insufficient private sponsors. The next edition is expected for September 1-2-3, 2017.
== Organising Association ==
The Palio of Districts of Trento is organised and promoted by the association Associazione Culturale Amici Città in collaboration with Comune di Trento, A. P. T di Trento, Autonomous Province of Trento and Autonomous Region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.
== External links ==
Associazione Culturale Amici Città |
444 | 6,485,492 | 0 | Rimini Meeting | Italy | The Meeting for Friendship Amongst Peoples (Italian: Meeting per l'amicizia fra i popoli), more commonly known as the Rimini Meeting (Italian: Meeting di Rimini), is an annual lay Catholic festival held every year in Rimini, Italy, in the last week of August.
Inaugurated in 1980, the Meeting is the flagship event of Communion and Liberation, an international association of the faithful. It is a significant event in domestic politics, attracting high-profile guest speakers, and receives notable coverage in the Italian press.
== Overview ==
The Rimini Meeting is held annually in the last week of August at Rimini Fiera. The weeklong festival includes talks, debates, workshops, exhibitions, sporting, musical and literary events, and other sessions. Each edition revolves around a theme that is chosen to inspire open reflection and dialogue.
In 2022, the Rimini Meeting attracted 80,000 visitors, with a further 720,000 online attendees.
=== Venue and organisation ===
The first edition of the Rimini Meeting took place in 1980, at the site of the old Rimini Fiera. The Meeting moved to the new Rimini Fiera after its completion in 2001.
In March 2008, the Meeting for Friendship Amongst Peoples Association, which was constituted in December 1980 to organise the Meeting, became a foundation. Over 3,000 volunteers work during the Meeting to stage, operate, and dismantle it.
=== Political and cultural significance ===The Rimini Meeting is a significant event in Italian culture and politics, often attracting high-profile guest speakers and notable press coverage. Previous speakers include Pope John Paul II, Mario Draghi, Staffan de Mistura, and Tony Blair.
The 2022 Meeting included an early debate in the run-up to the 2022 general election and was attended by figures from major political parties: Giorgia Meloni, Matteo Salvini, Enrico Letta, Ettore Rosato, Antonio Tajani, and Carlo Calenda. Ten ministers of the Meloni government attended the 2023 edition, including Salvini, Tajani, and Giancarlo Giorgetti. The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, spoke on the final day of the Meeting.
In previous years, national television channels, including the public broadcaster RAI, have broadcast some sessions of the Rimini Meeting, including the Sunday Mass on Rai 1, RAI's flagship television channel.
== Fraud investigation ==
In December 2012, the public prosecutor's office in Rimini charged the general manager, lead administrator and an account of the Meeting for Friendship Amongst Peoples Foundation with fraud, and seized one million euros from the foundation. An investigation by the Guardia di Finanza found that the foundation had presented false loss-making balance sheets to obtain 310,000 euros of public funding for the 2009 and 2010 editions of the Rimini Meeting: such funds can only be disbursed to organisations not making profits. The public agencies involved included Emilia-Romagna's regional council, Rimini's tourist marketing agency, the local Chamber of Commerce, and the Ministry of Culture. The group was acquitted in March 2016.
== External links ==
Official site of Meeting for friendship among peoples Archived 2007-05-26 at the Wayback Machine |
445 | 2,088,553 | 0 | Sagra (festival) | Italy | In Italy, a sagra (pl.: sagre) is a local festival, very often involving food, and frequently a historical pageant and sporting events: when the sporting event is a historical recreation as well, such as a joust or a horse race in costume or armour, it is called a palio.
== Overview ==
The various sagre almost always have their origins in old country fairs or similar entertainments, but many of them now aim at visitors or even foreign tourists, and some, like the Quintana of Foligno, had lapsed for many years but have been recently revived.
A sagra is often dedicated to some specifics of local food, and the name of the sagra includes that food; for example: Festival delle Sagre astigiane, a Sagra della Rana (frog) at Casteldilago near Arrone, a Sagra della Cipolla (onion) at Cannara, a Sagra della Melanzana ripiena (stuffed eggplant) at Savona, a Sagra della Polenta at Perticara di Novafeltria, a Sagra del Lattarino at Bracciano, a Sagra del Frico at Carpacco-Dignano and so on. Among the most common sagre are those celebrating olive oil, wine, pasta and pastry of various kinds, chestnuts, and cheese.
Patronal festival
Verbena (fair)
== External links ==
Comprehensive list of all local festivals in Italy (in Italian)
Editorial selection of the best festivals and events of local products in the Italian territory (in Italian) |
446 | 5,054,995 | 0 | Trionfo | Italy | Trionfo (Italian: [triˈoɱfo]) is an Italian word meaning triumph, also triumphal procession, and a triumphal car or float in such a procession. The classical triumphal procession for victorious generals and Emperors known as the Roman Triumph was revived for Entries by rulers and similar occasions from the Early Renaissance in 14th and 15th-century Italy, and was a major type of festival, celebrated with great extravagance. The cars are shown as open-roofed, many clearly utilitarian four-wheeled carts dressed-up for the occasion. Others were two-wheeled chariots. In art, they might be pulled by all sorts of exotic animals.
Another specialized sense of the word was an elaborate sugar sculpture; these decorated tables on important occasions in the Renaissance and Baroque periods, especially in Italy and France. Eventually they were replaced by the silver surtout de table or porcelain centrepieces.
The word may derive from a call of triumph during antique triumphal processions: Io triumpe.
== Art and literature ==
Triumphs were described in literature, the cars often carrying classical gods or personified virtues, with Petrach's Triomphi (1374) being extremely influential, for example on Hypnerotomachia Poliphili (1499). This had woodcut illustrations, and such scenes were very popular in art, perhaps culminating in the enormous woodcut Large Triumphal Carriage by Albrecht Dürer (1522), a triumphal car carrying the Emperor Maximilian that is the climax of the Triumphs of Maximilian (several artists). The Triumphs of Caesar by Andrea Mantegna (by 1492) were also very influential.
== Other ==
The Italian sculptor Giuseppe Cassioli named his Olympic medal design Trionfo. First used in 1928, the design was used for Summer Olympic Games until it was replaced at the 2004 Olympic Games.
== Notes ==
Strong, Roy, Feast: A History of Grand Eating, 2002, Jonathan Cape, ISBN 0224061380
== External links ==
Material to triumphal processions |
447 | 38,760,458 | 0 | Varia di Palmi | Italy | The Varia di Palmi is a Catholic festival that takes place on the last Sunday of August, in Palmi, Italy, in honor of the city's patron saint and protector, the Virgin Mary, known as Our Lady of the Sacred Letter. The event is the most important festival in the Calabria region.
The Varia is a huge holy wagon that represents the Universe and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Above the sacred chariot, 200 mbuttaturi (carriers) carry 16 metres (52 ft) tall human figures: Animella (child representing the Virgin Mary) and human figures representing Padreterno God, the apostles, and angels. The entire structure weighs 20 tonnes (20 long tons; 22 short tons).
The event includes a procession the day before, displaying the painting of Our Lady of the Sacred Letter and the shrine of the sacred hair.
The event is part of a network of Celebrations of big shoulder-borne processional structures, inserted in 2013 in the list of UNESCO Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. In addition, the Istituto Centrale per la Demoetnoantropologia (Central Institute of Demoethnoanthropology) in Rome cataloged the event as intangible heritage of the regions of Italy and Rome. Palmi organizes the festival under the patronage of the Province of Reggio Calabria, Calabria and religious institutions.
The origins of the festival date back to 1582, when the Senate of Messina gave a hair of the Virgin Mary to the town of Palmi, in gratitude for the aid provided to the Sicilian town during a plague. As a result of this gift, Palmi Messina imported the tradition of celebrating the Assumption of Mary with a votive chariot that represents the event.
Since 1900, the Varia has had several awards, including the cover of an issue of La Domenica del Corriere, a postage stamp produced by Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato and combined with a national lottery.
The event has been the subject of documentaries and profiles broadcast on Rai 3 (2009) and Rete 4 (2006), as well as live broadcasts on local stations and satellite.
== Photo gallery ==
Varia di Palmi at Google Books Giuseppe Maria Viscardi e Paule Lerou, Popular piety in Italy, Calabria Volume I, ed. Letouzey & Ané, Paris 1996. ISBN 889001380X
Lovecchio Francesco, The Varia – history and tradition, ed. GolemSoftware, 2000 – ISBN 8887455031
== External links ==History of Varia di Palmi (in Italian) |
448 | 1,061,790 | 0 | Venetian Festival | Italy | Venetian Festival is the name of a festival held in cities in Europe and North America. They are based on carnival, or carnevale, the period just before Lent, as celebrated in the 17th century in Venice, Italy. Venetian festivals re-create the fantasy of the earlier events with food, costumes, masks, music, theater, juggling and other spectacles. The masks and costumes are worn by people who often travel from other countries to attend and perform (or parade) in these festivals. The elaborate costumes and masks are handmade by artisans from various countries. Many involve male and female or group versions and are based on old Venetian characters and costumes.
In the U.S., A Venetian Festival is held in Charlevoix, Michigan which started in 1930. There is also a Venetian Festival held in Saugatuck, Michigan.
Another Venetian Festival, in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, has been run by the Lake Geneva Jaycees since 1962.
A Venetian Festival was formerly held annually on the third weekend of July at Silver Beach County Park in St. Joseph, Michigan, a small town on the coast of Lake Michigan in the southwest part of the state. It started in 1979, and grew from a handful of people to nearly 200,000 visitors at the end. Once a two-day event on Friday and Saturday, this festival eventually ran from Thursday through Sunday and featured a variety of amusements. It was discontinued after the 2011 festival. |
449 | 14,318,148 | 0 | VIEW Conference | Italy | VIEW Conference is a computer graphics event in Italy and is held yearly in Turin, between October and November. Topics represented at the event include interactive techniques, digital cinema, 3D animation, gaming and VFX.
The event spans several days and includes sessions open to the public. The conference includes several international speakers from various sectors within the computer graphics field who present their work to the attendees as well as Master Classes and theory lessons taught by experts.
== History ==
The event was created in 2000 as Virtuality Conference. It changed its name for its eighth edition, in 2007, adopting the acronym VIEW, meaning Virtual Interactive Emerging World. The content of the conference has changed and evolved over the years as well. While still focusing on virtual reality, the VIEW Conference now includes emerging digital technology and applications including animation, special effects, virtual architecture, and videogames. Speakers of the various editions include Grant Major, Scott Farrar, Roger Guyett, John Knoll, Alvy Ray Smith, Glen Keane, Byron Howard, Brad Lewis, Walter Murch, Mike Mitchell and Walt Dohrn.
In 2005 the VIEW Conference established the VIEW Award, an international award for 3D animated and VFX short films, targeted to students, artists and filmmakers. As of 2016 the award has five categories, Best Short, VIEW Social Contest ( aimed at involving visual artists, designers and computer graphics lovers with works using 2D/3D animation and/or VFX focusing on themes of social relevance), View Game Award, VIEWTube Video Award and Italianmix.
SIGGRAPH
VIEW Fest
Computer Graphics
3D Cinema
== External links ==
Official website
VIEWFest
Ultify |
466 | 73,866,232 | 0 | A Maze | Germany | A Maze (stylized as A MAZE.) is an international series of events celebrating independent and arthouse games, immersive media and digital culture. Founded in 2008 by artistic director Thorsten Wiedemann, A MAZE hosts the International Games and Playful Media Festival, held annually in Berlin since 2012, which feature annual awards and prizes for games and digital works.
== History ==
A MAZE was launched by founder and artistic director Thorsten Wiedemann in Berlin in 2008. Wiedemann stated the event began at a local bar to showcase games and digital art, with the event expanding in 2012 to the first festival, Indie Connect, coinciding with the International Games Week Berlin. The festivals are not primarily commercial and aim to celebrate games and digital culture as not only a product but a medium of expression. In following years, the festival was also co-held in Johannesburg from 2012 to 2017. In 2019, A MAZE experienced financial difficulties following the decision by the German Senate Department of Culture to discontinue funding for the program. Following this decision, the festival organisers launched a successful campaign on Kickstarter to partially fund the event in November 2019. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the event transitioned to a digital experience titled A MAZE ./ SPACE, hosting an online multiplayer showroom.
== Awards ==
A MAZE Festival events feature awards and prizes decided by an independent jury. The festival awards features an open-ended selection criteria beyond traditional video games, with eligibility extended to interactive fiction and digital art. Nominees are judged by a selection committee, with submitted works reviewed and rated on innovation, potential, interdisciplinarity, social, cultural and political impact, aesthetics and overall awesomeness. A shortlist of games is then reviewed by a final jury of five to select award winners, including the winner of the previous year. Winners of each category receive a €1000 prize, with the main 'Most Amazing Award' prize winner receiving €2000.
== Further reading ==
Bojaryn, Jan (17 May 2015). A Maze 2015 in Berlin - Spiele zum Staunen. GameStar.
Reinhard, Claudia (11 May 2023). A Maze Festival: Hier muss man hin, auch wenn man mit Spielen nichts am Hut hat. Berliner Zeitung (in German).
Patsch, Sabrina (6 May 2023). Arthouse Games: Das A Maze Festival zeigt die Vielfalt der Games-Kultur. Der Tagesspiegel Online (in German).
== External links ==
Official website |
467 | 64,959,484 | 0 | B3 Biennial of the Moving Image | Germany | The B3 Biennial of the Moving Image (German: B3 Biennale des bewegten Bildes) is a cross-media moving image festival in Frankfurt, Germany. It features films, media art, games, and artistic confrontations with VR, AR and MR by international artists and creative minds. The main focus of the biennial is on the international discourse on the moving image and the developments in storytelling in the digital age.
As a successor to eDIT Filmmaker’s Festival in Frankfurt, it has been held at various venues in Frankfurt since 2013 – initially every other year, since 2019 annually. In 2019, B3 took place for the first time in collaboration with the culture festival THE ARTS+ at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
In addition to films and exhibits, there are lectures, panel discussions, workshops and an awards ceremony where works from all moving image categories compete for the B3 BEN Award.
The exhibits shown in the past include:2013: a six meter wide dome for 360-degree FullDome-video projections at Weißfrauen-Diakoniekirche
2015: world premiere of the split screen video The Wall – The Vertical Horizon by Rotraut Pape, realized over the course of 25 years
2017: a 110-meter-long panorama on the facade of Städtische Bühnen Frankfurt featuring the video installation The Great Farce by Federico Solmi
2020: the entire biennial was virtual and all talks (e.g. with Terry Gilliam, Atom Egoyan etc.) were streamed in a specifically created online format. Host like Johannes Grenzfurthner led through the multi-day virtual event.
The B3 is hosted by the Hochschule für Gestaltung Offenbach am Main (University of Art and Design Offenbach). Its artistic director is the president of the university, Prof. Bernd Kracke.
== History ==The festival start of the Biennial of the Moving Image was 2013 with its theme Expanded Narration. The B3 festival strives to explore the expansion of narration and storytelling in art, games, cinema, TV series, immersion and transmedia. 2013, eleven awards were offered: B3 Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award, BEN Grand Prize, BEN Young Talent Award, and Ultrashort #B3expandednarration and #B3live. The first B3 Main Award was given to Laurie Anderson.
In 2015, the B3 explored the theme Expanded.Senses. Art Body Communication. It focused on art, film, TV, games, web, design, and science and cooperated with the Gamescom and the Central Academy of Fine Arts Beijing (CAFA). The cooperation with the CAFA was formative for the festival. In June 2015, 60 contemporary Chinese artists were presented in the exhibition B3+Beijing: Moving in Time. 10 of these artists were presented at the B3 Biennial in Frankfurt. The ten award winners of the exhibition were represented at the Biennial in Frankfurt. The main B3 BEN Award went to Brian Eno.
In 2017, the Biennial attracted around 43,000 visitors. It focused its exhibitions, filmscreenings and conference program on the four main themes art, film, games and VR/AR/MR. The 110-meter-wide media art work The Great Farce received a particularly large media response. Its creator is Frederico Solmi.
In 2019, the B3 Festival focused on art, film, games, AR/VR/MR, AI and immersive video environments. In this year, the main exhibition was held in cooperation with THE ARTS+. The main exhibition as well as the Presentation of the B3 BEN Award took place at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The second venue, the VR_PARK, filmscreenings and VR-Works with a focus on political commentary and personal lifeworlds were presented.
In 2020, the B3 Biennial had to be held as a hybrid format with its guiding theme Truths due to corona. This year, works in the categories Film, Art, Games and XR were presented. XR, Extended Reality, is a generic term for Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality. The opening ceremony as well as the B3 BEN Awards and the film award ceremonies were streamed from the Astor Film Lounge in Frankfurt. The film and conference program were held virtually.
== B3 BEN Award ==
The winners of the main awards from 2013 to 2020 are:Christa Sommerer & Laurent Mignonneau (2022)
Dardenne brothers (2022)
Oliver Stone (2021)
Hito Steyerl (2021)
Willem Dafoe (2020)
Steve McQueen (2019)
Jonas Mekas & Ingvild Goetz (2017)
Brian Eno (2015)
Laurie Anderson (2013)
The current categories of the B3 BEN Awards are:Lifetime Achievement Award
Most Influential Artist
Best Emerging Talent
Best VR/AR/MR Experience
Best Immersive and Time Based Art
Best Feature Film
Best Short Film
Best Documentary
As well as the B3 Rotraut Pape Inspiration Award.
== Trailer ==
B3 2022 Trailer
B3 2021 Teaser
B3 2020 Trailer
B3 2019 Trailer
B3 2017 Teaser
B3 2015 Trailer
B3 2013 Trailer
== Literature ==
Bernd Kracke/Marc Ries (Hrsg.): On Desire. Positionen zeitbasierter und immersiver Künste / Positions of time-based and immersive arts. transcript, 29 March 2018, 200 pages. ISBN 978-3-8376-4285-8
Bernd Kracke, Marc Ries (Hrsg.): Expanded Senses. New Conceptions of the Sensual, Sensorial and the Work of the Senses in Late Modernity. Frankfurt am Main, 2015. ISBN 978-3-8376-3362-7
Bernd Kracke, Marc Ries (Hrsg.): Expanded Narration. Das Neue Erzählen. transcript, 7 November 2013, 800 pages. ISBN 978-3-8376-2652-0
== External links ==
Official website
HFG Offenbach - Biennale des bewegten Bildes |
468 | 496,857 | 0 | Biikebrennen | Germany | The Biikebrennen (meaning bonfires in Northern Low Saxon), Biikebrånen (in North Frisian) or Pers Awten (meaning Saint Peter's Eve in South Jutish) is an annual bonfire night celebration held on 21 February in North Frisia, in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein and in Southern Jutland in Denmark.The origin of Biikebrennen is unclear but the roots of the festival stem from pagan times. The meaning has changed over time. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the event was especially associated with seafarers engaged in whaling. The ritual varies a little from location to location. At Biikebrennen, nearly all North Frisian towns, and many isolated farmhouses as well, light their own bonfires, known locally as biike, at or shortly after sunset to bid winter farewell.
Up Helly Aa (fire festivals held annually in the Shetland Islands)
Burgbrennen (very similar custom in Luxembourg)
Funkenfeuer (similar custom in Swabian-Alemannic area)
Feuerrad (similar custom in Westphalia, Hesse, Bavaria, Switzerland)
Hüttenbrennen (similar custom in the Eifel)
Osterfeuer (similar German custom at Easter)
Sechseläuten (similar Swiss custom in Zürich) |
469 | 10,615,142 | 0 | Brot und Spiele | Germany | Brot und Spiele (German for bread and games) is Germany's biggest Roman festival, annually held in Germany's oldest city, Trier. The festival takes place at two of the city's Roman monuments: the Amphitheatre hosts theatre performances that include many gladiator fights and the Imperial Baths are used to display the civil and military life in the vicus.
In 2006 the festival was one of the winners of the Germany – land of ideas award.
The 2007 festival was from 10 to 12 August 2007 and, as Trier celebrated the 'Constantine year', Constantine the Great played an important role as – the Gladiator Show dealt with gladiator fights and intrigues at his wedding in Trier (in the year 307) and the mystic night was inspired by the mysterious death of his wife Fausta.
In 2008 the festival took place from 15 to 17 August, the show in the amphitheatre will deal with an old legend from Trier: the deadly competition between the builder of the amphitheatre and the builder of the aqueduct.
== History ==
=== Beginnings at the Rheinisches Landesmuseum ===
The event Brot und Spiele took place for the first time on 12 and 13 July 1997. Under the motto Brot und Spiele – Antikes (Er)leben im Amphitheater, the Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier organised a large campaign weekend as part of the Rhineland-Palatinate cultural summer event series, which presented an ancient arena spectacle according to scientific findings.
On 12 July 1997, Roman legionnaires of Legio XXII Primigenia and Legio VIII Augusta entered through the Porta Nigra and then into the Trier amphitheater. There they reenacted scenes from the storming of the city wall, as they probably happened in Trier in AD 187.
On 13 July 1997, the spectacle took place with 50 actors based on a script by historians Wilfried Stroh and Marcus Junkelmann. After an entry, the official giving the game opened the gladiator games with a Latin speech and a sacrifice to the gods. There were exhibition fights, also with horses. Parallel to the event there was a special exhibition and a panel discussion in the State Museum.
=== Roman spectacle of the city ===
From 2002 to 2010, Germany's largest Roman spectacle took place in Trier every August. In 2011, the event took place in September for the first time. The range of events extended to four locations: The Spectaculum, a spectacle in connection with real gladiator fights, was performed against the historical backdrop of the amphitheater. From 2002 to 2005 the program was limited to gladiator fights by the Ars Dimicandi institute in Milan and acrobatic performances. Since 2006, the fights have been embedded in a historical staging that gave the overall event its title. Alexander Etzel-Ragusa was responsible for directing the productions, and he has also written the plays since 2007. Since 2009, the Spectaculum has been telling a sequel from the Arena zu Trier at the time of Emperor Mark Aurelius with recurring characters.
The majority of the imperial baths included the depiction of the civil and military Roman world. The tent camp on the vicus and the palaestra showed Roman handicrafts as well as art and medicine. Battle and combat presentations were staged on a parade ground in the palace garden. In the evening, during the Mystical Night, the underground passages of the Kaiserthermen were staged with sound and light installations as well as dance performances. Accompanying this, a Roman lounge with live music invited young people in particular to visit the thermal baths in the evening.
The Rheinisches Landesmuseum has been part of the event since 2010 and presented authentic Roman craftsmanship in the fabricae (Roman expression for workshops).
Important principles of the event were authenticity and knowledge transfer, for which the organizers worked together with experts on Roman antiquity. Visitors could actively contribute and participate on the event site. Every year around 20,000 people attended the spectacle, which in 2006 was honored as a selected place by the German Land of Ideas initiative. In 2011, Brot & Spiele took place for the first time in the month of September. The event has also been extended to four days.
After another deficit in 2012, the city of Trier decided to suspend Brot & Spiele in 2013. Mainly because the number of visitors was lower than expected, the city had to pay over 100,000 euros in subsidies for 2012, more than twice as high as originally planned.
== External links ==
Official Website (in German and English)
Interview with Musician Peter Merger, responsible for the 'Mystic Night' of the festival (in English) |
470 | 19,070,229 | 0 | Cranger Kirmes | Germany | The Cranger Kirmes is a funfair in Germany, located near the Rhine–Herne Canal in Crange in the city of Herne located in Metro Ruhr. It is the biggest funfair in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the second biggest fair in Germany, only behind the Munich Oktoberfest. In 2008 there were 4.7 million visitors. At an area of only 110,000 square metres (1,200,000 sq ft) and 500 show businesses it is called the most overcrowded fair of the world.
The fair is held annually for a period of 10 days from the first Friday in August. Visitor attractions include Ferris wheels, carousels, roller coasters, ghost trains, carnival games, food stalls, raffles and beer halls and gardens. On opening and closing day a fireworks show is presented.
== History ==
The exact year of the first fair is unknown. During the 15th century a market to sell wild horses from the nearby riparian forests of the Emscher was established in Crange to be held around St Lawrence's Day, 10 August. Over the years, dancers, prestidigitators, jugglers, fortune tellers, magicians and carnies joined and gradually outnumbered the horse dealers. When industrialisation and mining in the Ruhr district led to a substantial population increase in the area, annual visitor numbers to the Cranger Kirmes grew to about 4 million now.
The horse market of the Cranger Kirmes takes place each year on the Thursday before the fair.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there was no fair in 2020.
== External links ==
Media related to Cranger Kirmes at Wikimedia Commons
Official Cranger Kirmes website |
471 | 20,202,892 | 0 | Deutsches Turn- und Sportfest 1938 | Germany | The Deutsches Turn- und Sportfest (German Gym and Sports Celebration) was the last big sports event organized by the Nationalsozialistischer Reichsbund für Leibesübungen, the Sports governing body of the Third Reich. It took place in Breslau (now Wroclaw) the most important city of Silesia, now in Poland. The venue was staged in July 1938 at the city's Hermann Göring Stadium, later renamed Stadion Olimpijski, following the trademark grandiose style of the Nazi Sports Body.
This highly nationalistic sports event was officially commemorating the 125th anniversary of the historical German Wars of Liberation against Napoleon and the first award of the Iron Cross in the city of Breslau itself in 1813. It was staged as a grand patriotic, expansionist occasion, illustrating the clamor for a Greater Germany to the public. This event gathered German athletes brought from many different parts of the world, like Argentina, South West Africa, Italy, the US and South Africa. It also became a gathering of representatives of German ethnic minorities, mainly from Eastern Europe (Siebenbürgen, Banat) who staged processions dressed in their colorful folkloric costumes, a display of the Nazi Drang nach Osten policies.
Not only sports competitions and athletes' parades took place, but also numerous military, civil, and folklorical-costume processions in the mains streets of the city of Breslau.
== Symbolism of the event ==
The Deutsches Turn- und Sportfest was a highly political event, attended by many high-ranking Nazi officials.
The event was presided over by Reichssportführer (NSRL leader) Hans von Tschammer und Osten and the patron of the festival, Reich minister of the interior Wilhelm Frick. Adolf Hitler and other high-ranking personalities of the Third Reich attended the inaugural venue of the games. During this occasion Hitler gave a speech from the balcony of Hotel Monopol in Breslau.
The event and its celebration of Germanism, as well as the choice of Dr. Wilhelm Frick to lead it, was part of the creation of a war-preparation atmosphere by the Nazi state. Minister of the Interior Frick was the spearheader of Germany's rearmament in violation of the Versailles Treaty. His inaugural speech was full of war symbolism, setting the mood for the events that would culminate the following year with the invasion of nearby Poland, then just a few miles to the east of Breslau.
