Luminous Rificolona Festival (7th September 2015) – Italy

3
SEP
2015
Luminous Rificolona Festival

A year in Florence is like a pleasant walk through lively festivals and vivacious events embedded in a fascinating historical backdrop. Florence’s festivals and events play a major role in keeping its ancient spirit young and pulsating with life. One such light filled festival is Festa Della Rificolona which is celebrated every year on 7th September on the eve of the Feast of the Birth of Virgin Mary.

It is said that the tradition has branched its way from early 16th century to the present times. Initially farmers from Florence’s countryside used to travel the day before Virgin Mary’s nativity with food and linen goods to sell during the festivities. They use to carry paper lanterns on the end of poles to light their trek at dusk and their night at the Piazza. Florentines used to mock the countryside people for their inelegant clothing and used to call them ‘rificolone’ whereas children used to hit their lanterns with seeds to knock down the candles within to set them on fire. Over the years Florentines began to make paper lanterns themselves which they named ‘rificolone’ after the country people. In present times, the paper lanterns are a way to honor of the first lantern bearers and to relive the tradition before Virgin Mary’s nativity.

Free ‘rificolone’ are distributed to children on the morning of 7th September. The eve offers street parties, theatre, a buzzing market scene and a feast that ends with a parade which marks the beginning of the festival. As anyone can join the festival, children and their families take part with either a lantern or a clay blow guns- for aiming the lanterns. The parade covers Piazza Santa Felicita, Piazza del Duomo and end in Piazza Santissima Annunziata where children and adults throng the streets to recreate the age old tradition.

Event Details

Date: 7th September 2015

Venue: Piazza Santissima Annunziata square around 9:30 pm

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