Events in Umbria (available in english version)
Cultural events
Il Festival dei Due MondiSpoleto - from 24 June to 10 July 2011.
It takes place each year in the first two weeks of July. It was initiated in 1958 by Giancarlo Menotti. The festival is a very important international cultural event. Essentially, it is a very high quality musical event, including ballet, opera, chamber concerts, orchestral performances, prose and poetry readings, but there are also exhibitions, drama, and film.
Umbria Jazz
Perugia - from 8 July to 17 July 2011.
It takes place each year in early July, in Perugia. Started in 1973, it is now one of the most important jazz festivals in Europe, and attracts artists from all over the world.
Trasimeno Blues Festival
Trasimeno - from 21 July to 1 August 2011.
"Trasimeno Blues Festival" is a summer festival started off in 1996 and promoted and financed by the Passignano sul Trasimeno City Hall. The last week of July, you can enjoy yourself with quality blues music besides in Passignano, also in other towns such as Tuoro sul Trasimeno, Castiglione del Lago, Piegaro and Città della Pieve. Among the most prestigious names of the Blues world.
Todi Arte Festival
Todi - September 2011.
Todi Arte Festival is a theatre, lyric, dance and music review.
Christmas in Umbria
At Christmas there are concerts of sacred and choral music in many of the towns and villages in the area. Crèches are in all the churches, and there are also enactments of the nativity. In Gubbio, the lights on the hillside spell out ‘the Biggest Christmas Tree in the World.’
Folkloristic events
CalendimaggioAssisi - from 5 May to 7 May 2011.
This takes place for three days in the second week in May. The origin of today’s festival dates back to 1927 when singers from the various churches in the city came together to sing songs based on ancient melodies. The city divides into the Upper and Lower parts which compete for the prize of a banner. Success depends on the quality of the singers, the costumes, and success in depicting scenes from the Middle Ages.
La Corsa dei Ceri
Gubbio - 15 May 2008.
This takes place on 15th May. Possibly, dating back to pagan times, it happens on the anniversary of the death of the Saint patron of Gubbio, Sant Ubaldo. The ceri are three enormous wooden pillars, each weighing some four hundred kilos, each one having on the top the statue of a saint – Ubaldo, Giorgio, and Antonio. These are carried by three teams from the lower town up the hill to the church of Sant Ubaldo, on the top of Monte Ingino.
L'Infiorata
Spello
On the day of Corpus Domini the main streets in Spello are covered by wonderful floral displays. The designs depict various religious scenes, sometimes invented, sometimes copied from famous paintings. The ceremony is linked to the ancient custom of throwing flowers in honor of the statues in religious processions.
Il Mercato delle Gaite
Bevagna - from 17 June to 26 June 2011.
It takes place in the second week in June, and takes its origin from the ancient political division of the town into four ‘gaite’ or areas. The most important moment of the event is the recreation of the medieval market in the last few days of the festival.
La Giostra della Quintana
Foligno - 2/18 June 2011 - Septembere 2011.
It takes place in the months of June and September. The festival has its origins in an ancient equestrian competition of the 17th century, in which riders competed to display their loyalty to the Prince or his Lady. In today’s ceremony, ten riders, each representing one district in the town, compete with each other to insert the point of a lance in various rings. The festival is proceeded by a procession in traditional costumes.
Gastronomic events
Cantine AperteUmbria - 29 May 2011.
The event has been organized by the Movimento Turismo del Vino (Wine Tourism Movement) since its first year, in 1993.
During the Open Wine Cellars there is the possibility to taste the Umbria wines.
I Primi d'Italia
Foligno - from 29 September to 2 October 2011.
The great event I Primi d'Italia is dedicated to the inviting World of First Course Dishes. It is a unique event all on its own; it promotes the culture of the World of first courses and does it in a very original way, plunging the taster in a fascinating universe made of taste and quality, fun, culture and curiosity. Will be here also Biologics Products Village, an important event about promotion of biologic world as model of cultural development.
Eurochocolate
Perugia - from 14 October to 23 October 2011.
Perugia seems to be transformed into a gigantic pasticceria, with displays, tastings, exhibitions, all devoted to chocolate. Other local towns and villages become involved, and the best of Italian ‘dolci’ are on display.
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