Viciously attacked and fanatically defended, the city of Breslau would suffer much destruction towards the end of World War II.
== Commemorative editions ==
The Post Office of the Reich issued special stamps and postcards to mark the occasion of the 1939 Breslau Games.
Volk in Leibesübungen (A people into Physical Exercise), a lavishly illustrated commemorative book on the Sportfest was published in Berlin the same year on behalf of the Reichssportführer Hans von Tschammer und Osten. The pictures of this volume were made by Heinrich Hoffman, Hitler's personal photographer.
== Results ==
Soccer competition results.
The overall winner was Gau Ostmark (Austria).
Final
30 July 1938 Breslau / Ostmark - Niedersachsen 4-1
Third place Play-off
30 July 1938 Breslau / Südwest (1) - Württemberg 5-0
Semifinals
28 July 1938 Breslau / Ostmark - Württemberg 2-0
28 July 1938 Breslau / Niedersachsen - Südwest 4-1
Final (Consolation tournament)
30 July 1938 Breslau / Sachsen - Mittelrhein 1-0
Semifinals (Consolation tournament)
29 July 1938 Breslau / Sachsen - Bavaria 2-1
29 July 1938 Breslau / Mittelrhein - Westphalia 2-1
Quarter-finals (Consolation tournament)
28 July 1938 Breslau / Sachsen - Brandenburg 2-1
28 July 1938 Breslau / Mittelrhein - Baden 5-2
28 July 1938 Breslau / Silesia - Bavaria 1-2
28 July 1938 Breslau / Westphalia - Mitte (2) 4-2
Preliminary round (Consolation tournament)
26 July 1938 Münsterberg / East Prussia - Sachsen 0-2
26 July 1938 Breslau / Mittelrhein - Pommern 6-0
26 July 1938 Brieg / Bavaria - Niederrhein 5-4
26 July 1938 Breslau / Westphalia - Nordmark (3) 4-2
Quarter-finals
26 July 1938 Breslau / Silesia - Ostmark 2-8
26 July 1938 Breslau / Niedersachsen - Brandenburg 3-1
26 July 1938 Breslau / Württemberg - Mitte 5-1
26 July 1938 Breslau / Südwest - Baden 4-3
Eight-finals
24 July 1938 Ratibor / Ostmark - Mittelrhein 3-0
24 July 1938 Liegnitz / Niedersachsen - Sachsen 2-0
24 July 1938 Neisse / Württemberg - Westphalia 3-0
24 July 1938 Waldenburg / Südwest - Bavaria 4-1
24 July 1938 Beuthen / Silesia - Pommern 6-4
24 July 1938 Frankfurt/O. / Brandenburg - East Prussia 3-0
24 July 1938 Görlitz / Mitte - Nordmark (3) 1-0 [aet]
24 July 1938 Schweidnitz / Baden - Niederrhein 4-3
Preliminary round
17 Jul 1938 Weimar / Sachsen - Hessen 4-3
(1) - Palatinate and Saarland. - (2) Thuringia, Anhalt and the Province of Saxony. - (3) Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg and Mecklenburg
Nationalsozialistischer Reichsbund für Leibesübungen
Lebensraum
Causes of World War II
== Notes and references ==
Eyewitness account of the time in Breslau
Information on sailing events (de)
Polish-German-English site on Wroclaw
== Further reading ==
Both of these books are propaganda material on the Nazi sports event in Breslau.Werner Gärtner, Volk in Leibesübungen. Deutsches Turn- und Sportfest, Breslau 1938. Published on behalf of the Reichssportführer Hans von Tschammer und Osten. Wilhelm Limpert Verlag, Berlin 1938.
Heinrich Hoffmann, Hitler bei dem Deutschen Turn- und Sportfest in Breslau 1938. Verlag Heinrich Hoffmann, Munich 1938. |
472 | 23,314,547 | 0 | Eurobest European Advertising Festival | Germany | The Eurobest Festival of Creativity (formerly the European Advertising Festival) is an annual event which celebrates and rewards creative excellence in creative communications, advertising and related fields in Europe.
The first Festival took place in Stockholm, Sweden, in December 2008, based on the Eurobest Awards, which were launched in 1988. It regularly moves to different host cities; in 2009, it took place in November at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In 2010, it takes place between 7 and 8 December in Hamburg, Germany.
In 2011, it was established the Festival would take place for three years at Cinema Sao Jorge in Lisbon. The third Eurobest in Lisbon took place from 4–6 December 2013.
In 2017, the Festival took place in London, United Kingdom.
The Festival is organised by the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, owned by British publisher and conference organiser Ascential.
== The Awards ==
Started in 1988, the Eurobest Awards honour creativity over 14 different entry sections: PR, Film, Print, Outdoor, Direct, Promo & Activation, Media, Interactive, Mobile, Radio, Design, Craft, Integrated and Branded Content & Entertainment.
Every year, all the work entered into the Awards is judged at the Eurobest Festival by panels of expert, high-profile jurors. They decide on an initial shortlist and then on which pieces should earn Grand Prix, Gold, Silver and Bronze trophies.
Winners are revealed each year at the Eurobest Awards Ceremony, which concludes the Festival.
== The Festival ==
Through a programme of seminars, workshops and events, sessions provide space for the industry to debate and be inspired by the latest thinking. They attract the continent's community of art directors, copywriters, media agency executives, clients, account managers, agency heads, producers and directors.
In 2009, speakers at the event included creatives from Taxi, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Facebook, Adidas, 180 Amsterdam, Microsoft Advertising, Tribal DDB, Wieden + Kennedy, Glue, Spotify, Leo Burnett, Naked, Hyper Island, AKQA, McDonald's and Wired.
For 2010, speakers include Bob Greenberg (R/GA Global Chief Creative Officer), Jonathan Harries (Draftfcb Global Chief Creative Officer), James Hilton (AKQA Chief Creative Officer), Linus Karlsson (Mother Executive Creative Director), Filip Nilsson (Forsman & Bodenfors Executive Creative Director), Marcello Serpa (AlmapBBDO Chief Creative Officer) and Fernando Vega Olmos (JWT Creative Chairman of Continental Europe and Latam).
In 2012, some of the speakers on stage included artist Niels Shoe Meulman, Bompas & Parr, Sir John Hegarty, Aardman Animation's Peter Lord and Martin Green, the Head of Ceremonies for London 2012.
== Young Creatives Competition ==
The Young Creatives competition provides an opportunity for young advertising and media talent (no older than 28 years) from the region to demonstrate their skills.
Teams of between two and four competitors have 48 hours to create an integrated advertising campaign for a charity or non-profit organisation.
== Editions ==
2008 Stockholm
2009 Amsterdam
2010 Hamburg
2011 Lisbon
2012 Lisbon
2013 Lisbon
2014 Helsinki
2015 Antwerp
2016 Rome
2017 London |
473 | 61,272,690 | 0 | Fischertag | Germany | The Fischertag (Fishermen's Day) is a traditional festival of the town of Memmingen. The town creek is fished out to be drained and cleaned, and at the same time the Fisherman's king is determined among almost 1,200 fishermen. Every year 30,000 to 40,000 people come to the festival as participants or spectators.
== History ==
The Fishermen's Day has its origins in the Middle Ages. Since 1465 the people of Memmingen have been fishing the town stream empty every year. Until 1955, the Fishermen's Day took place around Bartholomä day (24 August). Since 1955 it takes place (together with the children's festival) in the last week before the school summer holidays.
In former times the Memminger Ach served as irrigation and drainage system for the craftsmen. The tanners in particular needed the water to process the skins. At the same time, the stream was used to dispose of tannery waste, faeces and the remains from the slaughterhouses. Once a year it was drained to remove the rubbish from the stream bed and to renovate the bridges. Alternating between the guilds, the apprentices were allowed to fish the brook empty every year since the 16th century.
Around the turn of the century the festival was reorganised. This included the founding of the Fischertagsverein Memmingen e.V., to which the city entrusted the organisation of the Fischertag in 1919. Since 1980, the association is also organising the Wallenstein Festival for one week as the Great Fisherman's Day every four years in addition to the Fisherman's Day.
== Festival Schedule ==
The focus of the festival is fishing out the creek. On the evening before the Fishermen's Day at 18:00 the Stadtbüttel (bailiff), together with the Stadtgarde (historic city guards) in traditional costumes, announces the Fishermen's Day. A parade then leads through the old town to the Schrannenplatz, where the sculpture on the Fischerbrunnen (fisherman's fountain) is dressed. Until the early hours of the morning, the town's lanes and pubs are the scene of celebrations. Meanwhile, the night watchman walks through the old town with his sharp servants on the historic night watchman's path. Between three and six o'clock the hustle and bustle is ended by the closing hour.
Already from 6 o'clock in the morning the fishermen meet in the schoolyard in front of the Westertor. Every fisherman has to stamp his fishing card there. The fishermen's parade then departs at 7 am from there, accompanied by numerous chapels, through the streets to the Schrannenplatz. Here the head fisherman reads his poem, referring to what happened in the city during the last year, on a huge wooden barrel and. At about 7:50 a.m. the fishermen hurry to their place at the town stream.
The Kübelesträger (bucket carrier, most often the fisherman's wife) is the most important person next to the fisherman and is responsible for ensuring that the bucket for the caught fish is sufficiently filled with water. At eight o'clock the fishermen jucken (jump) into the town stream after a saluting gun shot and start fishing.
The goal of every fisherman is to catch at least one of the trouts. The fishermen and the spectators cheer a lot every time a trout is caught by someone. In order to preserve the centuries-old tradition, all fishermen must be born in Memmingen or have been registered with their first residence in the town for 5 years and be members of the Fischertagsverein. Furthermore, the participants must be in possession of the state fishing licence or have attended the association's internal fishing course and must behave appropriately when fishing. Fishing is only allowed with a stamped fishing card on the hat. Numerous supervisors pay attention to this.
The heaviest trout is determined at the scales in front of the Grand Guild on the market place and at the Frauenkirche. The fisherman that caught it will be crowned new fisherman's king in the city's stadium hall in the following Königsfrühschoppen (morning pint). His predecessor is deposed by kicking his ass with a loaf of bread, a radish and a glass of beer. The new Fisherman's King is then carried to the stage by the City Guard and a group of fishermen where he takes his seat on the birch throne. In addition, six fishermen with particularly beautiful clothing are selected in the morning and then awarded prizes here. In the evening at 18 o'clock the new fisher king is introduced to the spectators at another parade. In honour of the Fisher King, the Fishermen's Evening takes place, where various groups entertain the spectators with music and dance. During the festival, the Fishermen's Day Theatre is held in the Municipal Theatre.
The traditional fisherman's day song, the Schmotzmarsch, reads: Schmotz, schmotz, Dreck auf Dreck, Schellakönig, wüaschte Sau!. It was composed in 1903 by Mr. Ostermayer, the city's capellmeister at the time.
Every four years, the Wallenstein Festival begins in the city on the Sunday after the Fishermen's Day. That festival is regarded as the largest historical festival in Europe.
== External links ==
Fischertag on the city's tourism website
The official website of the Fischertagsverein Memmingen |
474 | 2,885,081 | 0 | Freimarkt | Germany | Freimarkt (lit. Free Fair) in Bremen, Germany, first held in 1035, is one of the oldest fairs in Germany. With more than four million visitors each year, it is also considered to be the biggest funfairs in Northern Germany.
It is celebrated for 17 days in the last two weeks of October, somewhat extended from Friday to Sunday. The area covers approximately 100,000 square meters on two areas: the so-called Kleiner Freimarkt (lit. Small Free Fair) on the market square, and the main area at the Bürgerweide adjacent to the Main Station and the Exhibition Center.
The highlight is the Freimarktsumzug (lit. Free Fair Procession) held on the second Saturday of the festival. The traditional exclamation for the Freimarkt days, which is also referred to as the fifth season, is: Ischa Freimaak!, which can be translated as It's Freimarkt!.
== History ==On 16 October 1035 Emperor Conrad II gave the fair justice to the city of Bremen. In the first centuries it was a free market for one day on 9 October. A showman with a carousel appeared for the first time in 1809.
== Chronology ==1035
Emperor Conrad II grants the right to hold a fair to Archbishop Bezelin
1404
The Roland, the stone landmark of the city of Bremen, is erected.
1450/1489
The so-called ‚Kundigen Rullen' granted by the city, limited the Freimarkt for all time to the period when ‚de banere up den markede styet', i.e. the special flag was hoisted to display the agreed market peace
17th century
The monastery’s oxen were used in a procession and two of them were sold in an auction for charity. This custom endured until 1896.
From 1700 to 1814
The fair began on 18 October every year
1793
Franz II is the last German Emperor who grants the Bremen merchants the right for the Freimarkt - as of this time, they decide themselves when they want to celebrate.
from 1800
With the Enlightenment, which freed life and customs of traditional formality, and the introduction of carousels and swings, the selling market transforms into an entertainment market.
1809
The first carousel turns on the Freimarkt - Operator: the restaurant owner, Wilhelm Pohlmann
from 1830
The Bremer Freimarkt develops into an attractive event far beyond the borders of Bremen. The city has to turn away market operators for the first time due to insufficient space.
from 1860
The market develops further on account of technology e.g. illumination: 1862 oil lamps are replaced by petroleum lamps, these then by gas lamps as of 1880, and four years later by electric lamps.
The railway connects Vegesack, Bremerhaven, Oldenburg, Hannover and Hamburg.
1936
The Freimarkt, which had taken place at differing locations (Grünenkamp, Domshof, Hohenstorsplatz), gets a fixed location in the heart of Bremen: on the Bürgerweide.
1967
A procession on the second Saturday was organized. In this event some thousand people take part every year, forming more than 100 groups (for example marching bands). The procession passes the city hall, and in the afternoon the most beautiful, most unusual and imaginative groups get awards. Since the end of the 20th century the procession starts in the Neustadt (new city) of Bremen.
== External links ==
Media related to Freimarkt Bremen at Wikimedia CommonsOfficial Webpage |
475 | 8,604,922 | 0 | Greifswald International Students' Festival | Germany | The Greifswald International Students' Festival is an event organised by the non-profit organisation GrIStuF e.V. and it takes place in the town of Greifswald, which is situated about 200 km to the north of Germany's capital Berlin at the Baltic shore.
The festivals include different activities such as: thematic workshops, lectures, cultural events, exhibitions, parties and concerts. The theme range over political, artistic, social and cultural topics.
== Organizer: GrIStuF e.V. ==
GrIStuF e.V. is a non-profit organisation founded by volunteers to run the Greifswald International Students Festival. It organises other events as well such as the local running dinner twice a year, and the local chapter of Fête de la Musique once a year since 2007.
== History ==
Inspired by the International Student Week in Ilmenau [1], a group of enthusiastic students organised the first Greifswald International Students Festival in 2002.
The following festivals took place so far:2002: Our World - Our Choice
2005: Touch the world
2006: Project U-Rope: Utopia or reality?
2008: Mind a change?
2010: Response-Ability
2012: FACE to FACE - paving the way for a non-violent society
2014: Lost in Consumption - Rethinking Economy
2016: Sea: The Future - Discovering the Ocean Current
2018: Beyond Borders - Where Are Your Limits?
2020: From Ego to Echo - Creating Ideas for Collective Change
In 2005, the team formed itself and began planning the second festival. The topics of the festival 2005 included: Green Globalization, Conflicts, Migration, Development Cooperation, Intercultural learning and Bioethics. 271 students from all over the world followed this invitation, which is a bit lower than expected, because some of the participants from non-EU countries had visa problems.
The 2006 festival ran under the motto Project U-rope: Utopia or Reality, and only students from Europe were invited this time. Gesine Schwan was the patroness and sent a video message to the participants. More than 400 participants took part in the festival 2006. The cultural activities included:European Night
Meeting of the Europeans
Arts & Crafts Market
Excursions to the Region
Panel Discussions
League of Culture
Several Concerts
The next festival was then held in 2008, in order to avoid competition with the 2007 Ilmenau Festival.
== External links ==
Official website (German/English) |
476 | 17,359,239 | 0 | Hanover Schützenfest | Germany | The Hannover Marksmen's Festival (German: Schützenfest Hannover) in Hannover, Germany is the largest marksmen's festival in the world. Founded in 1529 (1529), the festival takes place once a year. It is commercially organized and includes a large entertainment program featuring 250 rides and booths, as well as 5 large beer tents.
A highlight of the festival is the 12-kilometre-long (7.5 mi) marksmen's parade comprising over 10,000 participants from Germany and all around the world, and featuring around 5,000 marksmen, over 100 marching and fanfare bands, and more than 60 wagons, carriages and floats. It is the longest parade in Europe, and probably the world. More than 1.5 million people visit the festival every year. The main landmark of the festival is the 60-metre-tall (200 ft) Steiger Ferris Wheel, which can carry 420 people in its 42 passenger cabins.
Oktoberfest Hanover — second largest Oktoberfest in the world, with around 160 rides and inns, two large beer tents and around 1 million visitors each year
Hanover also hosts one of the two largest Spring Festivals in Europe with around 160 rides and inns, 2 large beer tents and around 1 million visitors each year.
== External links ==Official website |
477 | 7,163,776 | 0 | Hanse Sail | Germany | The Hanse Sail in Rostock is the largest maritime festival in Mecklenburg (Germany) and one of the largest in Europe.
About 250 traditional sailing ships of all types and sizes from a vast variety of countries visit the coast of the city of Rostock every year during the second weekend of August. Today, the Hanse Sail forms part of the joint Baltic Sail, which takes place in several countries bordering the Baltic Sea during July and August.
== History ==
The first Hanse Sail took place between 22 and 28 July 1991. Despite initial skepticism, the first Hanse Sail turned out to be a great success. This might have been mainly due to enthusiasm sparked by the German reunification, as the sea border was open for the first time in decades.
Main attractions in past years were German Navy's training ship Gorch Fock, the Alexander von Humboldt (ship) and the Peace from Jamaica.
Every Hanse Sail is usually opened by prominent personalities of the time such as Gerhard Schröder or Wolfgang Thierse. This underlines the importance of the event, also for the local tourism industry.
== Overview ==
Every year about 1 million visitors visit the Hanse Sail. Even though it is accompanied by other cultural events, the ships remain the center of the festival. Besides watching ships, it is also possible to sail on them or enter them while they are anchored.
Many cruise ships head for the cruise port at Warnemünde during this time, because the shipping companies think that staying in Rostock during the Hanse Sail is a special highlight for their guests.
There are also sea planes and a helicopter parallel to the festival. They offer the opportunity to fly with them for about 20 minutes.
On the Saturday of the event there are fireworks in Warnemünde and the city harbour.
The 2015 Hanse Sail featured steam ships also, and the event occurred in August 2015. This was the 25th Hanse Sail since the start. (Hanse Sail Rostock 2015) It was predicted prior to the event that 250 sailing ships would attend Hanse Sail in 2015.
== Dates of Hanse Sails ==
2015: 6–9 August
2023: 10–13 August
2021: 5–8 August
2014: 6–10 August
2013: 8–11 August
2012: 9–12 August
2011: 11–14 August
== Panorama ==
== Public transport ==Public transport is significantly increased during the event. Every 7.5 minutes, the S-Bahn plies between Rostock Hauptbahnhof (main station) and Warnemünde with up to five bilevel cars. Also many chartered trains come to Rostock, some even steam powered, and Deutsche Bahn operates extra trains.
The tram and bus services in Rostock operate a special timetable and on some nights go 24 hours non-stop. Due to limited parking lot capacity, a shuttle service with buses is offered to bring people to Warnemünde.
== Funding ==
Sponsors have included Hanseatische Brauerei Rostock (German brewery), Ostdeutscher Sparkassenverbund, and OstseeSparkasse Rostock. Further sources of revenue are letting of boat parking spaces and trading places on markets as well as commercial advertising.
The City of Rostock supports the Hanse Sail financially, because the city largely profits from the event. During the sail, most hotels are usually fully booked and visitors spend money in the town, in pubs and shops. Last, but not least, the sail is good promotion for Rostock and a good percentage of Hanse Sail visitors usually return for a holiday.
== Gallery ==
Kiel Week (Kieler Woche)
SAIL Amsterdam
== External links ==Hanse Sail official homepage
picture gallery |
478 | 5,811,344 | 0 | Heinerfest | Germany | Heinerfest is an annual festival in Darmstadt, Germany, held annually in the first weekend of July. During the festival food and beer vendors along with amusement rides and games surround the old city center and occupy surrounding streets. It offers a wide range of child friendly ride or adult rides. The first Heinerfest occurred in 1951 and has been growing since every year.
The festival allows fun for small children, youths and adults. There are food, beverages, and many amusement rides such as roller coasters or ferris wheels.
== Rides ==
The Heinerfest in 2017 presents a variety of rides including:An 85-meter free fall tower
A carousel, big and small
Apollo 13, a ride based on the legendary Apollo 13
== Children ==
The Heinerfest is a very child-friendly event. It offers fun and inexpensive rides for toddlers and youths. |
479 | 44,171,749 | 0 | Helga (call) | Germany | Calling Helga! is a running gag at German concerts and festivals.
== Ritual ==
A person may call for a Helga; others answer and create a chorus-like group effect. Helga ist tot! (Helga is dead) denies the request. Further allegations are gravestones, memorials or graffiti. The background is unknown; some point to a rather rainy Hurricane Festival in Scheeßel, where a high pressure cyclone called Helga was called for but did not arrive in time. The call is also the origin of the name for an annual prize for German festivals, and is being used by a service company. |
480 | 36,092,480 | 0 | Hessentag | Germany | The Hessentag (German pronunciation: [ˈhɛsn̩taːk]; English: Hesse Day) is an annual event, both fair and festival, organized by the German state of Hesse to represent the different regions of Hesse. The events are shown for a week to the visitors, with an emphasis on cultural displays and exhibitions. It is the oldest and largest state festival (Landesfest) in Germany.
== History ==
The Hessentag was launched in 1961 by the minister-president of Hesse, Georg August Zinn. The event was intended to bring together long-time residents and migrants and to provide a sense of their new home to the many refugees and displaced persons. Hesse itself had to catch up in terms of togetherness; the state was only created in 1945 by a decision of the victorious powers of World War II, from areas with different history and development. Georg August Zinn knew how to integrate the various new Hessians, following his motto: Hesse ist, wer Hesse sein will (A Hessian is anybody who wants to be a Hessian).
The first Hessentag in Alsfeld in 1961 was held on three days, presenting a fair and a parade of the different traditional costumes in Hesse. It attracted 40.000 visitors. Because of this success, an annual event was held. The Hessentag is hosted by a different town each year. The event comes with publicity, improved infrastructure and restoration of historic buildings, but is expensive for the host town.
Hessentag has undergone many changes. Originally it was held on one weekend (three days), but grew to a week, including both weekends. It connects Hessian culture, tradition and modern lifestyle. The first focus of the event was presentation of traditions, especially the wide variety of costumes in Hesse and also the costumes of the new citizens who came after 1945. Concerts by international pop groups have become a featured part of the program. The Landesausstellung (State Exhibition) is shown in mobile halls, presenting the state government, the parliament, parliamentary groups, various state agencies and organizations, associations and clubs. Regions of Hesse are presented mostly from a tourist's point of view. Since 1971, for each Hessentag a couple (Hessentagspaar) is elected to represent it. Since 1993, a motto for the event was chosen by the hosting town, also a logo. The event is traditionally closed by a parade.
Each year the event has attracted more than half a million visitors, not only from Hesse. More than one million visitors were counted first in Baunatal in 1999, the leader so far was Kassel, with nearly 1.9 million visitors in 2013. Other towns attracting more than one million visitors were Dietzenbach (2001), Butzbach (2007), Langenselbold (2009), Stadtallendorf (2010) and Oberursel (2011). The Hessentag 2012 was held in Wetzlar and attracted 1.2 million visitors.
In 2020, the scheduled Hessentag in Bad Vilbel was cancelled for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 Hessentag, scheduled to be held in Fulda, was also cancelled, as was the 2022 edition, scheduled to be held in Haiger.
== Locations ==
=== Planned locations ===
== External links ==Ministerpräsident Volker Bouffier: „Tradition des Hessentags mit Herzlichkeit und Offenheit gelebt“ (Prime Minister Volker Bouffier: Tradition of Hessentags lived with friendliness and openness), press release of Hessische Staatskanzlei, 10 June 2012 (in German)
250.000 Besucher auf hr-Veranstaltungen Hessischer Rundfunk (in German)
Hessentag 2012 in Wetzlar Frankfurter Rundschau (in German)
Von guten Stuten und feinen Schweinen FAZ 8 June 2012 (in German)
Fast eine halbe Million Besucher bei Hessentag Faz 6 June 2012 (in German) |
481 | 63,922,291 | 0 | Historic Trophy Nürburgring | Germany | null |
482 | 957,592 | 0 | International Student Week in Ilmenau | Germany | International Student Week in Ilmenau is a student conference, held biennially in the town of Ilmenau, located in the district of Ilm-Kreis, Thuringia, Germany.
The conference welcomes participants from all parts of the world. The first ISWI was held in 1993. At the conference participants discuss topics and experience a broad cultural exchange. Around 400 participants from over 80 countries took part in ISWI 2015. The week includes big-ticket lectures by distinguished personalities, the most well-known speakers are until this day Robert Jungk, Joseph Weizenbaum, Helmut Schmidt and Konrad Zuse.
Each conference offers a wide range of cultural events, such as concerts, food festival, theme-based events and so on. These events mostly organized in collaboration various organisations based around the Ilmenau University of Technology.
The news coverage is done by the college radio station Radio hsf, which broadcasts 24/10 during the conference.
ISWI also stands for the name of the organizing organization, 'Initiative Solidarische Welt Ilmenau' e.V. or ‘Initiative for World Solidarity Ilmenau’
which is a non-governmental non-profit organization which aims to: be an initiative for a more peaceful world - to promote mutual understanding and respect. ISWI e.V is the primary organiser of the International Student Week in Ilmenau.
ISWI e.V is an active member of a network of student-organised conferences, 'Students ORganising Conferences Everywhere' SOrCE.
== List of events ==
== Initiative Solidarische Welt Ilmenau e.V. ==The Initiative Solidarische Welt Ilmenau e.V. (ISWI) is, according to its own statement, committed to peace, international understanding as well as international solidarity and tolerance and is a member of the SOrCE network (Students Organising Conventions Everywhere).
In addition to the main project - the International Students Week in Ilmenau (ISWI) - their activities range from organizing lectures on political education and readings to conducting international work camps and enriching campus life - be it the Kitchen Run or Professors Reading Christmas Stories.
