Events in Umbria
Cultural events
Il Festival dei Due MondiSpoleto - from 27 June to 13 July 2008.
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 11 July to 20 July 2008.
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 24 July to 3 August 2008.
"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 - from 7 September 2008 to 14 September 2008.
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 8 May to 10 May 2008.
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 20 June to 29 June 2008.
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 - 13/14 June 2008 - 13/14 Septembere 2008.
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 - 26 May 2008.
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 25 to 28 September 2008
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 18 October to 26 October 2008.
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.