Text The national delight in gregarious ritual
means that hardly a day passes in Italy without some communities of even a few
hundred souls celebrating stone village-shaking event, here are some of the most
colorful festivals of Italy. Florence’s Calcio in
costume: It has been played in the city since it was colonized
by Roman and it is said to be the ancestor of football. The game was originally
Greek and was adopted by the Romans, who, in turn, introduced it in Florence.
The ancient game has serious rules and requires long training for the paler. The
rules were modified by the 1400’, and for two centuries thereafter it was the
pastime of nobles elegantly costumed in clothes with silver and gold trimmings.
At the beginning of the 18th century the game lost its noble characteristic and
became the game of the people. Today this spectacular football game is played
annually with much of antique glory revived. Le Saga del cuochi
del Sangro: In villa Santa Maria, Aruzze, for three days every
year in early October, gifted master chefs who hail from this small town return
to their hometown to demonstrate their art in an appetizing festival that honors
culinary talents stretching back to Renaissance. Carnival,
Virago, Tuscanu: During the three weekends before lent, this
summer seaside resort is a whirl of carnival costume, confetti and floats that
climaxes during a grand Sunday afternoon parade of leering acumen, pert
majorette, and immense floats that demonstrate coastal viareggio’s shipbuilding
expertise. Vendemmia del Nonno, castagnole Monferrato
Piedmont: The second Sunday of October, while the tangy odor of
pressed grapes suffuses the streets of small towns all over Italy, this village
enacts an authentic old-fashioned grape harvest, a Vendemmia de Nonno, the way
grandfather used to do it. Falily groups work together in the vineyards heap
carts high with the richly colored fruit, trample it with bare feet, and feast
raucously at day’s end at a communality supper. Maggio Musicale
Fiorentirio, Florence: Programs at this event, Italy’s answer to
the king of European music festivals at Salzburg, are so diverse that they seem
a conscious attempt to avoid musical chauvinism: some of the concerts are held
in the magical Boboli gardens — lovely and guint essentially Italian, especially
on a June evening. Despite a name that translates "Florentine Musical May", they
going on continue right through June. A. It is Italian Salzburg Music
Festival B. It celebrates in memory of ancient great cooks. C. It
originated in Greece. D. It’s a movable festival E. It starts in
Jane. F. The parade held on Sunday afternoon is the climax of this
festival. G. A sacred thanksgiving rite is held. Carnival, Virago, Tuscany