These projects include:Ilmenau Dialogue Center
Refugee Network
Fernweh series (Intercultural evenings, Wanderlust lectures, Radio International)
Professors reading Christmas stories
Colorful Christmas
Intercultural Dancing (Salsa and Bachata)
Language Meeting (German, Spanish, Japanese, Persian)
Kitchen Run
Give-and-take festival
Give-and-take shelf
== External links ==
Official website |
483 | 34,550,963 | 0 | Internationale Bauausstellung | Germany | An Internationale Bauausstellung (IBA) or International Architecture Exhibition is a German device for urban engineering and architecture, in order to show new concepts in terms of social, cultural and ecologic ideas.
== History ==
The first one dates to 1901 and was held in Darmstadt.
In 1913, there was an IBA on the site of today's Alte Messe in Leipzig.
IBA '57 was organised in Berlin.
1979–87 IBA Berlin was an urban renewal project which followed the strategies of careful urban renewal and critical reconstruction. The program inspired the formation of the group Feministische Organisation von Planerinnen und Architektinnen (Feminist Architects and Planners Organisation or FOPA), who objected to its failure to adequately address women-specific issues and involve female designers.
1989–99 IBA Emscher Park aimed at restructuring a former industrial region, the Ruhr, by sparking urbanistic, architectural, cultural, and economic incentives.
== Current ==
2027 Stuttgart www.IBA27.de
2012–20 IBA Parkstad is the first IBA to be held completely outside of Germany, in the former mining region of Parkstad Limburg in the Netherlands. Currently at least 39 projects have been chosen to develop further.
== Further reading ==
Bärbel Rechenbach: „Vom Bergmann zum Seemann – Die Lausitz wandelt sich vom Tagebauland zur Kulturlandschaft.“ TIEFBAU 5/2007, S. 276–284
„IBA HAMBURG - Entwürfe für die Zukunft der Metropole“, Band 1: „Metropole: Reflexion“, JOVIS Verlag, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-939633-90-7
„IBA HAMBURG - Entwürfe für die Zukunft der Metropole“, Band 2: „Metropole: Ressourcen“, JOVIS Verlag, Berlin 2008, ISBN 978-3-939633-91-4
„IBA HAMBURG - Entwürfe für die Zukunft der Metropole“, Band 3: Metropole: Bilden, JOVIS Verlag, Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-86859-070-8
Sally Below, Moritz Henning, Heike Oevermann: Die Berliner Bauausstellungen – Wegweiser in die Zukunft? Regioverlag, Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-929273-72-4
Zur Zukunft Internationaler Bauausstellungen, Netzwerk IBA meets IBA, IBA Hamburg (Hg.), JOVIS Verlag 2010, ISBN 978-3-86859-073-9
Karl Ganser: Liebe auf den zweiten Blick. Internationale Bauausstellung Emscher Park. Harenberg, Dortmund 1999, ISBN 3-611-00824-9
== External links ==
Research initiative IBA 87 in German
A review on IBA specifications in French |
484 | 61,300,997 | 0 | Kinderfest (Memmingen) | Germany | The Kinderfest (Children's Festival) in Memmingen has a tradition going back more than 400 years. Every year more than 2000 children from the municipal primary and secondary schools take part in the festival.
== History ==
The exact beginning of the children's festival is unknown. It probably developed from spring walks of the school classes and the awarding of the best children. The festival was first mentioned in 1571. Referencing to the Ordnung der Königin inn denn Meidlin Schuolen from the year 1587, we get a good overview about the course of the festival at that time, as it is still valid almost unchanged. After the spring examination, the girls went to church twice (in the morning and at noon). Then they ate together in the schoolmaster's apartment, bringing the food with them. The best pupils were rewarded, crowned queens and dressed festively. After the round dance in the afternoon, the parents of the queens invited the schoolmasters with their wives and the queen leaders to dinner. A few days later a walk took place. In 1789 the coronation took place for the last time, after there had been many abuses.
Even after the mediatization in 1802, the children's festival was held in unchanged form. After singing songs together on the market square between the festival church services, the schoolchildren moved with music from their schoolyard or the Hallhof (courtyard in the city) to the Reichshain (park in the city), where various games took place. During the Second World War the children's festival was cancelled.
From 1946 it was held again on the initiative of the town council Ernst-Wilhelm Hermann and some teachers, since 1949 every year thereafter. Since 1950 the children's festival song by Ernst-Wilhelm Hermann, which since has become a tradition, is being sung. The second children's festival song, Reigen auf dem grünen Rasen, composed by Adalbert Meier and written by Sepp Skalitzky, was performed for the first time in 1969. In 1975 the canon of songs was supplemented with the wake-up call (text and melody by Adalbert Meier).
Since 1955, the children's festival has been held together with the Fischertag in July. Herbert Müller, the chairman of the children's festival committee at the time, also ensured the continuation of the children's festival.
Heute steht die Belobigung der Kinder für das (hoffentlich) erfolgreiche Schuljahr im Vordergrund.
== Today's schedule ==The Children's Festival takes place on the penultimate Thursday before the Bavarian summer holidays, two days before the Fischertag. On Wednesday evening, numerous Memmingen chapels and groups will be playing music in the old town and playing the so-called Zapfenstreich. The next morning, the children are festively dressed. The girls traditionally receive a wreath of flowers. After an ecumenical service in the inner-city churches, the children walk to the market square, accompanied by music bands. There they sing on a stage and perform modern and historical dances. The Lord Mayor with his golden chain of office welcomes children and guests from the balcony of the Grand Guild. If the weather is bad, the event takes place in the city's town hall. After the event on the market square, the children return to their schools where they receive presents, including a sausage and a pretzel.
The procession from the Hallhof to the stadium grounds starts begins at 1 pm. For this purpose, the children in their school classes come up with various costumes weeks in advance and usually make them themselves. Each school presents a different motto. The parade is accompanied by municipal music bands and chapels from the surrounding area. The final event is the Memminger Mau wagon, which is accompanied on which the Lord Mayor of the city of Memmingen and dignitaries drive.
On the stadium grounds the children can take part in various games or ride a historic train on wheels and a pony carriage. For the older generations, the city's chapel plays in the stadium hall.
== Symbols of the children's festival ==
The Stängele, which was carried during the parade, was made from the decorated rods and the royal insignia sceptre and crown. It is the actual symbol of the children's festival. The Memmingen children's festival song Reigen auf dem Grünen Rasen also belongs to that.
== Children's festival songs ==
Reigen auf dem grünen Rasen (Adalbert Meier / Sepp Skalitzky)
1. Reigen auf dem grünen Rasen,
Liederklang und Übermut,
Buben putzet eure Nasen,
Mädchen steckt die Kränze gut!
Oberbürgermeister-Kette
leuchtet stolz auf dem Balkon,
Männlein, Weiblein um die Wette,
tummeln sich zum Stadion.
2. Sieben wacker tapfre Schwaben
In dem langen Kinderzug,
wollen gar bis Lindau traben,
auch der Spieß ist lang genug.
Laßt die Musik Märsche schmettern,
haltet fest den Luftballon,
seht, sogar vom Land die Vetter
säumen alle Straßen schon.
3. Körbe mit den letzten Würsten
Und den Bretzen knusprig fein.
Hei, wir leben wie die Fürsten,
wenn auch Sprudel fließt statt Wein.
Kunterbunte Fähnlein flattern
Um des Jahres goldnen Rest,
tausend flinke Zungen schnattern:
Schönes altes Kinderfest!
Rings im Kranze (E. W. Herrmann / F. Schropp / Adalbert Meier)
1. Rings im Kranze grüner Matte
Wälder, Felder, Bach und Ried,
Liegst Du vor den Allgäu Bergen:
Memmingen! Dir gilt mein Lied!
2. Rauschend führst der Berge Wasser,
Iller, Du, der Donau zu,
Über meinem Heimatstädtchen
lacht der Mau in stiller Ruh!
3. Freude durch die Mauern jubelt.
Wenn geschmückt im Wiesenhag,
Jugend ihren Festtag feiert.
Mit Gesang und Paukenschlag.
4. Vaterstadt im Schwabenlande,
Gott beschirm Dich immerdar.
Friede, leht am Kinderfeste
für dich deine Kinderschar.
Weckruf (Adalbert Meier)
1. Heute nacht, heute nacht, da bin ich aufgewacht, aufgewacht,
aufgewacht, hab geträumt mir hätt` ein Vogel eine Botschaft bracht,
eine Botschaft bracht.
Ich sinne hin, ich sinne her, was das für eine Botschaft wär'!
2. Heute früh, heute früh, da hab ich nachgedacht, nachgedacht,
nachgedacht, was der Vogel mir im Traum für eine Botschaft bracht,
eine Botschaft bracht.
Jetzt fällt mir's ein, jetzt fällt mir's ein, heut' muß das Kinderfest doch sein!
3. Und schon trommelten die Trommelbuben, daß es kracht, daß es kracht; und
Dann rannte ich zum Fenster und hab gelacht, und hab gelacht!
Drimm, dromm, derum müde Kinder drehten sich noch einmal um.
4. Und dann bliesen die Fanfarenbläser voller Macht, voller Macht bis der letzte
Schläfer schließlich auch noch aufgewacht.
Raus aus dem Bett, raus aus dem Nest, heute ist doch unser schönes Kinderfest!
5. Und dann spielten all' zusammen, daß es dröhnt und schallt, dröhnt und
Schallt und ich horchte ihnen nach, bis es ganz verhallt, bis es ganz verhallt |
485 | 44,025,491 | 0 | Kirchweih | Germany | Kirchweih is literally the dedication of a church in German. More generally it also names the celebration of the anniversary of a dedication both at church and in local customs. The festivity is often on the day celebrating a church's patron saint or the day of laying the foundation stone, now often celebrated the following weekend. Customs vary locally in German-speaking countries, also local names such as Kirtag, Kärwa, Kirmes and Kilbi. In Bavaria, all Kirchweih celebrations have been fixed by royal order from the mid-19th century to the third Sunday in October (originally in order to roll back extensive local Kirchweih tourism having gotten out of hand in the government's eyes).
In the liturgy of the Catholic church, the Latin gradual, part of the proper of the mass for the feast day, is Locus iste, set to music for example as a motet by Anton Bruckner.
Kermesse (festival)
== External links ==Das Kirwa-Portal im Internet kirwa.net (in German) |
486 | 3,771,816 | 0 | Landshut Wedding | Germany | The Landshut Wedding (German: Landshuter Hochzeit) is one of the largest historical pageants in Europe. Countless visitors from all over the world have taken part, or have been spectators of the Landshuter Hochzeit 1475, a pageant held in the city of Landshut, Bavaria, Germany. More than 2,000 participants in medieval costumes bring the festival to life to recreate the Late Middle Ages. It commemorates the wedding between Hedwig Jagiellon, daughter of the King of Poland, and George, the son of the Duke of Bavaria at Landshut.
The original medieval wedding is re-enacted every four years, and everyone gets carried away with medieval jousting, pageantry, feasting and wedding processions for a short period in the summer.
== History ==The festival is held in memory of the wedding between George of Bavaria, the son of the Bavarian duke, and Hedwig Jagiellon, daughter of King Casimir IV Jagiellon of Poland, in 1475.
The wedding was negotiated in 1474 in Kraków through legations. The marriage was important because it was seen as a strong alliance against the Ottoman Turks. At the time, most royal marriages were not entered into because of love, but because of political motivations. It took the bride two months to travel to Landshut, where she was received by princes and bishops.
The bridal pair were married in St. Martin's Church, and the service was officiated by Salzburg's Archbishop
Bernhard von Rohr. Afterwards the bridal procession proceeded through the Old Town to the Town Hall. Ten thousand people are said to have attended the affair and they were provided food and drink by the young duke's father.
Livestock eaten at the original festival:320 bullocks
1,500 sheep
1,300 lambs
500 calves
40,000 chickens
The historic event is notable for its detailed records that yield a complete chronicle of the wedding days and which allows the re-enactment to have a touch of realism. The exact recordings can be explained from the historical context with the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 which led into a longer period of growth of the Ottoman Empire. The marriage of the Polish princess with George the Rich was very profitable for the Polish king - the 32,000 Guilder bride wealth he received would be worth about 6.5 million euros in modern currency.
== Recreation ==
The original motivation for the festival dates back to the foundation of the German Reich in 1871 which furthered German national pride. In the years 1876 to 1880 the Landshut town hall was renovated and in the years 1880 to 1882 the celebration room in the town hall was given paintings depicting the Landshut Wedding of 1475, as this very room was used as the dance hall for the festivities at that time. From these images the idea arose among citizens to recreate the event and finally the restaurant owner Georg Trippel and the factory owner Joseph Linnbrunner founded a society Die Förderer in 1902.
The first Landshut Wedding recreation took place in 1903, only one year after the creation of the society, and largely took the form of a public play performed by 145 citizens taking on a role. The Landshut Wedding play was subsequently presented annually from 1903 to 1914 (paused during World War I) and 1922 to 1938 (paused during World War II). During this time the number of actors involved increased to 2000. The Landshut Wedding became a triennial event from 1950 to 1968 and from 1975 to 1981. Since 1985 the Landshut Wedding has taken place every four years.
The number of members of Die Förderer society rose from 855 to 7146 during the years 1973 to 2013. The renewed interest in medieval history made the event a major success in terms of tourism. Today the 60,000 or so inhabitants of Landshut welcome 600,000 to 700,000 visitors during the three weeks of the festivities, with some 120,000 visitors watching the bridal procession. The sponsors are able to collect money in the range of 3.5 million euros to allow for the event to take place.
However, the real heroes of the Landshuter Hochzeit are the local citizens who act variously as bishops, aristocrats, bride and bridegroom. Without these people, the festival could not take place. The actors are chosen from a commission of the Die Förderer. Every person who wants to become a member of this association and who wants to take part in this big event has to live near Landshut. However, it is not only the actors who delve into the medieval times. It is customary among Landshut males to let the hair grow longer in the months before the event to match the medieval fashion better. Every citizen of Landshut will dress in medieval garments during festival days (even wrist watches are frowned upon) and the city’s decoration is retrofitted to a great extent. This of course means that the city becomes a pedestrian-only zone; visitors approaching by car are informed of this at a 50 km perimeter around the town.
Due to the great pains that the festival organisers and local participants take in ensuring the authenticity of historical clothing and other personal items (such as weapons and armour), visitors are not permitted to wear medieval-themed outfits, but are invited to join in the celebrations dressed in contemporary civvies.
Along with the growing fascination for the Middle Ages in the late 20th century the Landshut Wedding has become a well-known medieval festival with great impact on the region’s economics as well as its cultural traditions and aspects of living history.
The next procession is scheduled for 2027.
== Normal schedule of events ==
=== Wedding procession ===
Time: Sunday afternoon
Place: Dreifaltigkeitsplatz, Altstadt, Postplatz, Bischof-Sailer-Platz, Neustadt, the same way back to the Turnierplatz
Around two thousand Landshut people take part in the wedding procession. The guests, such as noblemen, citizens, servants and poor people, move through the city to the church of St. Martin where the archbishop of Salzburg celebrated the marriage ceremony in 1475. After that the procession ends at the Turnierplatz (Tournament place).
=== Games of riders and knights ===Time: Sunday afternoon/evening (after the wedding march)
Place: Turnierplatz (Place of challenge)
The wedding march leads to the field of challenge (Wiesmahd) on which the bride was immediately greeted by her groom. There young noblemen fight in an exciting challenge for the prize of honor which is given by the bride while the other noble guests take their places at a great table.
=== Life in the quarters ===
Time: Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening
Place: Quarters at the place of challenge
The different groups create their quarters near the Turnierplatz, where the wedding guests end the day with music and good food.
=== Festival performances ===
Time: evenings, Sunday morning
Place: Rathaus-Prunksaal (Town-Hall)
Visitors witness the preparations for the Wedding, as imagined by a group of actors. Author Leopold Ahlsen’s comedy describes the bride's difficult trip from Kraków to Landshut. Death and plague were the constant companions on the march from Poland to Germany.
=== Dance performances ===Time: evenings
Place: After the festival performances in the town hall
At the festival evening the groom and his bride meet the noble guests for dancing. Different groups perform their dances; for example, the exotic dance of the Moors.
=== Festival games in the nightly quarters ===
Time: Saturday evening
Place: Place of challenge
The day before the Wedding thousands of guests have reached Landshut after a long trip and have to pass the time until the wedding day. They are in their quarters, in bars, or are entertained by games and shows by different artists like tumblers and fire-eaters.
=== Music in 1475 ===
Time: Saturday and Sunday morning
Place: Residenz
The Landshuter Hofkapelle band offers 15th century music as it used to be played in bars and especially at noble festivals.
=== Laudate Dominum ===
Time: Saturday evening
Place: Church St. Jodok
A choir, called Ad libitum, perform a concert. It focuses on works of famous composers like Pierre de la Rue, Guillaume Dufay and Josquin des Prez, who was one of the most significant composers in the Middle Ages in Europe. The performance in St. Jodok also comprises short instrumental pieces.
=== Masquerade ===Time: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday evenings
Place: Residenz (residence)
Musicians and dancers of Landshut are invited to an atmospheric evening in the courtyard of the Residenz. They depict the history of Mr. Asinus, a farmer who became a nobleman.
=== Tavern in the narrow of Stecken ===
Time: Thursday and Friday evenings
Place: Salzstadel
The proprietor of the tavern offers different things to eat and good wine or beer. Comedians, called Joculatores, celebrate an evening full of voluptuousness to put some life into the party.
=== Meeting in the old part of town ===
Time: Saturday evening and Sunday morning
Place: Old Town (Altstadt)
At this weekend some groups liven up the old part of town with music and dancing as in former times. Comedians try to support the atmosphere with their coarse jokes.
== Gallery ==
== External links ==Pictures of the Marriage 2009 (German) |
487 | 23,231,979 | 0 | Largest Fair on the Rhine | Germany | The Largest Fair on the Rhine (German: Größte Kirmes am Rhein) is a fair in Düsseldorf, one of Germany's largest. It takes place the third week in July on the left bank of the Rhine River, in the district Düsseldorf-Oberkassel, and features beer and food tents, amusement park rides, and vendors.
== History ==
The Largest Fair on the Rhine has its roots in an annual celebration in honor of the city's patron saint Apollinaris of Ravenna and the sanctification of the “Basilika St. Lambertus”, the main catholic church in Düsseldorf's Old Town.
The celebration of both events took place first in 1435. At the time it was organized by the local St. Sebastianus shooting club around a traditional shooting competition (called Schützenfest – marksmen festival), a local annual tradition involving a wooden target on a pole, usually a representation of an eagle. In the 16th century, the fair was said to be an occasion for King Henry VIII” to introduce his future wife Anna van Kleve to the public.
In 1910, the fair was moved to its present location, the fairgrounds on the left Rhine river bank in Düsseldorf's district Oberkassel overlooking the city's historic Old Town. Since then, the format and focus of the fair have changed significantly into the more secular and entertainment-oriented event it is today. Attendee numbers rose dramatically, and the event was stretched into 9 days. The name of the event developed in the 1970 simply into “Largest Fair on the Rhine” and has stuck since then. It is not only Germany's fourth-largest fair but also one of the most important events for Düsseldorf's economy.
== External links ==Visit Düsseldorf - Tourism Portal
St. Sebastianus Shooting Club
Düsseldorf International Airport |
488 | 24,457,108 | 0 | Martinisingen | Germany | Martinisingen (pronounced Martini-zingen; literally Martin singing i.e. St. Martin Song) is an old Protestant custom which is found especially in East Friesland, but also on the Lüneburg Heath and in other parts of Northern and Eastern Germany. It also goes under the names of Martini or Martinssingen and the Low German names of Sünnematten or Mattenherrn (today often erroneously corrupted to Matten Matten Mähren). Martinisingen takes place on 10 November (similar to the Catholic Martinssingen on 11 November) with groups of people carrying their lanterns from house to house and singing traditional songs.
== History ==
Martinisingen is a custom with a mix of several older elements. Traditionally 10 November was the day on which farmhands and ordinary workers were dismissed for the winter. These folk, most of whom had no property, then had to survive the coldest time of the year without any income. However, their children were able to help by going from house to house on this day and begging for food and gifts, especially from the well-to-do farmers and citizens. Originally they collected food that was then actually stored as part of their family's winter stock and could be consumed gradually. Sometimes rather older singers disguised themselves or wore masks (sğabellenskoppen) and joined in.
Later, the gifts given out increasingly became a symbolic donation and, today, usually consist of sweets and fruit. The traditional gifts, by contrast, include gingerbread men (Stutenkerl), honey cakes (Moppen) and Pfeffernüsse (pēpernööten) as well as apples.
The poor folk begged for gifts by reciting rhyming verses or singing suitable songs and the children carried lanterns (kipkapköögels) that used to be made from a beet. Later small pumpkins were occasionally used as well, but gradually, these were replaced by coloured paper lanterns as are common today. Various home-made instruments were also used such as rattles (Rasseln) and friction drums (Rummelpott).
With the outbreak of the Reformation the original motive of begging to supplement winter food supplies became interwoven with religious aspects, particularly those honouring the reformer, Martin Luther, and the festival became the Protestant church's version of the original Catholic tradition. In 1817, on the occasion of the tricentennial anniversary of the Reformation in 1517, Martinisingen was brought forward to the eve of St. Martin's Day. From then on, only Martin Luther continued to be celebrated as the Friend of light and man of God (Freund des Lichts und Mann Gottes) who knocked the crown off the pope in Rome (der dem Papst in Rom die Krone vom Haupt schlug). For example, St. Martin's Day for Martin of Tours on the 11th was brought forward and combined with Martinisingen on the 10th, the birthday of the Reformer. So, increasingly, the custom of Martinisingen became a celebration of Martin Luther and the motive of begging for food was explained as a tradition of the monastic orders. The traditional songs were given a religious flavour and new ones were written that celebrated the religious significance of the day or honoured Martin Luther.
== Present-day customs ==
Today children go through the suburbs from door to door after the onset of dusk carrying lanterns and singing Martinilieder or St Martin's Eve songs. This is also called Laternelaufen.The light in the lantern is often no longer a candle but electric because, in the November winds, the lanterns often caught fire (hence the verse in the song Lanterns, Lanterns which runs burn up my light, but not my precious lantern). But, as before the lanterns are often home-made from coloured paper.About Matten Matten Mären the Hannoversche Wochenblatt weekly paper writes:
There is a hard and fast rule today as there always has been: Whoever gives nothing, will have a prank played on them so even in East Frisian-North German areas those who do not give anything can expect to have their doorbells rung later on in the evening or other similar joke; equally those who do not sing, also get nothing.
Since the end of the 1990s Martinisingen has had competition from Halloween as a result of shop advertising and American television, as well as the enthusiasm of a few teachers in primary schools and kindergartens, but the new festival, apart from discos, has been criticised and largely rejected, according to the newspaper, the Emder Zeitung.
== The best-known Martini song ==
=== Lanterns (Laterne) ===
Ich geh mit meiner LaterneStart of the chorus:
Ich geh mit meiner Laterne
und meine Laterne mit mir.
Da oben leuchten die Sterne
und unten da leuchten wir.
Verses
1. Ein Lichtermeer zu Martins Ehr
2. Der Martinsmann, der zieht voran
3. Wie schön das klingt, wenn jeder singt
4. Ein Kuchenduft liegt in der Luft
5. Beschenkt uns heut, ihr lieben Leut
6. Laternenlicht, verlösch mir nicht!
7. Mein Licht ist aus, ich geh nach Haus
End of the chorus:
Laterne, Laterne
Laterne, Laterne,
Sonne, Mond und Sterne,
brenne auf mein Licht,
brenne auf mein Licht,
aber nur meine liebe Laterne nicht.
== Sources ==
Ernst Müller / Griet Voss: De Utrooper's kleines Buch von Martini, ISBN 3-934370-14-4 (Broschüre). |
489 | 33,148,112 | 0 | Neuss Schützenfest | Germany | The Neuss Schützenfest, officially the Neuss' Citizens' Marksmen's Festival (German: Neusser Bürger-Schützenfest), is the Schützenfest of the German city of Neuss. It is held annually on the last weekend in August. With more than 7,500 parading marksmen it is smaller than the Hanover Schützenfest but is regarded as the largest marksmen's festival in the world that is organized by a single association and does not include platoons from other cities. The year 2011 saw the largest number of trooping marksmen to date, with 6,951 marksmen taking part in the parade. The marksmen's festival with its royal parade, several processions, royal shooting competition and a great number of accompanying events is a social highlight of the city of Neuss and the surrounding area and attracts up to a million visitors each year. The largest number of visitors to date was recorded in 2007, with 1.5 million people coming to watch the Schützenfest.
== The Regiment ==
While the Schützenfests of the Middle Ages were primarily military in character, cultivation of traditions and social aspects are the main focus of the modern day festivities. For this reason, the marksmen wear uniforms with mock guns, often decorated with flowers sticking out of the barrel.
In 2017 the regiment consisted of around 7,860 actives; i.e., parading, marksmen and musicians with an undetermined number of reserves. It is divided into different corps, each wearing their own distinct dress uniform. The Schützenfest is organized by the Neuss Citizens' Marksmen's Association, of which all marksmen are members. This association is headed by a committee of 10–12 members, among them the Colonel (Oberst), the highest-ranking officer and the commandant of the regiment. Ceremonially the Schützenfest is represented by the King of Marksmen (Schützenkönig), who is determined each year in a traditional shooting competition. Application for the regality is open to all marksmen, however, it involves a lot of expenditure of time and money from both the king and his wife and for his children, optionally. The king is not a member of the association's committee, however.
The marching bands, corps of drums and fanfare bands present come from the Neuss area and beyond, following the old German band pattern, however the Quirinus Band and Bugle Corps, a new band raised in 2011 and based in the vicinity, marches in the British Light infantry band tradition in a record 160 paces per minute (as it is affiliated to the Royal Green Jackets association in the UK and is the first ever German marching band of its kind, their present Bandmaster being Peter Hosking, who is an ex Royal Green Jacket and Light Infantry Musician).
== The Corps ==
The regiment, brigade sized with more than 7,860 serving actively as of 2017, is divided into a total of 10 corps that have been established over time. Only two of these corps, the Grenadeer Corps and the Riflemen Corps were in existence in the times of the first modern day Schützenfest in 1823. Except the Sappers, most are company sized or battalion-sized formations, only 2 are regiment-sized.
Each corps has its own distinctive uniforms. Apart from the Squires, the Scheibenschützen, the Artillery Battery and the Cavalry, all corps are further divided into platoons (Züge) of 15–30 marksmen each. A corps is generally headed by a Major or Captain (Hauptmann), while platoons are headed by First Lieutenants (Oberleutnant).
