FESTIVAL FALL & WINTER ATTRACTIONS

These are the festival attractions for the Fall & Winter months in Tuscany.

As Autumn arrives and the grape harvest begins sometimes the only way to find out about these events is to be there. A lot of the vineyards are family owned so the day of harvest is only known in that town.

September - Giostra del Saraceno - Arezzo - costume Joust. Fest della Rificoloia - Piazza della Santissima Annunziata - Florence - children celebrate the eve of the birth of the Virgin. Palio della Balestra -Sansepolcro - Crossbow contest complete with custome parades and flag throwing. Crossbow competition between Sanespolcro and Umbria’s Gubbio. Rassegna del Chianti Classico - Greve, Chianti - Wine lovers should not miss this. It’s the largest Tuscan Celebration of all the local wines.

October - Amici della Musica - Florence (Oct.-April) This is “The Friends of Music” series of concerts. Sagra del Tordo - Montalcino - Celebrates the Thrush. The Fortezza at the winery is set up for 14th century archery contests in costume. And the wonderful Brunello wine flows.

November - Festival dei Popoli - Florence - Tuscany’s most popular film event.

December - Fiaccole di Natale - Abbadia di San Salvatore (Just outside of Montalcino) - Christmas Torches. Christmas carols sung during this beautiful torchlight procession.

January - Capuano - New Years Day Big celebration throughout Tuscany. Firework displays everywhere.

Pitti Innagine Uomo - Fortezza da Basso, Florence. Italian designers get together to present there spring and summer line.

February - Carnevale Sunday before Lent - Viareggio, San Gimignano and Arezzo all have wonderful parades and competitions.

March - Scoppio del Carro (explosion of the carriage) Easter Sunday Piazza del Duomo, Florence.

Festa degli Aquiloni - 1st Sunday after Easter - San Miniato, Prato della Rocca. Aerial acrobatics and kite flying.