Don’t miss the cinghiale: Upcoming events in Tuscany (spring/summer 2009)
Local “sagre”, down-home festivals dedicated usually to one, obscure food item, are a great way to have a genuine Italian experience. Grab your rental car and head out ready to chow down with thousands of people eating outside on paper plates while listening to bad live music. Best experienced in a large group but definately something that you must do at least once, even as a couple.
An excellent list of events can be found on the website www.saimicadove.it. Here is a distilled list of some of the biggest, truly random hits in Tuscany.
May 9 and 10, May 16 and 17 2009, 7:30pm: Sagra del Fritto a San Donnino (fried food festival), via Molina, 56 San Donnino – Campi Bisenzio (FI). Operated by the Fratellanza Popolare (ambulances!), they appear to be ready to fry a bit of everything, including pizza. The expression my brother in law always says is “anche una ciabbatta e’ buona fritta” – even your slippers taste good fried.
There is another Sagra del Fritto at the Caldine (Piazzale delle Scuole) on Sunday May 10th 2009 at 7pm.
May 15-17 2009: Sagra del Cinghiale a Rufina (wild boars!). The worldfamous pig fair (don’t worry, our pigs don’t have the flu, yet) at which you can taste every possible way of preparing said animal, in the comfort of a closed area in case of rain. For more information see www.sagradelcinghiale.it
May 23 and 24 2009: Sagra del Porcellino in Casciana Terme (Pisa). In case you missed the cinghiale last week, or if you just want more meat and have a desire for some pork, have a little porcellino while you watch a dog show and dance under the stars at this seriously local event.
Sunday May 24, 2009, from 10am to 10pm, the Festa del Grillo on Ascension Day at the Cascine park in Florence is a historic event that commemorates the tradition of lovers exchanging crickets in cages (?!). In the past, this was a family event, a day in the park with a picnic and a hunt for crickets in the grass. I’m not sure what goes on now at this party, but the Cascine is pleasant for a walk on a nice day any way you look at it. Apparently you can still buy a cricket in a cage.
From crickets to frogs, don’t miss the Sagra del Ranocchio in Brozzi if you can get there May 30-31 and June 5-6 starting at 6:30pm, with fried frogs but also pasta and bbq organized by two extreeeemly local organizations. (See info here.)
July 10-11 2009 all night: Festa della Birra di Boccheggiano looks like fun! Free camping (Parco di Castagni) at the small beer producers’ festival, complete with musical line up (italian 70s cover bands!) and late-night outdoor films.
August 14-15 2009: Sagra della Bistecca in Cortona. Ferragosto is the biggest holiday in Italy, so why not celebrate the stifling heat with a good steak in arttrav’s favourite tuscan town?