=== The Sapper Corps (Das Neusser Sappeur Korps von 1830) ===
The Sappers form the smallest of the existing corps, consisting of a single platoon with a current total of 22 members. They wear a blue uniform jacket under a white apron, a high mock bearskin cap topped by a red and white brush, as well as an axe and a hunting dagger. Since 1830 they march at the head of the regiment and act as honour guard for the Marksmen's King.
=== The Grenadier Corps (Das Neusser Grenadierkorps von 1823) ===
The Grenadeers took part in the modern day Schützenfest since its inception in 1823. They wear white trousers, a white shirt, a white bow tie, a black cutaway coat or evening tailcoat with a black vest or cummerbund, as well as a black top hat. They traditionally carry mock rifles. The officers wear a blue uniform jacket and a bicorne instead of the tailcoat and top hat and a saber instead of the rifle. In 2011 the Grenadeers were the second largest of the corps.
=== The Squire Corps (Das Edelknaben-Korps von 1835) ===
The Squire Corps offers a chance for young boys past the age of 7, to take part in the Schützenfest. Few other corps of the regiment allow for active participation of children in the parades. The uniform of the squires consists of a black jacket, a red and white sash worn diagonally across it and short trousers made of black velvet, they wear a saber on parade. The Squire's cap is adorned with a red and white pom-pon. Presumably the origins of the squires reach back to former times, when young girls in white dresses would accompany the royal carriage and throw flower petals.
The year 1835 is usually regarded as founding year of the Squire Corps. However this date has not been verified and is based solely based on the earliest available receipts for the acquisition of the uniforms. At the royal parade the squires form an honor guard for the king, the committee and VIPs in the saluting base. During the processions and the inspection for the royal parade, they march ahead of the king's carriage and the mounted escort behind.
=== The Riflemen Corps (Das Neusser Jägerkorps von 1823) ===
Just like the Grenadeer Corps, the Riflemen Corps was founded as early as 1823. For a long time it was the largest corps of the regiment. Nowadays it is the 3rd largest unit with some 850 marksmen. The Riflemen wear a green uniform jacket, white trousers, and a green hat. To the left of each platoon, one marksmen (called a Hönes) carries a giant drinking horn adorned with flowers.
=== The Schützenlust Corps (Die Neusser Schützenlust 1864/1950) ===
The Schützenlust was established in 1864. In 1930 it was disbanded for lack of new members, but in 1950 it was successfully revived. The Schützenlust wear a double-breasted green uniform jacket along with white trousers and a green hat.
In 2017 the Schützenlust formed the largest contingent of the regiment.
=== St. Hubertus-Marksmen-Society (St. Hubertus-Schützen-Gesellschaft Neuss 1899) ===
The St. Hubertus-Marksmen-Society was founded in 1899. The Hubertus-marksmen wear a green uniform jacket, black trousers and a black head with a green ribbon. Similarly to the Riflemen, they too carry a horn adorned with flowers. The Hubertus-marksmen range among the smaller corps, with approximately 630 members. After World War II the Hubertus marksmen also struggled with a decline in membership. Due to the initiative of the committee the society was successfully revived in 1953.
=== The Marksmen's Guild (Die Schützengilde Neuss von 1850/1961 e. V.) ===
The Marksmen's Guild existed initially from 1850 to 1891. It was revived 70 years later in 1961. The marksmen of the Guild wear a green uniform jacket, black trousers and a green hat adorned with a white feather. They too are among the smaller corps with 30 platoons and approximately 500 members in total.
=== Platoon of the Scheibenschützen-Society (Der Zug der Neusser Scheibenschützen-Gesellschaft von 1415) ===
The history of the Scheibenschützen goes back to the St. Sebastianus Brotherhood, which organized shooting competitions as early as 1415. However the Scheibenschützen have only been taken part in Schützenfest with their own platoon since 1920. 120 marksmen march in a three row formation. They wear a grey uniform jacket and black trousers as well as a hat. To demonstrate their deference to the king all of the Scheibenschützen take off their hats in unison as they march past him and the court.
=== The Artillery Corps(Das Neusser Artillerie-Corps 1854) ===
The Artillery Corps was founded in 1851, but has only been allowed to take part in the Schützenfest since 1854. The corps comprises artillerists both mounted and on foot. There is a limber carrying a large cannon drawn by six draught horses.
=== The Cavalry Corps (Das Neusser Reitercorps 1828) ===
The Cavalry Corps was founded in 1828. The cavaliers wear a black equestrian tailcoat with a red and white sash underneath. The cavalry platoon marks the end of the processions and is preceded by the Quirinus Band and Bugle Corps, the last band on parade and also the fastest due to the 140-paces a minute march as mentioned earlier.
== Festivities ==
The Schützenfest's cornerstones are the royal parade, the processions and the royal shooting competition. Apart from that, there are several events of varying size and formality. The Schützenfest takes place on the weekend of the last Sunday in August. It starts on Saturday and ends on Tuesday. The travelling funfair, which is a part of the festival, is already opened on the Friday afternoon at 17:00, with the traditional tapping of the first keg.
The official opening of the Schützenfest at 12:00 on Saturday is marked by a gun salute, the hoisting of the flags outside the city's buildings and the tolling of the bells of the Saint-Quirinus Church. At 17:00 an act of remembrance takes place on the market square, in front of the city hall. Immediately afterwards the marching bands, Corps of Drums and fanfare bands strike up and march through the city.
In the evening, the torchlight procession marks the first procession of the festivities. For this, the marksmen carry torches instead of their usual mock rifles and a dark suit instead of their uniforms. Several platoons build grand torches (Großfackeln), which are drawn through the city on carts. These grand torches generally show satirical depictions of social and political events of the previous year and are designed to raise social and political issues in a comical context. They are the main attraction of the torch procession. Each year, between 85 and 95 grand torches are built.
On Sunday morning, the royal parade takes place. On this event, the whole of the regiment and the bands march past the king and the committee on the market square. Frequently high ranking VIPs are present for this, and the whole parade is broadcast on television. In 2010 for instance, the then-minister of the interior Thomas de Maizière was among them. (The Sunday morning activities are broadcast live on Westdeutscher Rundfunk.) This is followed by several parades through the city, on Sunday afternoon, on Monday afternoon and on Monday evening, as well as on Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday evening.
Following the Tuesday afternoon parade, the new marksmen's king is decided upon out on the festival grounds. Those marksmen applying for the regality take turns shooting at a log of wood (symbolizing a bird), mounted on a pole. Although the log is a relatively easy target to hit, 20 to 40 straight shots are needed to demount it. Thus the regality is determined by the contestant's luck to a far greater extent than by their shooting skills.
When a new king has been found the Great Tattoo takes place in the pavilion on the festival grounds following the event. It is played in annually rotating order by the 1. Neusser Regimentstambourkorps, the Neusser Tambourkorps „In Treue fest“ and the „Bundes Tambourkorps Novesia 1912 Neuss“ along with the Musikverein Holzheim. The marching bands enter the pavilion accompanied by the Sapper Corps, playing the Yorckscher Marsch by Ludwig van Beethoven. The future king receives the first salutes of the ceremony at this point.
In the evening, a last informal procession (the so-called Wackelzug/Wobbling Procession) is led through the city, with people dancing in the streets. Some marksmen decorate their uniforms or think of funny interludes for their platoon. At the end of this procession, the marksmen march past in front of their new king for the first time.
At around 24:00 the Great Tattoo of the Platoon of the Scheibenschützen-Society takes place on the square in front of the minster. Although it is no official event of the Neuss' Citizens' Marksmen's Association it is traditionally attended by the committee, the new king and a number of platoons of the Schützenlust, the largest contingent of the regiment. The Tambourcorps „Deutschmeister Köln“ 1951 Roggendorf/Thenhoven and the Vereinigte Jägerkapelle Straberg 1926 both enter the square playing the Yorckscher Marsch (1813) by Ludwig van Beethoven. As serenades ring out a together played army march, like the Mussinan march of Carl Carl, the Alexandermarsch of Andreas Leonhardt or the König Ludwig II.-Marsch of Georg Seifert as well as Des großen Kurfürsten Reitermarsch of Cuno Graf of Moltke which is played by the Vereinigte Jägerkapelle Straberg 1926 only. With the splendor of the military-style tattoo, timpani rolls, the national anthem, the lowering of the colors and the concluding tolling of bells of the Quirinus Church at the striking of the hourly bell, it is regarded by many as dignified conclusion to the festivities.
=== Other events ===
During the Schützenfest, the balls of the individual corps take place, for instance the Ball of the Grenadeers and the Ball of the Schützenlust on Sunday and the Ball of the Riflemen on Monday. Apart from that there is usually a wide variety of parties going on throughout the city.
=== Events outside of the actual Schützenfest ===
Six weeks ahead of the Schützenfest the Assembly of Citizens and Sons of Citizens (Versammlung der Bürger und Bürgerssöhne) takes place. On this occasion, a speaker puts the question to vote, whether the Schützenfest should be held again in the respective year. The assembled citizens and marksmen traditionally answer this with a unified cry of Zoch, Zoch! (regional Dialect meaning Procession, Procession!)
On the Saturday three weeks ahead of the Schützenfest, the Colonel (Oberst) is elected (Colonel's Dinner/Oberstehrenabend). Following this, a procession takes place in the honour of the new colonel. The marksmen wear suits and carry torches. The outgoing Colonel officially retires, and receives the final salutes of the regiment during the procession.
On the Saturday two weeks ahead of the Schützenfest, the Royal Dinner (Königsehrenabend) is held. On this occasion, the king has the opportunity to award decorations to individual marksmen of his choice. Following this, a procession similar to that at the Colonel's Dinner takes place. The outgoing king receives the final salutes from the regiment in this parade.
On the Saturday following the Schützenfest, the Coronation Ball is held, where the new king is officially enthroned and the old king ends his duties.
== History ==
=== Creation ===
During the Middle Ages, a lot of German cities organized annual drills and shooting contests so that the citizens would be able to defend the freedom of their city in times of war. The oldest historically verified organization, which organized such drills in Neuss, was the Sebastianus-Fraternity as early as 1415.
The Schützenfest in its present form was first celebrated in the year 1823. Following the end of French occupation under Napoléon Bonaparte the Neuss Bachelor's Sodality asked permission to organize a shooting competition as well as a festive procession as an addition to the already existing fun fair.
Some 100 men participated in this first event. In 1824 this number had already increased to 135 participants. In the course of the following decades the rituals and organizational structures that are still in use today gradually took shape: in 1833 a committee was elected, which was entrusted with organizing the Schützenfest, in 1840 the royal parade was added to the events. Gradually the individual corps emerged as subdivisions of the regiment. In 1901, following the adoption of the Civil Code of Germany the Neuss Citizens' Marksmen's Association (Neusser Bürger-Schützen-Verein) is officially registered as a voluntary association.
=== World Wars ===
On 25 July 1914 it was decided to go on with the preparations for the years Schützenfest, despite the looming possibility of war. However, as mobilization began as early the 1 August the festivities had to be suspended in this and the following years.
In 1920 the occupational administration authorized a restoration of the festivities. The international press however regarded the celebrations as a longing for revenge, a resurgence of militarism. Therefore, the Schützenfest was banned in 1923 and 1924 only authorized again by the Belgian administration in 1925, one week ahead of the traditional date. In 1927 the 100th jubilee festivities, which would have actually been in the year 1923, were belatedly celebrated by 1200 marksmen.
During the Great Depression the Schützenfest was suspended in 1931, but was held again in the years afterwards. However the organizers came increasingly into conflict with the ruling National Socialists. In 1937, for instance, the Nazi official in charge of the district demanded that the city's clergy must not be permitted to attend the parade from within the city hall, however without avail. Platoon names that featured religious symbolism were forbidden. In 1939 the last Schützenfest was celebrated before the outbreak of World War II. Only a few days later, the first military transport trains left the city of Düsseldorf. The royal shooting competition had not been held in 1939, so that the reigning monarch Robert Lonnes was only officially relieved, when the Schützenfest was revived in 1948. He is therefore the king with the longest tenure in the history of the festival.
=== Post war years – present ===
In 1947 the Schützen marched in silence from the city hall to the Quirinus-Minster, through the ruins of the city. It was not until 1948 that a new royal shooting competition was held. A complete Schützenfest with four days of festivities, as it was held before, has only been organized again since 1949.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 festivities were cancelled, together with the associated events linked to the festival, for two straight years. The festivities only returned in 2022.
== List of Marksmen's Kings ==
== Other facts ==
On three sides of the city hall's tower, traffic lights are permanently mounted especially for the orientation of the marksmen during the processions. At the beginning of the processions, the lights are turned from red to green so that marksmen on trooping grounds further off into the city know when to start marching.
Even though the Neuss Regiment comprises more than 7,500 marksmen, it is led by a Colonel and not a General as its commandant.
== Further reading ==
Vereinigung der Heimatfreunde: Freut Euch des Lebens - Schützen, Schützenfrauen und Schützenfest in Neuss am Rhein. Neuss 1998, ISBN 978-3-923607-28-0.
Joseph Lange; Neusser Bürger-Schützen-Verein (1998). Bürger und Bürgerssöhne: 175 jahre Neusser Bürger-Schützen-Verein, 1823-1998. ISBN 978-3-923607-27-3.
Joseph Lange: Neusser - Bürger - Schützen. Die Sammlung Joseph Lange/Neusser Bürger-Schützen-Verein. Festgabe zum 95. Geburtstag von Joseph Lange. Neuss 2006. (Beiträge zum Rheinischen Schützenwesen 1), ISBN 978-3-936542-24-0.
Christoph Waldecker: Den Schützen auf der Spur. Ein Spaziergang durch die Neusser Innenstadt. Neuss 2006.
== External links ==
Homepage of the Neuss Citizens' Marksmen's Association (in German) |
490 | 27,022,783 | 0 | Oldtimer Festival | Germany | The Oldtimer Festival (German pseudo-anglicism: vintage car festival) is a motor-sport event held by the DAMC 05 since 1983 on the Nürburgring, Germany. The official name of the event is Internationales Oldtimer Festival um den Jan-Wellem-Pokal auf dem Nürburgring, known colloquially as the Jan Wellem.
== Character of the meeting ==The Oldtimer Festival is a three-day race meeting for historic automobiles, motorbikes and sidecars. The event is mainly for classic vehicles of the post war era up to cars and bikes of the 1970s. Many of the vehicles racing there are well known by the spectators from the times of their youth. The public is allowed free access to the paddock, which enables direct contact with the competitors. To enable the presenting of the respective vehicles in the correct setting, the paddock is divided in sections according to the race series and clubs taking part.
The automobiles compete mainly under the regulations of the international FIA sporting code which means real racing. The motorbikes and sidecars however run in regularity trials according to the national rules of the German Motor Sports Association, the DMSB. Regularity trials are not about the fastest race times and therefore help preserve the historic material.
=== Last combined event for cars and motorbikes in Germany ===
Up to the 1970s combined meetings with cars and motorbikes were common in Germany. As a result of the increasing discussions about safety and tightening of safety regulations it became more and more difficult and expensive for organisers to arrange combined events. The Oldtimer Festival is the last big event of its kind with permission of the DMSB.
== History ==Until 1982 the DAMC 05 organised on the Nürburgring a circuit race called Rundstreckenrennen um den Jan-Wellem-Pokal. This race was held for modern and historical cars. In 1983 during the reconstruction of the Grand-Prix-Circuit, the Oldtimer Festival was held on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring solely for historic car, bikes and sidecars.
In 1984 the Oldtimer Festival was part of the opening meetings for the new Grand-Prix-Circuit of the Nürburgring. The event was extended to a three day event.
In 1990 the DAMC 05 together with the ADMV organised during the Oldtimer Festival the one and only heat of the German Democratic Republic's championships for formula easter cars and for Trabants in the FRG.
In 1995 for the first time the Historic Formula One Championship visited the Oldtimer Festival.
In 2008 the Oldtimer Festival took place during the summer month for the last time.
In 2009 the meeting had to be cancelled because of problems with the international race calendar.
== The present ==
In 2010 the 27th Oldtimer Festival took place from 10 to 12 September 2010 on the Nürburgring. As a part of the Oldtimer Festival in 2010 the tradition and name of the renowned ADAC 1000 km of Nürburgring will be continued. In contrast to former years, the race is organised for older cars and therefore the term “classic” was added to the name.
== Jan-Wellem-Pokal ==
The Jan-Wellem-Pokal (Jan Wellem Trophy) is named after count Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine (1658–1716), in Düsseldorf commonly known as Jan Wellem.
The trophy is awarded to the victor achieving the biggest time gap in the car races.
As bikes and sidecars compete under the regularity trial regulations, the Jan Wellem Trophy is given to the most consistent driver.
== External links ==Official homepage of the Oldtimer Festivals
Nürburgring event calendar
Formel Easter - Formula 1 of the East (in German) |
491 | 38,029,521 | 0 | Rákóczi Festival | Germany | The Rákóczi Festival (in German also written Rakoczyfest) is the largest city festival in the German spa town of Bad Kissingen. Since 1950, it has been taking place annually at the last weekend of July and lasting for three days. During the festival, the city's historical past is remembered, in which a multitude of prominent spa guests such as Empress Elisabeth of Austria, Emperor Alexander II of Russia or Chancellor Otto von Bismarck are portrayed to play important roles.
== The Naming of the Festival ==The Rákóczi Festival is, as it is the case with the Rákóczi Spring (which is the best-known spa spring in Bad Kissingen), named after the aristocrat Francis II Rákóczi, a Hungarian freedom fighter. Francis II Rákóczi had a certain popularity in that time, in which the spring was discovered by famous architect Johann Balthasar Neumann and local pharmacist Georg Anton Boxberger. This was the reason why the spring was named after Rákóczi, although Rákóczi had never been to Bad Kissingen.
== Characteristics and highlights ==
The Rákóczi Festival is a city festival to remember the history of Bad Kissingen with music being played in the whole inner centre of the city; former inhabitants of Bad Kissingen regularly revisit their hometown for the festival.
During the festival, historical personalities from Bad Kissingen's history are portrayed by the city's inhabitants in costumes. So, there is a performer for each historic spa guest, who has ever been to Bad Kissingen, as well as for Francis II Rákóczi, eponym of the festival.
Furthermore, the program of the festival includes a multitude of attractions such as ballooning in the Luitpold Park or burning numerous candles on the Saale (The Saale burns). The festival is concluded by the traditional fireworks.
== External links ==
Official web site of the Rákóczi Festival
60th Rákóczi Festival - Collection of newspaper articles in the local „Main-Post“; summer 2010
Group from Transsylvania dressed in national costume at the Rákóczi Festival in Bad Kissingen (21 September 2001) |
492 | 23,204,130 | 0 | Rhein in Flammen | Germany | Rhein in Flammen (English: Rhine in Flames) is the name of five different firework displays along the river Rhine in Germany. The displays take place annually, at various locations along the river.
On the five different dates, brightly illuminated ships sail the river in an evening convoy for their passengers to see the full firework display at each location of the river. The firework displays are started when the ships arrive. During the firework displays in St. Goar and St. Goarshausen, the convoy waits statically between the two castles Burg Maus and Burg Rheinfels. On the river banks wine festivals take place that attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
On the first Saturday in May, the event is held in Bonn, in July in the Rüdesheim-Bingen area. The biggest Rhein in Flammen event takes place in Koblenz on the second Saturday in August. In early September, an event is held at Oberwesel. In mid-September, fireworks are in the middle of the Rhine between Sankt Goar and Sankt Goarshausen.
== External links ==
Media related to Rhein in Flammen at Wikimedia CommonsOfficial website |
493 | 39,690,091 | 0 | Rheingauer Weinwoche | Germany | The Rheingauer Weinwoche (literally Rheingau Wine Week) in Wiesbaden, commonly known as Weinfest, takes place annually from the second Friday in August for ten consecutive days on the Palace Square, in front of City Hall. The longest wine bar in the world is also measured at the 118 stalls (including 98 wine stands) and Marktkirche stages for music.
Traditionally, there is only one beer stall, namely the Ratskeller in the basement of the City Hall. The Rheingau Wine Festival attracts more than 400,000 visitors annually.
== External links ==
Official Website |
494 | 68,105,379 | 0 | Schleswig-Holstein Gourmet Festival | Germany | The Schleswig-Holstein Gourmet Festival (SHGF) is a culinary festival series founded in 1987 and organized by the Gastliches Wikingland e. V. (English: Hospitable Viking Land Association). The SHGF, based in Schleswig-Holstein, starts in September of one year and ends in March of the following year.
== The festival ==
The festival is attended by up to 3000 guests, depending on the number of member companies and thus events. Each event takes place in a member company, usually a hotel or restaurant, in which a guest chef is responsible for the evening's menu with the support of the hotel's kitchen team. The guest chefs vary per season. The focus of the festival is on regional and seasonal cuisine with the involvement of Schleswig-Holstein products.
== History ==The organizing company, Gastliches Wikingland e.V., was founded in 1987 by restaurateur Hans Hansen-Mörck (1933–1994) and eleven other hoteliers and restaurateurs in the Schleswig-Flensburg district who served guests at the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, with the aim of holding a gourmet festival in the area. The 1st Schleswig-Holstein Gourmet Festival took place at the Historischen Krug in Oeversee. During the festival, Hansen-Mörck published a cookbook. The Presidents of Gastliches Wikingland have been Hansen-Mörck, Franz-Dieter Weiß, Heta Behmer, and since 1991 Klaus-Peter Willhöft.
In 2020, 16 companies from all parts of the state were part of the cooperation, including the founding members Ringhotel Waldschlösschen of Schleswig and, since 2020, Hotel Wassersleben from Harrislee. In 1987, the Michelin Guide awarded more than seven companies in Schleswig-Holstein eight Michelin stars in total. In 2020, the Michelin Guide in Schleswig-Holstein awarded three restaurants with two stars and nine with one star.
In 2000, the “Tour de Gourmet Jeunesse” was introduced as part of the Schleswig-Holstein Gourmet Festival. The target group event is aimed at young gourmets between 18 and 35 years of age. The routes for communicative restaurant hopping change annually and lead to two or three member houses. In the 29th season, the Tour de Gourmet Solitaire was introduced. It was a new concept for the large target group of single travelers over 40 years of age. Here, too, the routes to three member companies change seasonally. The opening gala of the festival is a little different from the regular events. Internationally trend-setting top chefs work together with chefs from their own member companies to turn the 5-course menu including a dinner party into a culinary experience.
== Guest chefs ==
For the 34th SHGF in 2020 and 2021, 18 guest chefs from Germany, Denmark, France and Switzerland will be at the stoves of 16 member companies. The guest chef changes every season - from established and new chefs.
The guest chefs who have performed at the Schleswig-Holstein Gourmet Festival so far include:
== Reception ==
German news broadcaster n-tv said in 2011 that the Gourmet Festival turned the northernmost federal state into a holiday destination for gourmets. In 2005, Die Zeit said it brought fresh air to north German cuisine, which n-tv described as heavy, fat, and unimaginative, as far as Schleswig-Holstein cuisine was concerned.
== Literature ==
1st Schleswig-Holstein Gourmet Festival. Verl. Gastl. Wikingland. 1987.
Schleswig-Holstein isst lecker (1. ed.). Wachholtz. 2006. ISBN 978-3-529-05522-5.
== External links ==
Schleswig-Holstein Gourmet Festival on the Website of Gastliches Wikingland e. V. |
495 | 6,223,429 | 0 | Schützenfest | Germany | A Schützenfest (German: [ˈʃʏtsn̩ˌfɛst], marksmen's festival) is a traditional festival or fair featuring a target shooting competition in the cultures of Switzerland, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.
At a Schützenfest, contestants compete based on their shooting abilities, for example, by shooting at a wooden representation of an eagle. The competition's winner becomes the Schützenkönig (king of marksmen) until the following year's competition.
The commercially-organized Hanover Schützenfest, Germany, is the largest marksmen's funfair in the world with more than 7,000 marksmen, 250 rides and inns, five large beer tents, and the Marksmen's Parade. The parade, with more than 10,000 participants from Germany and all over the world and more than 100 bands, is 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) long. It is the longest parade in the world. The landmark of the funfair is one of the highest transportable big wheels (US = Ferris wheels) in the world. It is 60 metres (200 ft) high and offers seating for 420 people in 42 cabins.
== History ==
Schützenvereine (associations of marksmen) und Schützenfeste (their festivals) belong to communal life in the Germanic regions of Europe. Their tradition dates back for centuries and has continued to the present day.
The word Schütze means marksman and protector, as contained in to shield, e.g., a Schutzmann is a German policeman. The pride of strong-armed self-defense underlies the popularity of Schützenvereine comparable to the popularity of volunteer fire brigades, particularly in smaller towns or villages.
The main event of a Schützenfest is the shooting competition to determine the marksmen's king (Schützenkönig) of the following year. The traditional trophy for the winner is an Ehrenscheibe or Königsscheibe, a painted target disk. In rural districts, one finds gables of houses decorated with them.
== Swiss Schützenfests ==
In Switzerland, the first national Swiss Federal Shooting Festival (Eidgenössisches Schützenfest) was held in 1824, but the local festivals also date back centuries earlier. Shooting medals and shooting cups seem to be the common forms of Swiss awards. Swiss shooting medals were struck in a variety of metals including gold, silver, bronze, white metal, and aluminum, with silver being the most common. Mintages are very low, with the average mintage of the 45 millimetres (1.8 in) silver being 700-800 pieces. The scarcity of medals has increased over the years due to the awards being melted for bullion, being lost, and general attrition. The size of most medals range from 23 millimetres (0.91 in) to 62 millimetres (2.4 in) with 45 millimetres (1.8 in) being the most prevalent.
Shooting thalers are coins minted to commemorate shooting festivals.
Swiss shooting thalers began mintage in 1842, with the Eidgenössisches Schützenfest in Chur, still under the cantonal authority of Graubünden. Shooting thalers between 1855 and 1934 were minted under federal authority, and were legal tender (with a nominal value of 5 francs).
Shooting thalers continue to be minted today, but since 1939 are no longer legal tender.During the Middle Ages, many towns had to find ways to defend themselves from gangs of marauders. For this reason, clubs and associations were founded, comparable to militias; these paramilitary associations were sanctioned for the first time in the Law for the Defensive Constitution of the Towns by King Henry I, and officially integrated into the towns' defense plans. Accompanying the military exercises and physical examinations of the towns' contingents, festivities were combined with festive processions. Participants from other parishes and, at times, even the feudal heads of state were also invited to these Marksmen's Courts (Schützenhöfe). However, the self-confident spirit of the townsfolk that marked these festivities was not always regarded positively by the authorities.
For this reason, different traditions developed in other regions. The military significance lessened over the centuries and became meaningless with the creation of regular troops and garrisons for national defense. The Schützenfests, however, continued in the form of a regional patriotic tradition.
