Festivals & Events

Cortona

Tuscan Sun Festival August 3-9, 2010 (annual) is an annual music and lifestyle festival that presents concerts by world-renowned classical musicians in the intimate setting of Cortona’s baroque theatre, while ballet and opera galas are performed under the stars in the piazza. The evening’s musical programme is balanced with daytime events including cooking demonstrations, cheese-making, art workshops, historic walking tours, discussions and readings with literary figures, tai chi, wellness talks and demonstrations, art exhibitions, wine tasting, film screenings and lunches.

Festa della Bistecca (Cortona)- Held on August 15th , this is the sagra or festival featuring the local and tasty specialty- beef steak.

Florence

Explosion of the Cart / Scoppio del Carro- Easter Sunday, at noon a dove descends on a wire from the high altar of the cathedral and starts a large firework display from a cart celebrating the liberation of St. Sepolcro from the infidels.

Festa del Grillo / Cricket Festival (Florence) - this festival takes place on the Sunday after Ascension day in May in Cascine Park and stallholders sell crickets in tiny woven straw cages, which are traditionally released by their new owners in the park for good luck.

Maggio Musicale/ Musical May (Florence) - the city's major arts festival lasting until early June, with concerts by the Orchestra Regionale Toscano includes ballet and dance performances.

Naples Festivals & Events

Feast of St. Anne - July 26th, a torch-lit procession on Ischia Island, with hundreds of boats, transformed into floats to honour the island's patron saint.

The Neapolis Rock Festival attracts many top international acts and is held in midsummer. Located to the west of Naples, near to the beach at Arenile di Bagnoli Neapolitan Song Contest - beginning of September, this contest at Piedigrotta in Naples includes fireworks. Feast of San Gennaro - September 19th, celebration of the saint in Naples.