== Switzerland ==Schützenfeste played a central role in the Old Swiss Confederacy, during the 15th century, participants shooting the crossbow, contributing significantly to the coherence between the individual cantons.
Eidgenössische Schützenfeste were organized by the Schweizerischer Schützenverein in the Restored Confederacy, for the first time in 1824.
The first federal Schützenfest after the formation of the federal state, again held in Aarau, in 1849, figures prominently in Gottfried Kellers Das Fähnlein der Sieben Aufrechten, where Keller portrays the shooting clubs as vital for the preservation of direct democracy in the young Swiss federal state.
Further festivals were held between 1859 and 1939 at irregular intervals of 2 to 4 years, and between 1949 and 1977, at intervals of 3 to 6 years.
From 1985, the Eidgenössisches Schützenfest was held regularly every five years.
The 2020 event, postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland, is scheduled to be held from 11 June to 11 July 2021 in Luzern.
Countless cantonal and regional Schützenfeste take place in Switzerland every year.
== Germany ==Schützenfests are celebrated mainly in Bavaria and Lower Saxony, but also in the Lower Rhine and Middle Rhine regions as well as in Westphalia (especially the Sauerland), with festive processions. Since German Reunification, Schützenfests have also begun to emerge in eastern parts of Germany. The traditions connected to the Schützenfest vary significantly from one region to another in Germany.
These traditions include the Blow of the Flag (a particular way of waving a flag). The Blow of the Flag in particular, and the waving of the flag in general, are executed according to fixed rules. Competitions are held in the discipline of flag-waving.
Schützenfests may range from one day to several days and may include and be accompanied by various events. They often occur in the festival room of a local public house or in a pavilion especially erected for the occasion. In the Sauerland, many towns have a special Marksmen's Hall that is used for these festivities. Many Schützenfests start with a festive procession, whereby the reigning King of Marksmen, the royal household, and local dignitaries are all escorted by the marksmen and paraded to the festive square or the festivities. This is often followed by a royal parade where the marksmen march past the king and the royal court, with marching bands, Corps of Drums, and fanfare bands playing along. The parading marksmen are formed in platoons or squads depending on the size of the formation, and in large towns and cities, marksmen are formed in companies and in both cases of the parade color guards march along with them. In a lot of cases, the pavilion is surrounded by a funfair.
The most common form of shooting competition is the Bird Shooting. The contestants no longer shoot at actual birds but on a mock bird made of wood and mounted on a pole. The contestant who demounts the last pieces of the wooden bird is the new King of Marksmen. Varying traditions may include shooting wooden animals other than birds or special awards won by hitting certain body parts, e.g., wings, beak, etc.Even a Großer Zapfenstreich and band concerts form part of the celebrations as well. The Großer Zapfenstreich done in these civil events, even though the military in origin as the festival itself, comprises the marksmen's organizations, torch-bearers, color guards, and a marching band and corps of drums, with an optional fanfare band when needed. Most are done outdoors, and there's an option to have an indoor ceremony done in the same manner as the outdoor ceremony. Many of the groups that help organize these festivities celebrate German pride, local community and state traditions, weapon drills (sans bayonets), and the wearing of local military uniforms. The use of the military hand salute is observed in many of these events. Typically the Bundeswehr marching practice is followed. Some have modern-styled marching bands, or bands modeled on foreign militaries, and march along during the parades with different variants per region. In Neuss, for example, the Rhine Guards Drum and Bugle Corps (based on the bands of the United States Marine Corps), and the Quirinus Band and Bugle Corps (under its current Bandmaster Peter Hosking - Ex Light Division), Germany's 1st ever band and bugles in the traditions of the British Army Light Division regiments (now The Rifles), that were based in West Germany during the Cold War years, have been a part of the parades there in recent years. A re-formed band, the Kapellen-Efrt Band of the Grenadier Guards, perpetuates the traditions of the Foot Guards regiments of the British Household Division, which were deployed during the Cold War in Lower Saxony. A few corps only make use of the US-style hand-over-heart civil salute during the Großer Zapfenstreich to distinguish these associations from the Bundeswehr, which uses the military hand salute.
Notable German Schützenfests includeDeutsches Bundesschießen: Organised by the German Shooting and Archery Federation, the first German Rifle Meeting was 1862 in Frankfurt am Main. So far, the last one was 2011 in Gotha.
The Hanover Schützenfest: The largest Schützenfest in the world, including rifle platoons from all over Germany and the world
The Neuss Schützenfest: The largest Schützenfest in the world that is organized by a single association and does not include platoons from other cities
== Overseas ==
Schützenfeste organized by German or Swiss expatriate communities overseas:
=== Australia ===
Adelaide Schützenfest, as of 2021 run by the South Australian German Association in Brooklyn Park, South Australia
=== Brazil ===
Jaraguá do Sul, Santa Catarina
=== Canada ===
Rural Municipality of St. Andrews, Manitoba
=== Namibia ===
The small southern town of Keetmanshoop had a Schützenhaus (marksmen's club house) as one of its first buildings, in 1905-07)
=== United States ===
Altamont, Illinois
Brea, California
Artemas, Pennsylvania
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Bow Valley, Nebraska
Cincinnati, Ohio
Deshler, Ohio
Ehrhardt, South Carolina
Fredericksburg, Texas
Grapetown, Texas
Las Vegas, Nevada
New Glarus, Wisconsin
Phoenix, Arizona
Raton, New Mexico (Annual International Schützenfest)
San Diego, California
Westside, Iowa
== External links ==Video showing many aspects of a Schützenfest
2010 Aarau
Newspaper article talking about Deshler, Ohio's annual Schützenfest |
496 | 77,162,701 | 0 | Wallenstein Festival | Germany | The Wallensteinfestspiele (Wallenstein Festival) in Memmingen, Bavaria, Germany is the largest historical festival in Europe and exists since 1980. Over 4,500 participants with 300 horses reenact the stay of Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Waldstein, known as Wallenstein, the supreme commander of the imperial forces of the Holy Roman Empire during the Thirty Years' War, in the city in 1630. The festival is organized every four years in the summer by the Fischertagsverein Memmingen. In 2018, the festival was awarded the Bavarian Heritage Prize.
== History ==The first reworking of the historical theme of Wallenstein in Memmingen in 1630 within the framework of a festival took place towards the end of the 19th century. A small initial festival was performed on February 23, 1895, by the reading society Harmonie in the Gasthaus Falken. Subsequently, the festivals were incorporated into the Great Fishermen's Day, which occurred every five years. The first Great Fishermen's Day took place in 1900 and was organized by the city magistrate. In the same year, the association Fischertagsverein Memmingen e. V. was founded, which subsequently participated in the organization of the Fishermen's Day. From 1919 onwards, it was solely responsible for the event.
During the first Great Fishermen's Day in 1900, not only was Wallenstein's arrival in Memmingen depicted, but also the themes of Welf VI with the Crusader group and the Peasants' War. In 1905, Wallenstein was not the focal point, but rather, on the occasion of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria's visit to Memmingen, Emperor Maximilian was featured. The play Emperor Maximilian in Memmingen by Bernhard Hofmann was performed. The next Great Fishermen's Day in 1925 after the First World War revisited the theme of Wallenstein, as did the one in 1930. After a break during the Second World War, Great Fishermen's Days were held again every five years from 1950 to 1975 in Memmingen.
For the next Great Fishermen's Day in 1980, there was consideration for a different large-scale event to be held at regular intervals. Three historical major events emerged in the vote. Besides Wallenstein's stay, the Peasants' War with the first proclamation of human rights in Europe, the so-called Twelve Articles, and the Reformation, as well as the first Bavarian period in Memmingen around 1803, were discussed. Due to greater possibilities in representation and to avoid religious conflicts on the topic of the Reformation, it was decided to focus on Wallenstein in Memmingen in 1630. The week-long Wallenstein Festival has been held in Memmingen in 1980, 1983, 1987, and every four years since 1992.
== Festival Schedule ==
The Wallenstein Festival, with around 4,500 participants and an estimated 150,000 visitors in 2016, is the largest historical festival in Europe. The next largest historical festival in Germany is the Landshut Wedding with about 2,000 participants. Due to their high attention to detail, both are among the most notable historical festivals in Germany. The dress code is strictly detailed, and the equipment, such as carts, cannons, flags, muskets, and similar items, are reconstructed. The costumes are all handmade by the organizers based on old pictures and drawings.
=== Pageants ===On Sundays, Wallenstein's entry or exit from Memmingen takes place. A large parade with all participating festival groups, along with their carts, cannons, horses, etc., begins at Ulmer Tor and proceeds through the city center.
=== Life in the camps ===Throughout the week, the historical camp life is reenacted in Grimmelschanze and Reichshain Park. Each group sets up its own camp, with many selling food and drinks or entertaining visitors with shows and performances.
=== Historical circus and Games of riders ===
Every evening during the week, both a historical circus in the Grimmelschanze featuring acrobat and fire-breather performances and Games of riders in Reichshain park take place.
=== Theater ===
The theater group of the Fischertagsverein performs a play in the Memmingen dialect against the backdrop of the marketplace in the old town during the festival week.
=== Crafts Market ===As part of the Wallenstein Festival, craftsmen present their trades at a historical crafts market in Memmingen.
=== Additional Performances ===
During the event week, there is also the Tanz auf dem Kopfstein (Dance on the Cobblestones), a large dance performance in historical costumes on the marketplace, followed by a torchlight procession. Additionally, there is a large battle reenactment with pyrotechnics, usually on Saturday at the Landesgartenschau grounds. The second Sunday of the festival begins with a historical service in St. Martin's Church.
== Historical Background ==The historical background for the Wallenstein Festival in Memmingen is the stay of Albrecht Wenzel Eusebius von Waldstein in Memmingen from May 30, 1630, to October 22, 1630. Wallenstein was twice the supreme commander of the imperial army during the Thirty Years' War, from 1625 to 1634. He fought on the side of the Emperor and the Catholic League against the Protestant forces of Germany, as well as Denmark and Sweden.
Wallenstein, along with his large court, took up residence for four months in the Fuggerbau. There, he received leading military figures from his army as well as guests and envoys, such as the papal Nuncio Rocci, Cardinal Richelieu's confidant Père Joseph, and Prince Ulrik of Denmark. The latter stayed in Memmingen for 50 days, with feasts and tournaments being held. The city chronicle states: It was a time of luck and prosperity!
During his stay in Memmingen, Wallenstein received his dismissal, decided by Emperor Ferdinand II at the Elector's Diet in Regensburg, in the Fuggerbau in July 1630. Due to the active intervention of Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden in the Thirty Years' War, Wallenstein was reappointed as supreme commander in 1632. In that year, the Swedish king also stayed briefly in the Fuggerbau. Wallenstein was declared dismissed again by the Emperor in 1634 and was assassinated on February 25, 1634, in Eger, Bohemia.
== External links ==
Official website
News coverage of the event on YouTube |
497 | 39,623,240 | 0 | Wilhelmstrassenfest | Germany | The Wilhelmstraßenfest is an annual street festival in Wiesbaden, Germany, which began in 1977 in celebration for the reopening of the Hessian state theatre. With roughly 250,000 visitors attending on the two festival days, it is the largest street festival in Germany. It takes place annually during the second weekend of June, on Friday and Saturday, on the namesake Wilhelmstraße and in the adjacent parks of Bowling Green and Warmer Damm. Its official name is Theatrium. The name Theatrium is derived from then from theater and Atrium (Latin for open air). The festival offers the largest outdoor event in the city, a variety of culinary specialties, and many music show performances, up to seven large and small stages, rides, a craft market with 130 exhibitors, and a grand finale: a fireworks show.
== External links ==
Official Website |
498 | 12,440,694 | 0 | Wurstmarkt | Germany | The Wurstmarkt (literally: Sausage market) in the spa town of Bad Dürkheim, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany is the world's biggest wine festival with over 600,000 visitors each year. It is held annually on the second and third weekend of September. The first Wurstmarkt - under a different name - was held in the year 1417. It takes place in the middle of the town, outside the Giant Cask (Dürkheimer Riesenfass) - the largest wine barrel in the world, which also houses a restaurant. The festival is reminiscent of the common Weihnachtsmarkt, with fairground rides and many food stalls being temporarily installed for the event. They eat all kinds of sausages at the “Wurstmarkt” including Bratwurst.
Wurstmarkt went on virtually in 2020–21, but went on hiatus in 1915-18 & 1940–45.
== External links ==
Dürkheimer Wurstmarkt |
518 | 30,872,991 | 0 | Angoulême International Comics Festival | France | The Angoulême International Comics Festival (French: Festival international de la bande dessinée d'Angoulême) is the second largest comics festival in Europe after the Lucca Comics & Games in Italy, and the third biggest in the world after Lucca Comics & Games and the Comiket of Japan. It has occurred every year since 1974 in Angoulême, France, on the last week end of January.
== History ==
The Angoulême International Comics Festival was founded by French writers and editors Francis Groux and Jean Mardikian, and comics writer and scholar Claude Moliterni. Moliterni served as co-organizer of the festival through 2005.
== Attendance ==
Over 200,000 visitors attend the fair every year, including between 6,000 and 7,000 professionals including approximately 2500 authors and 800 journalists.
The attendance is generally difficult to estimate because the festival takes place all over town, and is divided in many different areas that are not connected to each other directly.
== Official prizes ==
The four-day festival is notable for awarding several prestigious prizes in cartooning. The awards at Angoulême were originally called the Alfred awards, after the pet auk from Zig et Puce by Alain Saint-Ogan. In 1989, the name changed to the Alph-art awards, honoring the final, unfinished Tintin album by Hergé. In 2003, the Alph-art name was dropped, and they are now simply called The Official Awards of the International Comics Festival (le Palmarès Officiel du Festival international de la bande dessinée). In 2007, Lewis Trondheim (2006 Grand Prix winner) created a mascot for the festival, Le Fauve (The Wildcat), and since 2008 the prize winners have received wildcat statuettes, with the Best Album statuette coated in gold. Since this year, the award is called the fauve and the best album, the fauve d'or. The prizes were reorganized too, to create a pool of 40-60 albums, called official selections, from which are awarded the Best Album prize, five Angoulême Essentials, one Revelation Essential (given to rookie creators), and one Essential chosen by the public. The Heritage Essential (for reprinted material) and Youth Essential are selected from separate nominee pools.
Additionally, the Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême is awarded each year to a living creator honoring their lifetime achievement, and the Grand Prix winner becomes president of the next year's festival. Traditionally, the president heads the prize jury of the next year's festival, illustrates the festival poster, and is given an exhibition of his or her work. Four women have been awarded the prize: french author Florence Cestac, japanese mangaka Rumiko Takahashi, canadian Julie Doucet, and british cartoonist Posy Simmonds.
== Other prizes ==
Prize for School Comic
Prize for Young Talent (Prix Jeunes Talents)
Prize for Young Talent from the Aquitaine Region
Strip Prize
Prize of the Students of Poitou-Charentes (secondary school)
Prize of the Students of Angoulême (primary school)
Prize for Alternative Comics (fanzines)
Hippocampus Prize (for creators with disabilities)
Other prizes have been created on the margins of the festival, known as the Off Of Off. These awards are the Prix Tournesol, the Shlingo Award and the Prix Couilles-au-cul, literally translated as the Balls to the buttocks award, deriving from the french slang expression for bravery, and who celebrates and encourages artistic freedom in artists whose activism is repressed in their home countries.
== Prize categories ==Grand Prize
Prize for Best Album/Golden Wildcat
Special Prize of the Jury
Prize for Artwork
Prize for First Comic Book
Prize for a Series
Prize for Inheritance
Prix Jeunesse 9-12 ans (Youth prize, 9–12 years)
Prix Jeunesse 7-8 ans (Youth prize, 7–8 years)
Fanzine Prize
Revelation Prize
Best promotional comic
René Goscinny award
European comics
== External links ==Official website
Awards (in French)
France takes its comics very seriously. BBC News. 2008-02-16. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
ActuaBD (in French) |
519 | 70,443,905 | 0 | Brest Maritime Festival | France | The Brest International Maritime Festival (French: Fêtes maritimes internationales de Brest) is a gathering of traditional boats from around the world, taking place for a week every four years in the city of Brest in France.
Each edition took the name of the city of Brest, followed by the year: Brest 1992, Brest 1996, Brest 2000, Brest 2004, Brest 2008; for the 2012 edition, the festival was named Les Tonnerres de Brest, then in 2016, Brest International Maritime Festival 2016.
== History ==
This maritime event was initially born by the organization of gatherings of boats and popular festivals at the quay in the 1980s, called Pors Beac'h in 1980, 1982 (23, 24 and 25 July) and 1984 (9 to 12 August), small port of Logonna-Daoulas, at the bottom of the roadstead of Brest. The organization was then ensured by the Groupe Finistérien de Croisière Association of Jakez Kerhoas and the help of the founders of the magazine Chasse-Marée.
In 1986 and 1988, it was in Douarnenez that this gathering was organized by this same association. In 1986, 400 traditional sailboats were registered there and 10,000 spectators went there. Thanks to the popular success of this event and the support of public authorities, initiatives to restore traditional boats and the construction of replicas of old model boats are multiplying.After Douarnenez '88, great impetus was given by the Bateaux des côtes de France competition sponsored by the magazine Chasse-marée in 1990, in order to participate in the first major international gathering of Brest & Douarnenez 1992. Boats, replicas of old ones, were built from traditional rules in local shipyards and festive launches occur on occasion. Other old boats are also restored for this future event.
=== 1992 edition === Douarnenez was no longer large enough to accommodate so many boats, so the festival joined the port of Brest. The first edition took place from July 10 to 14, 1992. The SARL Grand Large was created by Jakez Kerhoas and Anne Burlat, which served as an assistance for the Brest & Douarnenez 1992 event, and the following ones.
During this gathering, the launch of La Recouvrance took place, a topsail schooner replica of a sloop from the beginning of the 19th century, Recouvrance being one of the districts of Brest.
Many replicas of traditional boats, built on this occasion, according to the traditional rules of maritime heritage, are present such as the Biche, the Belle-Étoile, the Corentin, the Dalh-Mad and the Loch Monna.
La Marie-Claudine (BR787127Y), a 9.6m two-mast open-top replica boat built in 1991, was the most awarded in the competition.
Ivlia, replica of an ancient Greek galley, participated in Brest '92.
Douarnenez prolonged the maritime festival by welcoming boats after the maritime festival in Brest.
=== 1996 edition ===
Brest 1996: from July 13 to 20, 1996.
Brest was celebrating the 100th anniversary of Belem and the launch of the restored Notre Dame de Rumengol, listed as a historical monument.
Some tall ships present:Pride of Baltimore II - United States;
HMS Rose - United States;
Kaskelot - United Kingdom;
Matthew - United Kingdom;
Khersones - Ukraine;
Statsraad Lehmkuhl - Norway ;
Christian Radich - Norway ;
Thalassa - Netherlands;
Tecla - Netherlands;
Oosterschelde - Netherlands;
Antigua - Netherlands
Swan - Poland;
Recouvrance - France;
Belle Poule (1932) - France;
Étoile (1932) - France.
=== 2000 edition ===
During the edition of Brest 2000, from July 13 to July 17, 2000, around thirty Bantry skiffs, built throughout France following a competition by Chasse-Marée magazine, competed in sailing and rowing regattas.
=== 2004 edition ===
On the occasion of Brest 2004 (from July 10 to July 15th), the festival welcomed around 2,000 sailboats from 30 different nations. A large maritime parade took place from Brest to Douarnenez on July 16.
=== 2008 edition. ===
The fifth Brest 2008 edition took place from 11 to July 17, 2008. It ended with a regatta around the Crozon peninsula to Douarnenez. Images from Brest 2008
=== 2012 edition ===
The sixth edition, Les Tonnerres de Brest 2012, took place from July 13 to July 19, 2012. It also marked the 20th anniversary of this event.
=== 2016 edition ===
The seventh edition took place from July 13 to July 19, 2016. It brought together 712,000 visitors, 1,050 boats and 9,000 sailors.
=== 2020 edition ===
The 2020 Brest International Maritime Festival was to take place from July 10 to July 16, 2020. This edition was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The board of directors of Brest Evénements Nautiques association, decided on November 5, 2020 that the Brest maritime festivals will not take place in 2021, but in July 2022, before postponing them to 2024 in February 2021.
Tall Ships Races,
SAIL Amsterdam, Netherlands, |
520 | 3,153,634 | 0 | Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity | France | The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (formerly the International Advertising Festival) is a global event for those working in creative communications, advertising, and related fields. It is considered the largest gathering of the advertising and creative communications industry.
The five-day festival, incorporating the awarding of the Lions awards, is held yearly at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France. During the last week of June, around 15,000 registered delegates from 90 countries visited the Festival. They celebrated the best of creativity in brand communication, discussed industry issues, and networked with one another. The week's activities include multiple award ceremonies, as well as an opening and closing gala.
== History ==
Inspired by the Cannes Film Festival, staged in Cannes since the late 1940s, a group of cinema screen advertising contractors belonging to the Screen Advertising World Association (SAWA) felt the makers of advertising films should be similarly recognized. They established the International Advertising Film Festival, the first of which took place in Venice, Italy, in September 1954, with 187 film entries from 14 countries. The lion of the Piazza San Marco in Venice was the inspiration for the Lion trophy.
The second festival was held in Monte Carlo, and the third in Cannes. After that, the event alternated between Venice and Cannes before settling in the latter in 1984. New categories have been awarded in recent years: the Press & Outdoor Lions competition in 1992; the Cyber Lions in 1998 (retired after 2017); Media Lions in 1999; Direct Lions in 2002; Radio, and Titanium Lions in 2005; Promo & Activation Lions in 2006 (retired after 2017); Design Lions in 2008; PR Lions in 2009; Film Craft in 2010; Creative Effectiveness in 2011; Branded Content & Entertainment and Mobile Lions in 2012; Innovation in 2013; and Creative eCommerce and Social & Influencer in 2018. In 2018, the festival introduced several changes to better reflect the state of the modern communications world: including new categories, revising costs, and reducing the event from seven to five days.
In the 1990s, the festival added programs of learning in the form of seminars and workshops. This side of the festival experienced considerable growth, featuring around 130 sessions in 2013's week. These included talks from Christopher Bailey, Jack Black, Jenson Button, Nick Cannon, Shepard Fairey, Arianna Huffington, David Karp, and Annie Leibovitz.
In 2004, British publisher and conference organizer EMAP plc (now called Ascential) purchased the festival from French businessman Roger Hatchuel – who had started managing it in 1987 – for a reported £52 million. In June 2014, the Wall Street Journal as well as Campaign Magazine Reported on Nimrod Kamer's protestations at Cannes Lions.
Philip Thomas is the Chairman and Simon Cook the Managing Director. Thomas is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of Ascential Futures, under which Cannes Lions operates.
== The Awards ==
Cannes Lions juries are drawn from experts in each field from around the world. Each jury is headed by a jury president. They judge submissions in Film, Film Craft, Industry Craft, Digital Craft, Media, Print & Publishing, Outdoor, Direct, Pharma, Health & Wellness, Design, Radio & Audio, Mobile, Branded Content & Entertainment, Brand Experience & Activation, Creative eCommerce, Entertainment, Entertainment Lions for Music, PR, Creative Effectiveness, Social & Influencer, Creative Data, Innovation, and Titanium, as well as Glass: The Lion for Change and Sustainable Development Goals. In 2013, the Festival launched a new category called the Innovation Lions, which are supposed to honor the technology and innovation which facilitates creativity, Including recognition of the 'Top 10 Startups to Watch'. Additionally, global start-ups can apply for the Start-up Academy to receive festival passes and access mentorship sessions.
Other awards include Holding Company of the Year, Network of the Year, Media Agency of the Year, Agency of the Year, Independent Agency of the Year, Media Person of the Year, New Directors' Showcase, Advertiser of the Year, and the Palme d'Or to the best production company.Advertisements are generally entered by the agencies that created them, although technically anyone can enter any advertising creation, providing it ran within a specified time frame. The jurors are instructed to reward advertising that is deemed most creative both in idea and execution.
In an article in The Guardian in 2009, WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell said the Cannes Lions awards were too costly to enter. However, a year later, he also admitted that he had made sure that WPP was very, very focused on Cannes and wanted to be the leader in terms of awards at Cannes. In 2011, WPP won the first Holding Company of the Year prize at the Festival. Commenting on this industry recognition, WPP Worldwide Creative Director, John O'Keeffe, said:
Cannes is the only global, cross discipline show, covering advertising, design, digital, media, promo, effectiveness, and everything else besides. It doesn't aggregate the scores of other shows, so you can't inflate your ranking on the back of just one or two pieces of work. If you are number one at Cannes, you've done it the hard way, the proper way, the only way.
In 2013, the Dumb Ways to Die a campaign by McCann Australia for Australian company Metro Trains made history by winning a total of five Grands Prix awards, the most ever awarded to a single piece of work.
The Lion of St. Mark is an honor given each year at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity to someone who has made outstanding contributions to the creative community.
== Young Lions Competitions ==
The Young Lions Competitions (previously known as the Young Creatives competition, which started in 1995) is open to advertising professionals up to 30 years old working in teams of two. The competition takes place during the festival week in Cannes in seven divisions: print, digital, film, design, young marketers, media, and PR. Regional competitions are held in most countries to select teams in the lead-up to the Festival, with winners of these going into the final round of the competitions at Cannes Lions. A design competition was launched in 2012.
== Lions Health ==
In June 2012, Cannes Lions announced that it plans to launch a new two-day event for creative communications in healthcare, wellness, and sustainability. The event took place at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France, just before Cannes Lions kicked off on June 15, 2014. Over two days, it explored and debated essential and unique issues in healthcare communications. The move was welcomed by some sections of the industry, with Jeremy Perrott, global creative director of McCann Health, commenting: Lions Health gives the industry the highest stage to showcase its brilliance. In 2017 Lions Health was moved to take place at the same time as the main festival, but remains a standalone event in another part of the Palais.
== External links ==
Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Official website
Cannes Lions Archive at CannesLions.com |
521 | 39,292,134 | 0 | The Cavalcade of Scaër | France | The Cavalcade of Scaër (French: La Cavalcade de Scaër; or The Cavalcade) is a carnival festival that takes place in the town of Scaër, a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. Every odd year since 1923, during the Pentecost weekend (Sunday and Monday), about 5,000 inhabitants of Scaër welcome about 50,000 spectators for The Cavalcade carnival, which the town owes its nickname French: Scaër la Joyeuse (Scaër the Merry).
Cavalcade
Float (parade)
Parade
== External links ==
Official website (in French) |
522 | 2,771,699 | 0 | Coupe Icare | France | Coupe Icare, also known as the Icarus Cup, is an annual festival of free flight held between Saint-Hilaire (on the border of Chartreuse Mountains) and Lumbin (in the valley of Isère in France). The festival typically lasts four days and is held in the early autumn. Coupe Icare is best known for its Concours de déguisements (Masquerade Flight contest), in which paraglider and hang glider pilots fly in costume to compete for prizes.
Coupe Icare features aerial acrobatics, hang gliders, paragliders, and hot air balloons. In addition to flight competitions, live entertainment, and street performances, the festival offers children's activities and a flight museum. It is held in conjunction with a commercial exposition and a film festival.
Originally organized by Tourist Office of St Hilaire in 1974, it is now organized by Icare Festival Organisation (IFO), a non-profit founded in 1989 for the purpose of managing Coupe Icare.
The 2012 Coupe Icare was held on September 20–23.
== Pictures ==
== External links ==
Coupe Icare Official Site
Coupe Icare Photos |
523 | 28,729,933 | 0 | Epica Awards | France | The Epica Awards are an annual series of communication awards, created in 1987 and based in Paris, France. Having originally focused on the Europe, Middle East and Africa region exclusively, the awards became global in 2012. 585 agencies in total submitted to work to the Epica Awards in 2015, representing 75 countries.
Epica's aim is to reward outstanding creativity and help communication agencies, film production companies, media consultancies, photographers and design studios to develop their reputations beyond their national borders.
The awards are judged during the third week of November by journalists representing the trade press. This jury aims to achieve objectivity and widespread coverage of the results. The best work is also published in the annual Epica Book and shown in the Epica on Tour showcase.
== Awards ==
The awards encompass all main communication disciplines: TV, Press, Outdoor, Digital, Mobile, Social, Radio, Promotions, Direct & Experiential Marketing, Media, Business-to-business, Public relations, Branded Entertainment, Design, Packaging, Integrated Campaigns, Film Craft, Photography and Print Craft. Complete results of the annual awards are announced in the press and confirmed on the Epica website during the last week of November every year. Category winners (gold, silver and bronze) receive an Epica crystal pyramid. Gold, silver and bronze winners also receive certificates.
The Epica Awards are open to all communication agencies, film production companies, media consultancies, digital agencies, PR specialists, photographers and design studios worldwide. Only work that has been approved by clients and used, published or broadcast since 1 July of the previous year is eligible to enter.
=== Jury and judging criteria ===
The Epica jury consists of senior writers and reporters from newspapers and online news portals around the world. Each jury member is selected based on certain criteria. The jury includes representatives from 290 renowned publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, National Geographic, The Australian, Vogue, GCC Business News, Ad Week, People, Arab News, Indian Express and Business Insider. The Epica Awards are the only industry awards to be judged solely by journalists.
Epica entries are judged on the basis of two criteria only: the originality of the creative idea and the quality of its execution (except in the Craft & Imagery categories where only quality of execution is taken into consideration).
The Epica results are determined by category. The highest scoring entry in each category wins gold, on condition that the work surpasses a minimum score that qualifies it as a category winner. Other entries in each category that achieve this score win silver or bronze. When no entry meets the standard there are no winners in the category. Four Grand Prix are awarded to the best overall film, press, outdoor and digital entries. These are selected from all the category winners. The agency and network with the most awards are given the Agency of the Year and Network of the Year trophies.
=== Epica Book and Epica on Tour ===
All the winners and a selection of other high-scoring entries are published in the annual Epica Book, which they receive a free copy of. The book showcases more than 800 TV commercials, posters, press ads, radio spots, PR projects, promotions, internet sites, graphic design projects, integrated campaigns, direct marketing, branded content and innovative media entries honoured in the previous year's awards.
Film winners are also compiled and shown in the Epica on Tour showcase. In 2016, the showcase toured Sydney, London, Paris, Stockholm, Moscow, Copenhagen, Minsk, Milan, Kyiv and New York City.
== Ceremony and conference ==
The Epica ceremony is held in a different capital city each year, on the Thursday of the third week in November. Cities that have hosted the ceremony include Berlin, Brussels, Amsterdam, Moscow, London, Zurich, Düsseldorf, Warsaw, Lisbon, Helsinki, Prague, Milan, Dublin, Budapest, Istanbul, Stockholm, Athens, Belgrade, Zagreb, Ljubljana and New Delhi. The ceremony is part of Epica's Creative Circle conference for industry experts, organized around a theme such as The New Scope of Creativity.
== Past results ==
In the 2015 Epica Awards there were Grand Prix winners from Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Austria. The UK topped the country rankings, obtaining 52 awards, including a Grand Prix and 16 golds. 585 agencies in total submitted to work to the Epica Awards in 2015, representing 75 countries.DIGITAL GRAND PRIX: Taste the Translation by J. Walter Thompson Amsterdam for ElaN
FILM GRAND PRIX: High School Girl? by Watts of Tokyo for Shiseido
PRESS GRAND PRIX: The John Lewis Southampton campaign by AdamandeveDDB, UK
OUTDOOR GRAND PRIX: Mini Traffic Lights by Demner, Merlicek & Bergman, Austria, for Mini
AGENCY OF THE YEAR: AdamandeveDDB won for the second consecutive year, with 14 awards including a Grand Prix and 4 golds.
NETWORK OF THE YEAR: BBDO won with 43 awards, 11 of which were golds
== External links ==
The Epica Awards Official website
Winner 2015 on YouTube |
525 | 38,298,852 | 0 | Feria d'Arles | France | Feria d'Arles is a popular festival centered on bull activities (including bullfighting) which is held each year in Arles, France.
== Presentation ==
Two different ferias take place, one in mid-September and one in April. The Easter feria in April opens the French bullfighting season and attracts more than 500,000 people, including 50,000 who assist with the bullfights in the Arles Amphitheatre. Numerous abrivados and bull games are organized in the city and people gather in the streets with bodegas, moving orchestras (called peñas) and concerts. |
526 | 38,298,925 | 0 | Feria de Nîmes | France | Feria de Nîmes is a popular festival centered on Spanish-style bullfighting held each year in Nîmes, Southern France. In May 2012, the Feria celebrated its 60th anniversary. |
527 | 1,291,468 | 0 | Fête de la Fédération | France | The Fête de la Fédération (Festival of the Federation) was a massive holiday festival held throughout France in 1790 in honour of the French Revolution, celebrating the Revolution itself, as well as national unity.
It commemorated the revolution and events of 1789 which had culminated in a new form of national government, a constitutional monarchy led by a representative Assembly.
The inaugural fête of 1790 was set for 14 July, to coincide with the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, although that is not what was celebrated. At this relatively calm stage of the Revolution, many people considered France's period of political struggle to be over. This thinking was encouraged by the constitutional monarchist Monarchiens. The first fête was designed with a role for King Louis XVI that would respect and maintain his royal status, while emphasizing his new role as the citizen king of the incipient French liberal constitutional monarchy. The occasion passed peacefully and provided a powerful, but illusory, image of celebrating national unity after the divisive events of 1789–1790.
== Background ==
After the initial revolutionary events of 1789, France's ancien régime had shifted into a new paradigm of constitutional monarchy. By the end of 1789, towns and villages throughout France began to join together as fédérations, fraternal associations which commemorated and promoted the new political structure.
A common theme among them was a wish for a nationwide expression of unity, a fête to honour the Revolution. Plans were set for simultaneous celebrations in July 1790 all over the nation, but the fête in Paris would be the most prominent by far. It would feature the King, the royal family, and all the deputies of the National Constituent Assembly, with thousands of other citizens predicted to arrive from all corners of France.
== Preparation ==The event took place on the Champ de Mars, which was at the time far outside Paris. The vast stadium had been financed by the National Assembly, and completed in time only with the help of thousands of volunteer laborers from the Paris region. During these Wheelbarrow Days(journée des brouettes), the festival workers popularised a new song that would become an enduring anthem of France, Ah! ça ira.
Enormous earthen stands for spectators were built on each side of the field, with a seating capacity estimated at 100,000. The Seine was crossed by a bridge of boats leading to an altar where oaths were to be sworn. The new military school was used to harbour members of the National Assembly and their families. At one end of the field, a huge tent was the king's step, and at the other end, a triumphal arch was built. At the centre of the field was an altar for the mass.
== Official celebration ==
The feast began as early as four in the morning, under a strong rain which lasted the whole day. The Journal de Paris had predicted frequent downpours.
Fourteen thousand fédérés came from the provinces, every single National Guard unit having sent two men out of every hundred. They were ranged under eighty-three banners, according to their département. They were brought to the place where the Bastille once stood, and went through Saint-Antoine, Saint-Denis and Saint-Honoré streets before crossing the temporary bridge and arriving at the Champ de Mars.A mass was celebrated by Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, bishop of Autun. At this time, the first French Constitution was not yet completed, and it would not be officially ratified until September 1791. But the gist of it was understood by everyone, and no one was willing to wait. Lafayette led the President of the National Assembly and all the deputies in a solemn oath to the coming Constitution:We swear to be forever faithful to the Nation, to the Law and to the King, to uphold with all our might the Constitution as decided by the National Assembly and accepted by the King, and to remain united with all French people by the indissoluble bonds of brotherhood.
Afterwards, Louis XVI took a similar vow: I, King of the French, swear to use the power given to me by the constitutional act of the State, to maintain the Constitution as decreed by the National Assembly and accepted by myself. The title King of the French, used here for the first time instead of King of France (and Navarre), was an innovation intended to inaugurate a popular monarchy which linked the monarch's title to the people rather than the territory of France. The Queen Marie Antoinette then rose and showed the Dauphin, future Louis XVII, saying: This is my son, who, like me, joins in the same sentiments.
The festival organisers welcomed delegations from countries around the world, including the recently established United States. John Paul Jones, Thomas Paine and other Americans unfurled their Stars and Stripes at the Champ de Mars, the first instance of the flag being flown outside of the United States.
== Popular feast ==
After the end of the official celebration, the day ended in a huge popular feast. It was also a symbol of the reunification of the Three Estates, after the heated Estates-General of 1789, with the Bishop (First Estate) and the King (Second Estate) blessing the people (Third Estate). In the gardens of the Château de La Muette, a meal was offered to more than 20,000 participants, followed by much singing, dancing, and drinking. The feast ended on 18 July.
== Trivia ==
The Chant du 14 juillet, written by Marie-Joseph Chénier and François-Joseph Gossec, was sung in the Écoles Normales until the Second World War.
Jean Claude Jacob, a serf from the Jura Mountains, supposedly 120 years old, was brought from his native place to figure as Dean of the Human Race.
=== Bibliography ===
Bonifacio, Antoine; Maréchal, Paul (1965). La France, l'Europe et le monde, de 1715 à 1870 (in French). Paris: Hachette. OCLC 679992827.
Hanson, Paul R. (2004). Historical Dictionary of the French Revolution. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5052-1. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
Hibbert, Christopher (1980). The Days of the French Revolution. New York: William Morrow and Co. ISBN 0-688-03704-6.
Mignet, François-Auguste-Alexis (1824). Historie de la revolution francaise depuis 1789 jusqu'en 1814 (in French). Vol. 1. Paris: Didot. OCLC 491274264.
Unger, Harlow Giles (2002). Lafayette. London: John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 047144586X.
== External links ==Te Deum for the Federation of 14 July 1790, hymn by composer François-Joseph Gossec |
528 | 5,437,039 | 0 | Festival of Lights (Lyon) | France | The Festival of Lights (French: Fête des lumières, [fɛt de lymjɛʁ]) in Lyon, France is a popular event that originally aimed at expressing gratitude toward Mary, mother of Jesus around December 8 of each year. This unique Lyonnaise tradition dictates that every house place candles along the outsides of all the windows to produce a spectacular effect throughout the streets. The festival includes other activities based on light and usually lasts four days, with the peak of activity occurring on the 8th. The two main focal points of activity are typically the Basilica of Fourvière which is lit up in different colours, as well as the Place des Terreaux, which hosts a different light show each year.
== History ==
=== Spared from plague ===
The origins of the festival date to 1643 when Lyon was struck by plague. On September 8, 1643, the municipal councillors (échevins) promised to pay tribute to Mary if the town was spared. Ever since, a solemn procession makes its way to the Basilica of Fourvière on 8 December (the feast of the Immaculate Conception) to light candles and give offerings in the name of Mary. In part, the event thus commemorates the day Lyon was consecrated to the Virgin Mary.
=== Inauguration of a statue ===
In 1852, it became a popular festival when a statue of the Virgin Mary was erected next to the Basilica, overlooking the city. Now a focal point of the festival, the statue was created by the renowned sculptor Joseph-Hugues Fabisch and was sponsored by several notable Lyonnais Catholics. It was then accepted by Maurice Cardinal de Bonald in 1850. The inauguration of the statue was due to take place on September 8, 1852, the day of celebration of the Nativity of the Virgin. However, the flooding of the Saône prevented the statue from being ready. The archbishop, with the agreement of a committee of lay people, therefore chose to move the date back to the 8 December.
By 1852 in Lyon, December 8 had already been a celebration for the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin. Leading up to the inauguration, everything was in place for the festivities: The statue was lit up with flares, fireworks were readied for launching from the top of Fourvière Hill and marching bands were set to play in the streets. The prominent Catholics of the time suggested lighting up the façades of their homes as was traditionally done for major events such as royal processions and military victories.
However, on the morning of the big day, a storm struck Lyon. The master of ceremonies hastily decided to cancel everything and to push back the celebrations once more to the following Sunday. In the end the skies cleared and the people of Lyon, who had been eagerly anticipating the event, spontaneously lit up their windows, descended into the streets and lit flares to illuminate the new statue and the Chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Fourvière, later superseded by the Basilica. The people sang songs and cried Vive Marie! until late in the night. This celebration was then repeated from year to year.
== Custom ==Tradition now mandates that many families in Lyon keep, often along with their Christmas decorations, a collection of stained or clear glass in which candles are burnt on windowsills on 8 December. These stout, fluted candles can be found in shops towards the end of November.
During the nights of Festival of Lights, multiple areas of the city are reserved for pedestrians only. The festival typically features light shows, performances and food vendors.Historians note the rather misinformed notions that the people of Lyon have concerning the celebration's origins: confusion over the thanks given to Mary, as well as the dates involved, leads people to think the celebration commemorates the establishment of the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière or a wish granted after a plague supposedly struck in the 19th century.
The festival draws 3 to 4 million people each year.
== Security measures after 13 November 2015 ==
On 19 November 2015, six days after the attack on the Bataclan in Paris, Gérard Collomb announced the cancelation of the festival because a national state of emergency had been declared. The festival was limited to the traditional lumignon candles and an installation which paid tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks, whose first names were displayed over the buildings of the quays.
Because of the continuing risk of attacks, the 2016 edition of the festival took place in a smaller area than usual and lasted for three days instead of four. Security inspections were conducted at entrances to the event and additional security forces were provided by the Minister of the Interior.
Lumiere festival
== External links ==Official Festival Website
Het zestiende Lichtfestival van Lyon (The sixteenth Light Festival at Lyon) - NRC.nl
Where, when, how much and more full guide to Lyon Festival Of Lights |
529 | 1,839,218 | 0 | La Fête du Baiser | France | La Fête du Baiser (festival of the kiss) is a festival celebrated the Saturday after St. Valentine's Day, in Roquemaure, France, near Avignon. Begun in 1989, it commemorates not only Saint Valentine, whom locals claim as a former resident, but the arrival of his remains in 1868 to Roquemaure's collegiate church reliquary. Celebrations revolve around a return to a 19th-century way of life, including costumes and markets.
The relics of St Valentine were purchased in Rome, in hopes of curing the town's diseased vine stocks; within four years they were healed. Today, Roquemaure is home to a winery (Cellar St. Valentine) which produces wines named after the saint.
The festival was started by a local priest, Father René Durieu. Men and women around the village dress as priests and nuns, kissing each other, as well as travelers. Special foods and wines are produced especially for the festival.
== External links ==
Lip service: The wine and the kisses flow during a passionate French festival, Sydney Morning Herald, February 18, 2005
La Fête des Baisers ou La Festo de Poutoun (in French)
La Fête du Baiser : Saint Valentin à Roquemaure (in French) |
530 | 63,064,551 | 0 | Fête du Citron | France | The Fête du Citron is a carnival event organised by the tourist office of the city of Menton, France, and held every year at the end of winter. It is also sometimes called Carnaval de Menton (Carnival of Menton).
The festival celebrates the annual production of specialty lemons and other citrus fruit in Menton. All the floats and sculptures present at the carnival are created from lemons and oranges.
The celebration takes place every year in mid-February. It has been recognised by the Ministry of Culture of France and entered in the inventory of intangible cultural heritage in 2019.
== History ==In 1875, hoteliers proposed to the municipality to create a carnival parade to enliven the city in winter. As early as 1876, the event attracted locals and wealthy winter visitors alike. At the time, it was fashionable for the wealthy to come and spend the winter months in the mild climate of the French Riviera. Kings, princes, and artists flocked to palaces in the city or had villas built there.
The 1882 edition of the carnival was notably attended by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and it culminated with a fireworks display over Garavan Bay.
The Carnival of Menton bears some similarities to its cousin from neighbouring Nice: a parade of large heads, confetti streams, flower battles, Mardi Gras celebration, and finally, the burning in effigy of the Majesty of the Carnival. The feasts which surround the celebration mark the period before Lent.
=== Lemon Festival ===In 1928, Menton was the main producer of lemons on the European continent. A hotelier had the idea of organizing a private exhibition of flowers and citrus fruits in the gardens of the Riviera Hotel. The event's success was such that the following year, the municipality took up the idea on its own. The name Fête du Citron was born in 1934. The Lemon Festival combines traditional carnival events with a celebration of Menton's reputation as Europe's lemon capital. Today, Menton is not known for the quantity of lemons it produces but rather their quality, as they are of a specialty kind sought after by chefs from across the region.
The celebration features elaborate themed floats whose structures are covered in citrus fruit, primarily lemons and oranges, a large portion of which is imported from Spain every year. At the end of the event, the fruits are sold at low prices. Each year, a different theme is chosen for the festival.
The Fête du Citron is the second largest public winter event on the French Riviera after the Nice Carnival.
The celebration did not take place during the war years between 1940 and 1946, in 1991 due to the Gulf War, and in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
== Previous themes ==
== External links ==Official website
City of Menton website |
531 | 2,401,868 | 0 | Fêtes de Bayonne | France | The fêtes de Bayonne is a feria consisting in a series of festivals in the Northern Basque Country in the town of Bayonne. The festival lasts 5 days and always held during the summer months of July and/or August. It is the largest festival in France. In the eighties, participants started to dress in white with a red scarf and a red belt after the colours of the city of Pamplona. Some rare purists prefer to wear blue and white, the colours of the city of Bayonne.
The festivals include musical and street performances, traditional dances, parades, and fireworks.
The first Fêtes de Bayonne, called The Big Summer Festival, took place on July 13, 1932. It was instigated by a group of friends belonging to the Aviron Bayonnais rugby team.
They wanted to create celebrations similar to those of San Fermin in Pamplona, Southern Basque Country (famous for their Running of the Bulls) in Bayonne.
== Gallery ==
== External links ==
www.fetes-de-bayonne.com Archived 2008-11-19 at the Wayback Machine
www.fetes-traditionnelles.fr/fetes-de-bayonne_explication-37.html |
532 | 27,354,194 | 0 | Foire comtoise | France | The Funfair of Besançon is a festive event who takes place every year in the Micropolis in the district of Planoise.
== History ==
This event is the most festive gathering of Franche-Comté, and met every year more than 140.000 visitors and more than 450 exhibitors, and exist since 1936. In 2010, 20.000 visitors where attracted at the opening day.
Planoise
Besançon |
533 | 43,954,657 | 0 | Générations Star Wars et Science Fiction | France | Générations Star Wars et Science Fiction (English: Star Wars and science fiction generations), also called Gen SW, is a French fan convention whose main subject is the Star Wars universe. Other topics are the comics, the science fiction and the fantasy. It is held once a year in Cusset, Allier since 1999. Among its most notable guests are the major Star Wars actors Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker) and David Prowse (Darth Vader) or renowned comics artists like Tom Palmer and Davide Fabbri.
Organizing this event is the main activity of the non-profit association Les Héritiers de la Force (English: The Heirs of the Force) which is not associated to nor endorsed by Lucasfilm Ltd. There is no entry fee for the visitors attending the convention.
== History ==
The first venue of the Générations Star Wars et Science Fiction occurred on October 10, 1999 and hosted 500 visitors. It's only in 2002, for the fourth edition, that the convention switched to its current format, a two-days event held on a week-end as close as possible to the French public holiday of May 1.
In 2003, the convention welcomed Jeremy Bulloch, the actor behind the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Since then, it ever hosted at least one Star Wars actor, except in 2007 when health problems forced Kenny Baker to cancel his visit. Comics artists are also mainstays since the coming of Italian artist Davide Fabbri in 2009, mainly with the help of Star Wars comics publisher in France, Delcourt. These guests, among others like stunt coordinator Nick Gillard or photographer Cédric Delsaux, helped the convention to grow up and attract more visitors, until the current record of 6500 attendees in 2014.
== Activities ==The visitors are able to meet the actors and artists, ask them questions, obtain signings or take photos with them. There are also exhibitions, dioramas and merchandising shops. Sci-Fi fans associations present their activities and what they've created like real scale objects or vehicles. The main events regularly happening are cosplay contests, knowledges quizzes, fan art contests, Questions/Answers with the guests or conferences. Since 2013, charity sales are organized on the favour of the children service of Vichy's hospital.
== Organizers ==
The event is organized by the non-profit association Les Héritiers de la Force, based at Cusset. It is the association's main activity but its members also participate at other events or conventions, to promote Générations Star Wars or as cosplayers. They also go to hospitals to help the ill children.
The convention's posters are quite famous among the French Star Wars fandom because of the artworks of painter from Vichy Greg Massonneau.
The association, and thus the event, are supported by the General Council of Allier and the city of Cusset. There are also partnerships with comics publisher Delcourt and toy manufacturers Lego and Hasbro, for example.
== Guests list ==
Here is the complete list of the convention's guests, up to the 2014 edition.
=== Star Wars actors ===
=== Comics authors ===
=== Other guests ===Cusset
Science fiction fandom
Star Wars
Star Wars comics
Lego Star Wars
== Further reading ==
== External links ==Official website
Description of the Espace Chambon |
534 | 76,168,431 | 0 | Justice Documentary Festival Paris | France | The Justice Documentary Festival Paris, among the longest-standing French judicial festivals, unites a collection of documentaries focused on the theme of Justice and presents both a Jury Grand Prize and a Public Grand Prize.
== History ==
The Documentary Festival on Justice or Judicial Film Festival of the Paris Bar is a national Film festival created in 1997 by President Bernard Vatier. Its head office is in Paris at the Musée du Barreau de Paris. In 2013, the President Christiane Féral-Schuhl titled it “Film and justice”. Film festivals take place every year in the auditorium of the Maison de l'ordre des avocats.
== Editions ==
== New Edition ==
In 2023, the new edition of the Paris Bar Judicial Film Festival is called the Justice Documentary Festival. It is organized by the Maison du Barreau de Paris. It puts in competition 11 films on the judicial theme judged by a prestigious jury made up of personalities from the legal world, journalists and intellectuals in order to award 2 prizes including that of the Jury and that of the Public, it takes place from 18 to September 21, 2023 at the auditorium of the Paris Bar. It is considered by the press as one of the oldest and most prestigious festivals on the theme of justice. Dylan Besseau and Guillaume Gevart were the two youngest directors in the selection, the festival was chaired by Serge Moati.
== Jury 2023 ==
Source:Chaired by Serge Moati
Laure Beccuau, public prosecutor at the Paris Judicial Court
Julie Couturier, Bâtonniere of Paris
Vincent Nioré, Vice-Bâtonnier of Paris
Jacques Toubon, Former Minister of Justice and Culture
Dominique Simonnot, General controller of places of deprivation of liberty
Basile Ader, former Vice-President of Paris and lawyer for L'Equipe and Le Parisien
=== Official Selections ===
Source:In the eyes of the judges by Matthieu Delahousse and Damien Vercaemer
La Dispute by Mohamed El Khatib produced by Serge Lalou and Camille Laemlé
Daech, les enfants fantômes by Hélène Lam Trong produced by Fabienne Servan-Schreiber and Estelle Mauriac
Anne Bouillon : Justice pour toutes ! by Dylan Besseau produced by Guillaume Gevart
Rwanda : Le silence des mots by Gaël Faye and Michael Sztanke produced by Stéphanie Lebrun
The Killers of the Republics - Hit for Hit by Damien Fleurette, Vincent Nouzille produced by Bernard de La Villardière
War crimes in Ukraine, justice on the march by Elizabeth Drévillon produced by Stéphanie Lebrun
Dangereux à perpétuité ? by Frédérique Lantieri produced by Stéphanie Lebrun
In our prisons, a story of struggle by Lise Baron produced by Maël Mainguy
Justice ! by Marion Guégan & Marie Chartron produced by Théo Laboulandine
Ambush : Invisible Crimes by Sarah Brethes, Mathieu Magnaudeix & David Perrotin produced by Mediapart
== Winners ==
Source:The Grand Jury Prize : In our prisons, a story of struggle by Lise Baron
The Grand Public Prize : Rwanda : Le silence des mots by Gaël Faye
Special Mention from the Jury : Daech, les enfants fantômes by Hélène Lam Trong
== Notes and references ==
== Others links ==
Le barreau de Paris lance le Festival du documentaire sur la justice on jss.fr |
535 | 2,890,170 | 0 | Nice Carnival | France | The Nice Carnival (French: Carnaval de Nice) is one of the world's major carnival events, alongside the Brazilian Carnival, Venetian Carnival, and Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It is held annually in February and sometimes early March (depending on the movable date of Carnival in the Christian calendar) in Nice on the French Riviera.
== History ==
The earliest records establish the carnival's existence in 1294, when the Count of Provence, Charles Anjou, wrote that he had passed the joyous days of carnival. This may make the Nice Carnival the original carnival celebration.
In 1873, a committee was created for the Carnival, headed by local artist Alexis Mossa, with later contributions from his son Gustav-Adolf Mossa. The Carnival was reinvented into a parade, adding masquerades, satirical floats, and competitions.
Today, the two-week event attracts over a million visitors to Nice every year.
Each year, a special theme is chosen, and artists create 18 floats and other figurines in traditional papier-mâché for the colorful parade. The parades take place day and night, while on the Promenade des Anglais, flower battles occur.
In 2017, the memorial to the 2016 Nice truck attack was dismantled in preparation for the carnival. Additionally, the route was moved from the Promenade des Anglais to the Promenade du Paillon.
== Gallery ==
== External links ==Official website |
537 | 28,025,162 | 0 | La Pourcailhade | France | La Pourcailhade (also known as La Fete du Cochon or Festival of the Pig) was a pig festival that was held each year in August in the town of Trie-sur-Baïse, in the Hautes-Pyrénées department of south-western France. It was first held in 1975 and was organised by La Confrérie du Cochon or the Brotherhood of the Pig. The festival involved displays, pig races, eating contests and other competitions. The most popular competition was Le Championnat de France du Cri de Cochon (French Pig-Squealing Championships), in which contestants had to imitate the noises pigs make at various stages in their life.
It once featured on the Channel 4 television programme Eurotrash. The contest achieved international notoriety in 2005 when a photo of one of the contestants Jacques Barrot was modified and portrayed as an attempt to ridicule Muhammad in the Akkari-Laban dossier produced by two imams who had been granted sanctuary in Denmark but were upset by the publication of 12 cartoons of Muhammad in the Jyllands-Posten newspaper. The dossier was used as false evidence of anti-Muslim feeling in Denmark in several tours of Arab countries by the imams and others in an attempt to inflame passions about the Jyllands-Posten cartoons.
La Pourcailhade was relaunched in August 2018.
Piers Letcher, Eccentric France (Bradt, 2003) |
538 | 57,682,136 | 0 | La Roche-sur-Yon International Film Festival | France | The La Roche-sur-Yon International Film Festival is a film festival created in 2001. Renewed in 2010, it takes place every year in mid-October in the town of La Roche-sur-Yon in Vendée, France. In 2017, it attracted an estimated 24,000 attendees from October 16 to 22, an increase of 10% compared to the year before (22,000).
== Award categories ==
Special Jury Prize
Grand Jury Prize CINÉ+
Mention of the International Competition
New Wave Awards
Jury Special Mention News Waves
Trajectory Awards
Audience Award
== External links ==
Official website |
539 | 4,987,443 | 0 | Rock'n Solex | France | The Rock'n Solex festival is a French student festival, combining Solex racing and music, first held in 1967.
It combines Solex races during the day and music concerts every night.
== External links ==
Official Site (in French)
List of the previous programmes (in French) |
540 | 76,454,377 | 0 | Series Mania | France | Series Mania (French: Festival Séries Mania) is an international festival dedicated to television series, held annually in Lille, France. It is the largest TV series event in Europe and an important premiere platform. Series Mania comprises an institute of the same name, a forum for industry professionals, and a one-day summit Little Dialogues.
== Profile ==
The festival was established in 2010 by Laurence Herszberg. Initially it was hosted at the Forum des Images in Paris and started off with 250 industry attendees. In 2016, the government announced a competition between host cities for the best project of the festival's organization, which was won by the city of Lille. It bought the Séries Mania trademark from the city of Paris and has hosted the event since 2018. Still, the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée in Paris remains the festival's important venue.
The festival's sections are International Competition, French Competition, International Panorama Competition, Short Forms Competition, Midnight Comedies Competition, and Out of Competition Special Screenings. Within the sections, awards are given for Best Actor, Best Actress, Audience Award, etc.
In 2013, the Series Mania Forum was founded. Directed by Francesco Capurro, the Forum is an important industry event that hosts conferences, panel discussions, showcases, and Co-Pro Pitching Sessions competition. The winner and the runner-up in Co-Pro Pitching competition receive a €50,000 development prize.
Along with the main program and the Forum, Series Mania leads multiple cultural initiatives and events. The Little Dialogues is a one-day summit for industry professionals established to promote international cooperation. Launched in 2023, SERIESMAKERS initiative co-founded with Germany's Beta Group is purposed to aid projects in development with cash prize and the help of renowned consultants.
Series Mania Institute, the education and training division, was established in 2021. It became the first institution in Europe that is completely focused on training professionals in TV series. The institute offers short-term courses as well as two-year educational programs. The institute also runs a workshop in Rio de Janeiro in partnership with several Brazilian and French institutions. In 2018, the Series Mania Writers Campus was established, a week-long writing workshop for TV series writers.
By 2023, Series Mania has developed a reputation as an important global event that secures world premieres for future international hits. Such major market players as Netflix, HBO, Amazon Studios, Apple TV+, Paramount, and Disney, present their projects in Lille.
In 2023, SM's director general Herszberg announced a collaboration between Series Mania Institute and Taiwan Creative Content Agency: a workshop on international serial co-productions that will start in Lille and finish in Taiwan. Also that year the former president of the festival Rodolphe Belmer (2018–2023) stepped down and was replaced by Anne Bouverot.
== Editions ==
=== 2018 ===
The 2018 edition was the first one located in Lille. Running from April 27 to May 5, the festival offered its audience 77 series, more than 1000 screenings and a wide range of special programs.
In the International Competition, the Grand Prix was awarded to On the Spectrum by Dana Idisis and Yuval Shafferman; Jury's Special Prize was given to Il Miracolo by Niccolò Ammaniti. Best Actress — Anna Mikhalkova (for An Ordinary Woman), Best Actor – Tommaso Ragno (Il Miracolo). The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel won the Audience Award. In the French Competition, the Best Series award went to Ad Vitam by Thomas Cailley and Sebastien Mounier, Anne Charrier was chosen the Best Actress for Maman a tort. Bryan Marciano (for Vingt-cinq) and Roschdy Zem (Aux Animaux la guerre) shared the Best Actor award. Kiri won in the International Panorama.
=== 2019 ===
The 10th anniversary edition went on March 22–30. The attendance reached 72,000. That year, Uma Thurman, Freddie Highmore, Charlie Brooker, and Marti Noxon gave masterclasses at the festival, while Eric Rochant, Hugo Blick and Dominik Moll participated in public talks. List of the premieres included Chambers, The Red Line, and many more.
The Jury Grand Prix went to The Virtues by Shane Meadows and Jack Thorne, the Special Jury Prize went to Nir Bergman and Ram Nehari's series Just for Today. Audience Award went to Mytho by Anne Berest and Fabrice Gobert, Best Actress — Marina Hands (for Mytho), Best Actor — Stephen Graham (The Virtues). In the French Competition, Apnea by Gaia Guasti, Aurélien Molas, and Julien Trousselier won the Best Series award. Carole Weyers was chosen the Best Actress (for Super Jimmy), Best Actor — Grégory Montel (for Family Shake). In the International Panorama the Best Series award went to Exit, a Norwegian drama by Petter Testmann-Koch and Øystein Karlsen.
The economic benefits of this year's edition estimated €5,273,063.
=== 2020 ===
The edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Forum was moved online and took place from March 25 to April 7. It attracted 1,500 professionals, featuring a 54 series Buyers Showcase. However, as one of the first European digital experiences, it had its weaknesses: some projects (almost the entire French section) were not available online.
=== 2021 ===
The 11th edition took place from August 26 to September 2, 2021. The line-up included more than 50 series with 25 world premieres. The jury of the International Competition was headed by Hagai Levi. At the Forum, 2,500 professionals from 66 countries participated, 15 projects were selected for co-founding. The attendance exceeded 54,000.
=== 2022 ===
The 12th edition took place March 18–25, it attracted more than 70,000 visitors and 3300 professionals. The line-up featured 58 series from 21 countries.
The International Competition Jury consisted of Christian Berkel, Cécile de France, Shira Haas, Berkun Oya, and Yseult. Michael Hirst, Mathieu Kassovitz, Nathalie Baye, and Isabelle Nanty were Guests of Honor.
The Grand Prix in the International Competition was awarded to Le Monde De Demain. Sunshine Eyes took the Special Jury Prize, Swedish The Dark Heart won in the International Panorama. In the French Panorama, Chair Tendre won the Best Series Award. Ines Ouchaaou, Charlie Loiselie and Assa Sylla shared the Best Actress award for their performance in Reuss. Axel Granberger became the Best Actor (for Les Papillons Noirs).
330 projects from 56 countries applied for the Forum's Co-Pro Pitching Sessions.
=== 2023 ===
The 13th edition took place on March 17–24 and screened 54 unreleased series, hosted 32 world and 10 international premieres. For the first time, projects from Greece and Iran joined the line-up. 3,800 accredited visitors attended the edition, while the audience exceeded 85,000.
The Grand Prix was given to Navid Javidi's The Actor.
The 13th edition was seriously impacted by the all-country wave of protests against Emmanuel Macron's controversial pension reform. On March 21, protestors tried to storm the red carpet and were confronted by anti-riot police.
=== 2024 ===
The 14th edition took pace from March 15–22 and featured a line-up of 52 shows and 26 world premieres. More than 400 applications were received for the Co-Pro Pitching Sessions and 4400 industry professionals were accredited, while the attendance estimated 98,000. Among the big premieres, the festival hosted Netflix's 3 Body Problem.
The International Competition jury of Bérénice Bejo, Charlotte Brändström, Malick Bauer and Sofiane Zermani, headed by Zal Batmanglij, gave the Grand Prix to Yan England's Rematch. In the International Panorama, Jakob Rørvik's Dates in Real Life won the Best Series award.
== External links ==
Official website |
541 | 18,176,150 | 0 | Temple for Peace | France | The Temple for Peace (French: Temple pour la Paix) is a construction project of the congregation Vajradhara-Ling in Normandy to promote world peace. The cornerstone was laid in 2003 and construction started in 2010. This Temple will be built in the same style as the Samye monastery, the first temple built in Tibet that was founded by Padmasambhava in the 8th century CE.
== Aims of the Temple ==
The aim of the Temple for Peace is not only to share teachings of Tibetan Buddhism but also to welcome demonstrations linked to peace: symposia, inter-religious meetings, expositions and performances. It will be a place to encounter and favor the exchanges between different schools of Buddhism, as well as Christian, Moslem, Jews, and other traditions such as those of Indians of North America and Indigenous Australians. Meetings will be organized between wise representatives of these traditions, enabling a better knowledge of their diversity as well as common values: their contributions in building a better world, mutual tolerance and the respect of others, in particular through peace and non-violence. Conferences will gather recognized personalities working to promote peace, such as Nobel Peace Prize laureates, women and men involved in humanitarian projects, religious dignitaries of different confessions, artists working to promote respect and tolerance between peoples.
== Genesis of the project ==
In 1995 and in 1998, Lama Gyurme visited Tibet in a pilgrimage and met Orgyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa at Tsurphu. He presented him his project for construction of a temple for peace.
The authorization to construct the Temple was granted by the French authorities in March 2002.
The cornerstone was laid by Tenga Rinpoche on September 21, 2003.
The project was consecrated by the 14th Dalai Lama on August 14, 2008, at this occasion, the Dalai Lama delivered a speech on peace.
The construction started in 2010.
== Temple architecture ==
The Temple will have a surface area of 3,600 m2 on five levels.
== Peace and Light Festival ==
Since 2006, each year at Kagyu-Dzong, the Peace and Light Festival was started to support the construction of the Temple. It includes art exhibition and performances, and takes place in the Pagode de Vincennes. In 2008, it included a concert by Lama Gyurme and Jean-Philippe Rykiel. In 2010, songs by Lama Gyurme were presented by the French actress Véronique Jannot, while Tshering Wangdu also gave a performance.
== External links ==
Temple pour la Paix
TEMPLE POUR LA PAIX (3D) (video, LAMAGYURME) |
542 | 40,837,736 | 0 | Toques et Clochers | France | Toques et Clochers is an annual two-day charitable gastronomy festival in Aude, France dedicated to the celebration of Chardonnay production in the Limoux wine appellation, sponsored by the Sieur d'Arques wine cooperative.
The festival has taken place each year since 1991 during the weekend of Palm Sunday in the area of Limoux and Saint-Hilaire. Each year a different village in the appellation is chosen to host the festival and the money raised is used to restore the church in that village. On the first day of the festival, the host village holds a celebration for the public, including wine-tasting, art exhibitions and music. On the second day, the Sieur d'Arques cooperative hosts an auction of local wines and a gala dinner. The wine auction is presided over by Michelin starred chefs who also create the gala dinner, while an award-winning sommelier selects the wines.
In 2008, the auction of wines raised 537,750 euros.
The event's name refers to the tall hats worn by chefs (toques) and bell towers or steeples (clochers), since the money raised from the auctions is given to churches to restore their belltowers.
In 2018, the first day of the festival, due to be held in the village of Loupia, was cancelled as a mark of respect to those killed a day earlier in an Islamist terror attack in nearby Trebes and Carcassonne.
== External links ==
Official website |
543 | 42,841,115 | 0 | Visa pour l'Image | France | Visa pour l'Image is an international photojournalism festival established in 1989, which takes place annually in the entire city of Perpignan, France. This is the main and most important festival of photojournalism in France and runs from late August to mid-September for a period of 15 days.
Visa pour l'Image not only offers exhibitions spread across the city, but also conferences and meetings. Photographers such as Herb Ritts and Claude Gassian have participated in the festival.
In April 2019, Renaud Dondieu de Vabres succeeded Jean-Paul Grimolet as president of the Visa association for the image that oversees the festival. In 2022, the festival will run from August 27 to September 11. The professional week takes place from August 29 to September 42. The period reserved for schools is from September 12 to 23.
== France: awards ==
=== 2012 ===
The awards for 2012 were as follows.Visa Off: Clara Gabrielli / Libros a Euro
Visa d'or News : Éric Bouvet pour Le Figaro Magazine – Bab al-Azizia, la fin.
Visa d'or Magazine : Stephanie Sinclair / VII pour National Geographic Magazine – Ces petites filles que l'on marie.
Visa d'or Presse Quotidienne : Tomas Munita pour The New York Times magazine (USA)
Visa d'or Humanitaire du Comité international de la Croix-Rouge (CICR) : Mani pour Le Monde – Syrie, dans Homs
Prix de la Ville de Perpignan Rémi Ochlik : Sebastián Liste / Reportage by Getty Images – Urban Quilombo
Prix Canon de Femme Photojournaliste 2012 : Sarah Caron – Les femmes paschtounes au Pakistan
Prix France 24 / RFI du Webdocumentaire : Défense d'Afficher par Sidonie Garnier, François Le Gall et Jeanne Thibord
Prix ANI-Pixpalace 2012 : Misha Friedman – Tuberculose en Ouzbékistan, en Ukraine et en Russie.
Getty Images Grants for Editorial Photography : Bharat Choudhary (Le silence des autres), Sebastián Liste / Reportage by Getty Images (Le Far West brésilien), Kosuke Okahara (Fragments / Fukushima), Paolo Marchetti (Fever – Le réveil d'un fascisme européen).
Prix Pierre et Alexandra Boulat : Maciek Nabrdalik / VII – Les migrations économiques en Europe.
=== 2013 ===
The awards for 2013 were as follows.Visa d'or de la Presse Quotidienne : Niklas Meltio / Helsingin Sanomat : Syrie
Visa d'or Magazine : Noriko Hayashi / Panos Pictures – Réa : Le mariage au Kirghizistan : une institution pas très sainte
Visa d'or News : Laurent Van der Stockt / Reportage by Getty Images pour Le Monde : Syrie
Visa d'or humanitaire du Comité International de la Croix-Rouge (CICR) Sebastiano Tomada / Sipa Press : Alep (Syrie), situation des blessés, difficultés d'accès aux soins et précarité des structures de secours.
Visa d'or FRANCE 24-RFI du webdocumentaire 2013 : Isabelle Fougère et Miquel Dewever-Plana : Alma, une enfant de la Violence.
Visa d'or d'honneur du Figaro Magazine Don McCullin / Contact Press Images
Prix de la Ville de Perpignan Rémi Ochlik 2013 Sara Lewkowicz / Reportage by Getty Images : Shane et Maggie : portrait d'une violence domestique
Prix Canon de la Femme Photojournaliste Décerné par l'Association des Femmes Journalistes (AFJ) : Mary F. Calvert / Zuma Press : projet sur les violences sexuelles au sein de l'armée américaine.
Prix ANI – PixPalace : Paolo Marchetti : Cité Soleil, Haïti.
Getty Images Grants for Editorial Photography : Matt Eich : Péché et Salut dans le quartier de Baptist Town Marco Gualazzini / LUZphoto : M23 – Le Kivu, RDC, région en état de siège Samuel James / Cosmos : Le Pétrole au Nigeria Eugene Richards : War is Personal Tomas Van Houtryve / VII : Corée du Nord
Prix Pierre et Alexandra Boulat : Arnau Bach : projet sur les banlieues marseillaises.
=== 2014 ===
The awards for 2014 were as follows.Visa d'or de la Presse Quotidienne : Meeri Koutaniemi : mutilations génitales féminines au Kenya
Visa d'or Magazine : Guillaume Herbaut / Institute - Ukraine, de Maïdan au Donbass
Visa d'or News : Tyler Hicks / The New York Times - Massacre au centre commercial Westgate de Nairobi (Kenya)
Visa d'or humanitaire du Comité International de la Croix-Rouge (CICR) : William Daniels : République Centrafricaine
Visa d'or FRANCE 24-RFI du webdocumentaire 2014 : Olivia Colo et Samuel Bollendorf : Le Grand incendie
Visa d'or d'honneur du Figaro Magazine Don McCullin / Contact Press Images
Prix de la Ville de Perpignan Rémi Ochlik 2013 Sara Lewkowicz / Reportage by Getty Images : Maxim Dondyuk
Prix Canon de la Femme Photojournaliste Décerné par l'Association des Femmes Journalistes (AFJ) : Viviane Dalles
Prix ANI – PixPalace : Frédérick Buyck : Jesus, make-up and football
Getty Images Grants for Editorial Photography : Giulio Di Sturco (Ganges : mort d’un fleuve), Krisanne Johnson (Afrique du Sud : la jeunesse post-apartheid), William Daniels (République centrafricaine), Jordi Busqué (Les Mennonites de Manitoba) et Juan Arredondo (Né en plein conflit).
Prix Pierre et Alexandra Boulat : Kosuke Okahara : projet de reportage sur la drogue en Colombie
Rencontres d'Arles
== External links ==
Official website
Festival coverage in English from Radio France Internationale |
544 | 17,115,165 | 0 | Xicolatada | France | The Xicolatada (Catalan pronunciation: [ʃikuləˈtaðə]; French pronunciation: [ʃikɔlatada]) is a traditional festival celebrated in the village of Palau-de-Cerdagne in Languedoc-Roussillon. It is celebrated yearly on 16 August, and has been for over 300 years.
In Catalonia, 15 August was once a festival day, and the locals would drink quite a bit, to the point that they felt a bit ill the following morning. To help them feel better, the village chocolatier would offer them a hot chocolate, which he claimed was an excellent remedy. Over the years, this habit grew into a custom, and eventually a municipal association was formed to remember the tradition and to organise the distribution of hot chocolate every year on 16 August, at precisely 11 in the morning. Today, the chocolate is brewed in large cauldrons over a wood fire. In 2007, 800 litres were consumed by 3000 people, many of whom were visitors; the festival draws many tourists to the village every year. To preserve the tradition, festival organisers have created a sort of confraternity called the Mestres xicolaters, or master chocolatiers, who keep the recipes for the chocolate secret; the organisation also handles scheduling, which it does not reveal in advance.
Histoire de Roussillon (in French) |
566 | 60,179,010 | 0 | Anarchapulco | Mexico | Anarchapulco is an annual anarcho-capitalist and voluntaryist conference held in Acapulco, Mexico. It was founded by Canadian-Dominican activist and entrepreneur Jeff Berwick in 2015. The term is a portmanteau of anarchy and Acapulco.
The conference attracted increased attention and controversy after a member of the community, a fugitive from American drug charges, Shane Cress, using the pseudonym John Galton, was shot and killed at his home in Acapulco. |
567 | 37,837,108 | 0 | Aztec New Year | Mexico | The Mexica New Year (Spanish: Año Nuevo Mexicano or Año Nuevo Azteca; Nahuatl languages: Yancuic Xīhuitl, pronounced [ˈjaŋkʷik ˈʃiːwit͡ɬ]) is the celebration of the new year according to the Aztec calendar. The date on which the holiday falls in the Gregorian calendar depends on the version of the calendar used, but it is generally considered to occur at sunrise on 12 March. The holiday is observed in some Nahua communities in Mexico. To celebrate, ocote (pitch-pine) candles are lit on the eve of the new year, along with fireworks, drumming, and singing. Some of the most important events occur in Huauchinango, Naupan, Mexico City, Zongolica, and Xicotepec.
The latest and more accepted version was proposed by professor Rafael Tena (INAH), based on the studies of Durán, Sahagún and Alfonso Caso (UNAM). His correlation confirms that the first day of the Mexica year was February 13th according to the old Julian calendar or February 23rd of the current Gregorian calendar. Using the same count, it has been verified the date of the birth of Huitzilopochtli, the end of the year and a cycle or Tie of the Years, and the New Fire Ceremony, day-sign 1 Tecpatl of the year 2 Acatl, corresponding to the date February 22nd.
This 365-day calendar was corresponded with the solar year, was divided into 18 'months' of 20 days each, plus 5 'nameless' days at the end of the year. Also, there are some codices that show the existence of the leap year. |
568 | 55,892,361 | 0 | Tigrada | Mexico | Tigrada is a festival which is held every August 15 on the streets of the southwestern Mexican city of Chilapa de Álvarez.
In Tigrada parade, the townspeople, along with surrounding communities, honor the Virgin of the Assumption, and invoke Tepeyollotl, the Jaguar God and protector of the mountains, to ensure fertile earth and abundance of rainfall.
This carnival has deep roots associated with Mesoamerican mythology and rituals.
== Sources == |
584 | 28,072,850 | 0 | List of Korean traditional festivals | South Korea | Korean traditional festivals (Korean: 한국전통축제; Hanja: 韓國傳統祝祭) are the national and local festivals historically celebrated by Koreans.
== Summary ==
== Detailed description by lunar month ==
=== First ===Seollal (New Years Day)
Seollal is one of the most significant holidays in Korea, along with Chuseok. Seollal is New Year’s Day on the lunar calendar. The name originates from the word seol, which means unfamiliar, implying newness of a new coming year. It is unknown when Koreans began celebrating Seollal, but rituals of the festival are estimated to go back to the 6th century. On Seollal, Koreans demonstrate their respect to parents and elders in the family, as well as deceased ancestors through Sebae and Charye. Also, elders give money or present to a person who did Sebae in return of showing their respect. Koreans almost always wear hanbok on this day and eat Tteokguk and Yakwa in addition to playing a traditional game like. With passing of Seollal, all Koreans age one year under the East Asian age reckoning.
Daeboreum (15th day)Daeboreum celebrates the first full moon of the new year. Traditionally, group of people play a traditional game called Geuybulnori (Hangul: 쥐불놀이) a night before or on the day of Daeboreum. Farmers burn hays of dry grass on ridges between the rice fields while other people whirl around few cans with a lot of holes which allowed charcoals to fire inside the cans. Practically, people believed the fire could help kill harmful insects near the rice fields, and ashes of the fire could fertilize the ground to help the year's farming. Also, charcoals were used to blaze a fire. In addition, people eat ogokbap (Hangul: 오곡밥, Hanja: 五穀밥), or ‘five-grain rice,’ and seasoned greens. People drink ear-quickening wine (Hangul: 귀밝이술), go up to the mountain in the night (Hangul: 달맞이) and pray for his or her wishes to the moon. People also do Bureom (Hangul: 부럼깨기) on Daeboreum. People crack nuts with one's teeth, believing this will not make one's face come out in spots for the rest of the year.
=== Second ===
Meoseumnal (2nd month)
Meoseumnal is a traditional festival for servants. Meoseum (머슴) refers to servants and slaves. This was a day that masters allowed their servants and slaves to celebrate a day with extra food, singing, and dancing before farming started in February, back in the day when slaves existed in Korea. The masters also provided enough money for the servants so that the servants would have not needed to spend their money in the day. This festival was designed by masters to encourage their servants and slaves to work better on the year's farming. The servants usually made traditional snack called songpyeon with the grains used during Daeboreum and ate them according to their age, because they believed this could bring them good luck. For instance, a 10-year-old servant would eat ten Songpyeon. In Euiryong-gun, Yangsan-gun, or Gyungsangnam-do, the day was regarded as a coming-of-age day. The festival is no longer celebrated after the abolition of the Meoseum system in Korea, and it is even rare to see a person remembering the festival.
Yongdeungje
Yongdeungje (Hangul: 영등제, Hanja: 靈登祭) is a day to celebrate Yongdeung (Hangul: 영등, Hanja: 靈登, the god of wind), believed to have descended to Earth on the first day of February and ascended on the 20th. The festival is mostly celebrated in Jeju Island and Youngnam district. While Yongdeung is on Earth, it is believed to bring strong winds. Thus, people in the sectors strongly affected by wind such as fisheries and farms perform an ancestral ritual Jesa (Hangul: 제사, Hanja: 祭祀) in order to appease the wind god. If it rains or is cloudy the day Yongdeung ascended, people think the year will be a fruitful one.
=== Third ===
Samjinnal (3rd day)Samjinnal (Hangul: 삼짇날, Hanja: 三짇날)’s origin is unknown but is noted as a day of celebrating the coming of spring. Thus Samjinnal, the date with two 3s, is considered a lucky day with good and evil spirits. This is the day when barn swallows return, snakes wake from their sleep, and butterflies begin to fly. It is thought as good luck if one sees a snake on this day. Archery, cockfighting, flower viewing, and fortune telling are also enjoyed by the people celebrating this day. People would eat rice pancakes with flower toppings known as Hwajeon (Hangul: 화전, Hanja: 花煎) and noodles, and drink Dugyeonju (Hangul: 두견주, Hanja: 杜鵑酒, Azalea wine).
=== Fourth ===
Hansik (105 days after winter solstice)
One of the biggest four traditional festivals along with Seollal, Dano, and Chuseok, Hansik marks the start of the farming season. During the festival, Koreans visit their ancestral graves for offering rite and cleaning and maintenance. Jesa (Hangul: 제사, Hanja: 祭祀), a traditional ritual is performed with the expectation of a fruitful year at the grave. Traditional food is prepared for the Jesa and shared with families and neighbors after the ritual has been performed. It is known that on Hansik, people should eat only cold food, but the ideal is generally ignored. Ssuktteok (Hangul: 쑥떡, a variation of Tteok, mugwort cake), Ssukdanja (Hangul: 쑥단자, Hanja: 쑥團餈, mugwort dumplings), and Ssuktang (Hangul: 쑥탕, Hanja: 쑥湯, mugwort soup) are the representative food for Hansik.
Chopail (8th day)Also known as Buddha’s Birthday, people celebrate the founder of Buddhism. The main event of this day is merrymaking with lantern parades. Before this event, families build lanterns in accordance to the number of their family members. On the celebration day, people light the lamps and hang them outside their homes. These lanterns are made in shapes of flowers, fishes, turtles, fruits, and many others. People also enjoy eating different types of Tteok, dumplings, and special dishes made of fish.
=== Fifth ===
Dano (5th day)Dano is a traditional festival in celebration of spring and farming. On this day, women wash their hair in water boiled with sweet flag (known as Changpo (Hangul: 창포, Hanja: 菖蒲) in Korea) and men wear iris roots around their waists to ward off evil spirits. Main activities include folk games such as Ssireum (Hangul: 씨름, Korean wrestling match) and swing. Also, as it is a time when the summer comes, people present a fan to friends or neighbors wishing that they can beat the heat that summer. On Dano, People eat traditional foods including a variety of Tteok and other herb rice cakes.
UNESCO designated the Gangneung Dano-je Festival (Hangul: 강릉단오제, Hanja: 江陵端午祭) as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
=== Sixth ===
Yudu
Yudu is a traditional festival celebrated in the hopes of getting rid of ghosts and bad spirits. On Yudu, people would go to creeks that run to the East and bathe and wash their hair in the past. It is considered a performance and ritual of washing away bad spirits. Then people would perform rituals to the farming god with newly harvested fruits hoping for a fruitful harvest. People also eat noodles as it is believed that by eating noodles, people will live a prosperous and long life.
Sambok (between 6th and 7th month)Sambok is thought to be the hottest day of the summer. Bok in Sambok means that a person is lying down like a dog, and the hot energy of summer is strong, so the energy of autumn cannot stand up and obey. In order to get through the hottest day of the year, people eat fresh fruits, liquor, and other traditional foods. The most popular dish on Sambok is Samgyetang (Hangul: 삼계탕, Hanja: 蔘鷄湯) made with a whole young chicken and Insam (Hangul: 인삼, Hanja: 人蔘, Korean ginseng). There is a myth in that if one bathes in a river or lake on Sambok, he or she will grow weak.
=== Seventh ===
Chilseok (7th day)Chilseok is related to weaving activities of Korean women. On this day, women perform a ritual to Jingnyeo with cucumbers and pickled fruits to weave better. On Chilseok, people ate miljeonbyeon (Hangul: 밀전병, Hanja: 밀煎餠, Wheat pancake), and mil guksu (Hangul: 밀국수, Wheat noodles) because the wheat is not the right food when the cold wind blows.
Baekjung
Mid July is a time when there is an abundant number of fruit and vegetable seeds; thus the festival, Baekjung (Hangul: 백중, Hanja: 百中/百衆) derives from the word Baek (Hangul: 백, Hanja: 百, hundred) implying there are a hundred fruit and vegetable seeds. Before harvest, farmers take this day to rest and perform rituals to farming gods hoping for a fruitful harvest season. In the past, servants and workers were granted with a day off and received allowance money to buy goods and food and some servants were also married on this day. On Baekjung, people eat food made with potatoes, flour, and wheat, along with a variety of wild vegetables.
=== Eighth ===
ChuseokAlso known as Hangawi (Hangul: 한가위), the Korean thanksgiving Chuseok (Hangul: 추석, Hanja: 秋夕) is one of the greatest traditional festivals. On Chuseok, which takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month under a full moon, people enjoy traditional games such as dancing, tug-of-war, and Ssireum (Hangul: 씨름, Korean wrestling match). People also perform traditional rituals such as Charye (Hangul: 차례, Hanja: 茶禮) in respect and remembrance of their ancestors. As part of the ritual, people take care of the ancestral grave sites by mowing the grass and cutting off weeds. People enjoy a variety of traditional foods and dishes like Songpyeon (Hangul: 송편, Hanja: 松편, Traditional rice cake made with the grains), Torantang (Hangul: 토란탕, Taro soup) and liquor made of newly harvested fruits and vegetables. It is one of the most richest and festive festivals of the year.
=== Ninth ===
Jungu or Jungyangjeol (9th day)
Based on ancient Korean numerology called jungyang, literally meaning the square of a positive number. Hence, Jungu (Hangul: 중구, Hanja 重九) or Jungyangjeol (Hangul: 중양절, Hanja: 重陽節), the date in which two 9s is considered a lucky day. The festival dates back to the Silla Dynasty (Hangul: 신라, Hanja: 新羅, BC57 ~ AD935). During the Joseon Dynasty (Hangul: 조선, Hanja: 朝鮮, 1392 ~ 1897), Koreans climbed Namsan or Bookaksan in Hanyang (Hangul: 한양, Hanja:漢陽, the capital of Joseon Dynasty, now Seoul) and mountains nearby the city, ate and drank and enjoyed Danpung-nori (Hangul: 단풍놀이, Hanja: 丹楓놀이, viewing the changing color of maples during autumn). People usually eat Gukhwajeon (Hangul: 국화전, Hanja: 菊花煎, Chrysanthemum pancake), Eran (Hangul: 어란, Hanja: 魚卵, roe), and Yujacheong (Hangul: 유자청, Hanja: 柚子淸, Honey citron tea).
=== Tenth ===
Sangdalgosa
Sandalgosa (Hangul: 상달고사, Hanja: 上달告祀) is a ritual performed during the month of October to the house gods for peace and stability of the family. It is also a performance to thank the gods for a prosperous year so it is performed after harvest. Each family picks a good day to perform the ritual and coil a golden rope around the house, spread a layer of red clay on the floor to protect the house from evil spirits. Food is provided to the house gods and it is displayed in each room.
==== Sangdalgosa in different regions ====
In Nocheon-ri, Ungcheon-eup, Boryeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do, the harvest is over and rice cakes are steamed in October to celebrate the rite. This is also called the family rite. The meaning behind this name is the hope that the family will be at peace and the descendants will be well for 12 months a year. If the family rite is held in September, Jung-guil on September 9 of the lunar calendar is regarded as auspicious day. In addition, during the rite, six piles of red clay are planted on both sides of the gate to prevent unclean people from entering the house.
The steamed rice cake prepared at this time is called House Siru. In case of excessive corruption and impurity, red beans are added to prevent damage. The red beans are not crushed but scattered on the steamer without being put on top. In families that are extremely dedicated to Chilseong, Chilseong Siru is steamed separately. Nowadays there are not many children who like rice cakes, and they do not hold a big rite, so they steam Doenjang-jjigae..Sondolpoong or Sonseokpong (20th day)
Sondolpoong (Hangul: 손돌풍, Hanja: 孫乭風) or Sonseokpong (Hangul: 손석풍, Hanja: 孫石風) are strong winds that usually blows on 20 October. There is a folk tale on why the winds come on that day: A boatman named Sondol (Hangul: 손돌, Hanja: 孫乭) was killed under a false accusation. Thus the strong winds and rapid torrents come every year on that day. To remember his unfair death and appease with the soul, boatmen and fishermen perform a ritual on this day. By performing the ritual, people believe strong winds and currents common during the time will not harm them. Regular ritual food is prepared on this day.
=== Eleventh ===
Dongzhi FestivalDongji (Hangul: 동지, Hanja: 冬至) is the day with the longest night and the shortest day. It is also the day when the ecliptic longitude marks 270 degrees. Starting Dongji, the days become longer marking the coming of spring thus it is also known as the real beginning of a new year. People eat porridge made of red beans called Patjuk (Hangul 팥죽, Hanja: 팥粥, Read bean soup) on Dongji. Patjuk is believed to ward off evil spirits.
=== Twelfth ===
Seotdal Geumeum (Last day of the year)
Seotdal Geumeum (Hangul: 섣달그믐) was established to celebrate the last day of the year by driving evil spirits away and welcoming a new and prosperous year. To drive away evil spirits, in palaces and public offices people wore masks playing drums in the past; because the following day is Seollal (Hangul: 설날), most people start preparing food for the next day, cleaning up the house.
List of music festivals in South Korea
== External links ==
Korea National Heritage Online
National Folk Museum of Korea
National Museum of Korea Archived 10 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine
Daejeon Water Splash |
585 | 39,089,731 | 0 | List of South Korean festivals | South Korea | For older or historical observances in Korea see traditional festivals of Korea.
Many new festivals have originated in South Korea in response to the country's tourism initiatives. Contributing to this growth is a gradual change to a five-day work week and greater leisure. In 2013, over 700 festivals were held in the country, with this number likely to rise.
Koreans mostly use the Gregorian calendar, which was officially adopted in 1896. However, traditional holidays are still based on the old calendar.
== Lists of festivals by region ==
=== Seoul ===
Seoul Lantern Festival Region: Around Cheonggyecheon, accessible by Seoul Subway Line 1, Jonggak Station, or Seoul Subway Line 2, City Hall Station (Seoul).
Date (Schedule): From the first week of November to the third week of November, approximately
History: The festival was held in 2009 for the first time in Seoul along with the restored Cheonggyecheon stream. During 12 days, over 520,000 people visited this festival. The next year, in 2010, the main theme was 'Seoul, Forest of Life for Hope'. Compared to the previous year, the number of visitors quadrupled. Foreign reporters who were visiting Korea for the G20 Seoul Summit reported at the festival. With some success, in 2011 its name was changed from the Seoul World Lantern Festival to the Seoul Lantern Festival and the theme was Stories of Seoul's Past through Lanterns Plus; there was again rapid growth, a 24% rise in the number of total visitors. In 2012 a glimpse into Seoul's roots and the daily life of Korean Ancestors was the main theme.
Other similar festivals: Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival
Special activities: Visitors can climb up the Seoul City Wall, set afloat lanterns of hope, create traditional lanterns, and can buy traditional Korean paper lanterns with a discount promotion.
Official Homepage: https://web.archive.org/web/20130323213032/http://www.visitseoul.net/en/article/article.do?_method=view&art_id=58485&lang=en&m=0004021001001&p=21
Seoul International Fireworks FestivalRegion: Yeouido Han River park. / Subway - Seoul Subway Line 5 Yeouinaru Station exit 1
Date: October, September (Still unconfirmed)
History: From 2000 on, this festival has been held annually in Yeouido (except for 2001 due to the 9/11 terror attacks in the United States), 2006 (because of nuclear tests in North Korea), and 2009 (because of concerns about Influenza A virus subtype H1N1). In 2000 this festival was held for the first time with four countries represented: South Korea, the United States, Japan and China, with each team making its own show every Saturday. In 2002 the festival was designated as a formal festival for World Cup, and all five teams attended the festival: Australia, the United States, Japan, China, Italy and South Korea. In 2003's team were South Korea, Australia, Japan and China. In 2004's team were Australia, South Korea, China, and Italy. 2005's team were South Korea, the United States, China, and Italy. In 2007 only three countries, South Korea, the United States, and Japan attended. In 2008 only two countries, South Korea and Hong Kong, took part; however, In 2010 South Korea, Canada, and China attended. In 2011 Portugal joined South Korea and Japan. More recently in 2012 South Korea, Italy, the United States and China attended.
Other similar festivals: There is another fireworks festival in Haeundae, Busan. Visitors can have a picnic in the park while waiting for the start with family or friends.
Seoul Spring Flower Festival Region: Yeouido // Behind the National Assembly, also called Yoonjoong-ro. People can access Seoul Subway Line 5 Yeouinaru Station, Seoul Subway Line 9 National Assembly Station, Seoul Subway Line 2 Dangsan Station.
Date: Early April depending on the blooming of the cherry blossoms
History: The festival was first started in 2005, and since then every year from approximately the middle of April to the end this festival is held in Yeouido.
Other similar festivals: There are many similar festivals in Korea because cherry blossoms were planted in many places in South Korea. The origin of cherry blossoms is contested, with some arguing they originate in Japan, though Koreans claim the local variety is native. The blossom festival at Jinhae Gunhangje is one of the most popular flower festivals in South Korea. The 51st annual festival was held in Jinhae in April 2013.
Special activities: There are singing contests, photo exhibitions, small band concerts, and so on.
Official homepage: http://tour.ydp.go.kr/Story/st_toursch_view.asp?idx=105&pid=02
Seoul Eulalia FestivalRegion: Worldcup Park which is in Mapo District. Worldcup Park was finished in 2002 while Korea readied for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. It was originally a landfill of Seoul but the place was re-purposed as a park and stadium and a variety of trees and plants were planted. The festival can be reached by Seoul Subway Line 6 World Cup Stadium station.
Date: Every October
History: The festival has been held since 2002 when the park was made. The park usually prohibits entry after sunset, but during the festival, people can enter until 10 pm.
Other similar festival: Hwawangsan Eulalia Festival
Special activities: Walking around the park, small amateur saxophone concerts, and so on.
Official Homepage: https://web.archive.org/web/20130429021054/http://worldcuppark.seoul.go.kr/guide/pampas_1.html
=== Gyeonggi Province ===
Goyang International Flower Festival
Region / Traffic: ilsan Lake Park / Seoul Subway Line 3 Jeongbalsan station.
Date (Schedule): Every Spring of 3 years. (It was held between last April 27 and May 12)
History: This festival has held in 1997. Every 3 years with a different theme, this festival greets their tourists. The first festival was held in 1997 and its theme was 'Flower meeting Human'. Over 20 countries attended this festival. The second festival was held in 2000 and its theme was 'Collaboration between Human and Flower'. All 39 countries attended this festival. The third festival was held in 2003 and its theme was 'Delight Human as Flower'. Two fewer countries attended this festival in contrast with the last festival. The next festival was held in 2006 and its theme was 'One world with Flower'. 27 countries attended at that time but over 100 companies from South Korea attended. The fifth festival was held in 2009. Its theme was 'On-Nuri, Got-Nuri, which meaning 'Whole over the world with flower'. 24 countries attended this festival in 2009. The latest festival was held in 2012, themed with 'World flower parade'. In total, 40 countries attended this festival
Other similar Festival : Anmyeondo Korea Floritopia.
Special activities: There is much to do at this festival. Not only look around hundreds of kinds of flowers but also tourists can buy flowers at reasonable prices. Moreover, make one's own vase, make some accessories with flowers such as key rings, notes, etc.
Official Homepage: http://www.flower.or.kr/main/main.php
Gyeonggi International Ceramic BiennaleRegion / Traffic: Gyeonggi Icheon / Tourist have to take their car or express bus from Seoul, Address : 389, Gwango-dong, Icheoncity, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea
Date (Schedule): It will be held in 2014 from 28 September to 17 November (during 51 days).
History: This festival has lasted 27 years with various Yo-Jang, which is named for a ceramic factory. This city was designated by UNESCO as one of the creative cities in the world in 2010. For over 20 years, this festival became one of the famous festivals in Korea. From Bronze Age, Icheon was a village where people make variety kinds of ceramics. For this reason, this city dwellers have made ceramics for a long time naturally.
Other similar festival: Gwangju Ceramic for king festival.
Special activities: Kids can make their own ceramic with a master of ceramic making and they also are able to play with soil for ceramic. Plus, tourists can buy some ceramics for kitchen dishes, lay-out, exhibitions, and other purposes.
Official Homepage: https://web.archive.org/web/20140928123713/http://www.ceramic.or.kr/index.jsp
Jarasum International Jazz FestivalRegion / Traffic:
Date (Schedule):
History:
Other similar festival:
Special activities:
Official Homepage:
=== South Chungcheong Province ===
The Great Admiral Yisunsin Festival Region / Traffic: Around Onyang hot spring spare and downtown / Subway - Seoul Subway Line 1 Onyang hot spring Station
Date (Schedule): 4/26~4/28
History: This is the Asian cultural tourism festival. This festival is held to celebrate Yisunsin's great achievement of overcoming the national crisis. This event is held every year before or after his birthday to imbue the mind with patriotic spirit.
Other similar festival: Celebrating the Birth of Great Admiral Yi Sun-shin Festival
Special activities: There is a celebration concert, parade, the military service examination revival performance, and so on.
Official Homepage: http://culture.asan.go.kr/_esunshin/
Buyeo Seodong Lotus FestivalRegion / Traffic: Around Buyeo-gun Seodong park
Date (Schedule): 7/18~7/21
History: Buyeo is the final capital of Baekje. In Buyeo, lotus flowers in July. Lotus Festival is held to pay tribute to the love of good Seon Wha Princess Youth and Seo Dong at a later date became King Mu. Sendong Park is the place of the festival. The festival's landscape (flowers of various lotus) has a stark, unworldly beauty. Traces of the past are left in the place name which is called Marae embankment. So, It cast people's minds back Seodong who sold 'Ma'.
Other similar festival: Muan Lutus Festival, Iksan Seodong Festival
Special activities: There is a painting festival of large flowers and sketching competitions. In addition, this event tried to recapture the ceremonial walk of the king. There are traditional music performances and a gala concert of the musical Seodongyo
Official Homepage: https://web.archive.org/web/20130520160435/http://buyeotour.net/
Boryeong Mud festival
Region / Traffic: Around Daechon beach in Boryong, Chungchongnam-do
Date (Schedule): 7/19~7/28
History: Boryeong Mud Festival was held for the first time in 1998 when mud cosmetics development in 1996. Boryeong mud has become more famous for the Boryeong Mud Festival and domestic production of mud raw material.
Other similar festival: Nonpul Mud Festival
Special activities: The festival is divided into the opening ceremony, planning events (mud, mud cosmetics), and experience event. Experience event is the most primary concern. There are mud games, obstacle races, and so on.
Official Homepage: http://www.mudfestival.or.kr/
=== North Chungcheong Province ===
Cheongpungho Cherry Blossoms FestivalRegion / Traffic: Around Cheongpungho, Jecheon, Chungbuk
Date (Schedule): 4/19~4/21
History: This is a historied festival which started 17 years ago. In 2008, Jecheon city was changed this festival's name 'to Chonpunho Cherry Blossom Festival' for the dissemination of the 'Chonpunho name restoration campaign'.
Other similar Festival: Yeouido Spring Flower Festival
Special activities: During the festival, traditional markets are held. There is a local cuisine. Also, agricultural special product exhibition and sale events are held. It is possible that there is an early performance event, experience events, the exhibition event, and also experience events performances of the Chinese arts team, and dance parade in the world.
Official Homepage: http://tour.okjc.net/main/contents/contentsMain.do?menuNo=1483
Sobaek Mountain Loyal Azalea FestivalRegion / Traffic: Around Sobaek Mountain, Namhan riverside
Date (Schedule): 5/29~6/2
History: This festival was started in 1983 In order to heal the sick mind of residents by Chungju dam construction and for Danyang's prosperity as loyal azalea. One year, two years after, Sobaek Mountain Loyal Azalea Festival, has solidified the facts can hold a festival of longer, various events and more period.
Other similar festival: Gunpo Loyal Azalea Festival, Hwangmae Mountain Loyal Azalea Festival
Special activities: there are a riverside concert, musical, circus, and hiking. Stars can be observed, and there is a beauty contest.
Official Homepage: http://sobaeksan.or.kr/home/
=== Gangwon Province ===
==== Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival ====
Region / Traffic: Hwacheoncheon site at Hwacheon-up, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do, and other 5 up and myeon
Date (Schedule): January 5 (Saturday) 2012 ~ January 27 (Sunday) (23days)
History: Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is opened in every January under the slogan of “Unfrozen Hearts, Unforgettable Memories” at Hwacheon that has the geographical feature of the fastest ice freezing in the country because of cold valley wind and clean water.
Another similar festival: Jiokbae Water Festival
Special Activities:
Sancheoneo Experience Program
Snow and Ice Experience Program
Culture and Event Program
Official Homepage [1]
==== Jokbae Festival ====
Region / Traffic: Bungoseom island and 5 Villages in Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do
Date (Schedule): July 28(Sat) ~ August 12(Sun), 2011
History : There was a ferry called Namgang-Naru, a shipping route for salts between Incheon and Hwacheon during Koryo Dynasty (918~1392), although water routes are not available due to dams. Nobody remembers the ferry and the boats in Hwacheon at past any more. Jjokbae Water Festival has started to reproduce the images of boats used in shipping salts at past since 2003. The festivity is last between end of July to early August every year with various programs such as Creative Jjokbae Building Contest, Valley hiking, Farm-stay for families and about 30 different programs.
Other similar festival: Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
Special activities:
Water-related programs
Creative Jjokbae Building Contest
Camping for campers
Valley hiking
Farm-stay for families.
Creative Jjokbae Building Contest
Official Homepage https://web.archive.org/web/20130427003440/http://www.narafestival.com/01_icenara_2013/
=== South Gyeongsang Province ===
Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival
Region / Traffic : Around Namgang, Jinju-si
Date (Schedule): 10/1~10/13
History: In October, 1592, when General Kim Simin with his 3800 men killed 20,000 Japanese troops, heightening national pride, the lanterns were used not only as military signals but also communicative methods between soldiers and their families. In the second attack in June, 1593, 70000 citizens, officials and soldiers were killed, and after it, they began to float the lanterns of the river during Gaecheon Art Festival as a service for repose of the deceased and peace and prosperity of homes and nation. Reflecting the long history of Jinju, Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival has settled as the symbol of royalty and wishing.
Other similar festival: Seoul Lotus lantern Festival
Special activities: This festival consist of many events. Attendees can hang wishing lanterns, and float lanterns on the river. This festival exhibits traditional folk crafts and creative lanterns. Also, attendees can board a pleasure ship, see fireworks on river, experience Jinju tradition food, and more.
Official Homepage: http://www.yudeung.com/
Jinhae Gunhang Festival
Region / Traffic: Around Jungwon rotary, Jinhae-gu area
Date (Schedule): 4/1~4/10
History: Changwon-si has held this festival from 1963. The name is derived from 1952, it holds a memorial service stand to Bokwonro Rotary statue of Chungmugong Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and Naval Port Festival is compound word of the harbor and the naval base, but this festival's main attraction is cherry blossoms. In early spring, Jinhae is surrounded by cherry blossom flowers.
Other similar festival: Gyeongju Cherry Blossoms Festival
Special activities: This festival held in many areas. In Jungwon Rotary, there is the fringe performance, pop festival. In Jinhae Public Stadium, there is a Military Band & Guard of Honor Festival. In Jinhae Civil Center, there are some Member Exhibitions, Competitions. And there are competitions, public opening of military bases, guerilla performances.
Official Homepage : http://gunhang.changwon.go.kr/2013/main.jsp
Hadong Wild Tea Cultural Festival
Region / Traffic: Around Hwagae-myeon, Akyang-myeon, Hadong-gun
Date (Schedule) : 5/17~5/19
History: Hadong is Korea's leading producer of green tea. Hadong Wild Tea came from China to Silla in 828 A.D. Over a few hundred years, Hadong wild tea was praised for this excellence. This place can produce high quality Hadong green tea because it has many gravels, a good waterway, fertile land, a high mountain, deep valleys, many large and small rivers including Sumjin River, large difference temperature during harvestion time, and much fog. All these reasons add up to make the best quality.
Other similar festival: Bosung Green Tea Festival
Special activities: This festival consists of three major events (Sumjin River Moonlight Tea Event, Korea Tea Lover Festival, and Boeun tea meeting). It holds many experiences, for example, making coffee, pottery making, foot bath, massage, nail art, and walking tour. Also, it holds some performance events, such as, Green tea show, symposium, and concert. Also, there are some exhibition programs (tea cafe, tea market).
Official Homepage: http://festival.hadong.go.kr/main/index.html
=== North Gyeongsang Province ===
Cheongdo Cow Fight FestivalRegion / Traffic: Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province
Date (Schedule): From 17 April to 21 April. (It can be changed every year)
History: Originally it was started from the 1970s as a traditional play in South Korea. During the '80s and '90s it was held between mania who live in North Gyeongsang Province. Finally in 1999 this festival was held as a large, national festival. From that time this festival was held every single year and many people who live in Korea or stay in Korea took part in this festival.
Other similar festival: No same theme of this festivals are here. However, Seoul Horse Racing Festival is also great festival with animals.
Special activities:
Official Homepage: https://web.archive.org/web/20130625064929/http://xn--hq1bj5xh5aw0hv6i.kr/
=== South Jeolla Province ===
Gwangyang International Maehwa FestivalRegion / Traffic: Attendants can access to this place via their car, ktx, bus or even airplane.
Date (Schedule): March 23~31 (9days)
History: It was first held in 1997.
Other similar festival:
Photo:
Special activities:
Official Homepage: http://www.gwangyang.go.kr/gymaehwa/
=== North Jeolla Province ===
Jeonju International Film FestivalRegion / Traffic: Opening/Closing Ceremonies at Moak Hall, Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do. Theater at Megabox Jeonju, CGV Jeonju, Jeonju Cinema Town, Jeonju Digital Independent Cinema, Chonbuk National University Cultural Center
Date (Schedule): 25 April (Thu) ~ 3 May (Fri), 2013, for 9 days
History:
Other similar Festival: BUSAN International Film Festival
Special activities: Project Market which is help amateur film makers also held in near at the festival site.
Official Homepage: http://www.jiff.or.kr Archived March 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
Jeonju International Sori FestivalRegion / Traffic: (561-857) 31, Sori-ro, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do
Date (Schedule): October 2 to October 6
History: Chosen by the British World Music Magazine Songlines as one of 25 of the Best World Music Festivals and established in 2001, since 2011 extended to world music.
Pansori (or Sori) is one of the traditional Korean music forms. Other similar festival: This festival is first festival for Korean traditional music festival.
Official Homepage: http://www.sorifestival.com/
Muju Firefly festivalRegion / Traffic: Muju County
(Wisteria stage (special stage), Firefly gym, Arts & Sports Center, Kim Hwan-Tae Cultural Center & Choi Buk Art Center, Traditional crafts shop, Health experiencing center, Jinam Park, Namdaecheon Stream, Firefly Land (astronomical science center), firefly habitat)Date (Schedule): 2013.06.01 - 06.09
History: The firefly is barometer of clean nature so the festival celebrates cleaning the environment.
Other similar festival: Opening & closing ceremony, Culture & Arts Event, Folk Culture Experience Program, Environmental Exploration, Experience-based Event, Permanent Event etc.
Special activities: Attendants can watch firefly in real nature not artificial space.
Official Homepage: https://web.archive.org/web/20130609190806/http://www.firefly.or.kr/main.html
=== Jeju Province ===
Seongsan Sunrise FestivalRegion / Traffic: Seongsan, Jeju Island.
Date (Schedule): Every end day of the year.
History: Seongsan is the place where one of the famous watch site for sunrise in South Korea. Its beautiful scenery was written in book of Goryeo era. And every day lots of visitors hike this small mountain to watch a sunrise. For this reason, Jeju Province makes festival for visitors who want see first sunrise of the year.
Other similar festivals: Hae-mazi (welcoming sunrise) festival in Busan Yeosu Hyangilam sunrise festival
Special activities: Attendants can watch sunrise and make a wish to sun.
== Lists of festivals by topic ==
Film festivals
Music festivals
== External links == |
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