January Events in UMBRIA
Capodanno - New Year's Day
Date:
January 1st
Where:Celebrated throughout Italy
It is traditional to eat stuffed pig's feet, zampone, and lentils for your New Year's dinner. Both are said to bring prosperity, wealth and good fortune. Legend has it, that during a bleak period of Modena's history, while the city was under siege by the troops of Pope Julius II in 1511, the Modenese suffered food shortages that forced them to eat parts of the pig normally discarded --like the feet. Since then, zampone has been a tradition for the New Year's Day dinner. The feet stuffed with pork and spices, boiled and served with lentils. It is said that you will get a coin for every lentil eaten on New Year's Day. For the zampone recipe visit: www.italianfood.about.com/home/italianfood
Sight The World's Largest Christmas Tree
Date:January 1st-10th
Where:Gubbio
According to the Guiness Book of World Records, the world's largest Christmas tree can be found on a hillside in Gubbio. It is not a real tree, however, but a collection of more than 800 water-fountains illuminated (with over 12 kilometers of electrical cable) to form the shape of a gigantic Christmas Tree. The tree rises on the slopes of Mount Ingino in a spectacular display that can be seen from miles away.
Web Link:www.bellaumbria.net/Gubbio/albero.jpg
Web Link:www.comune.gubbio.pg.it/folk/folk.html
Epiphany and the Visit of the Befana
Date:January 6th
Where:Throughout Italy
Epiphany is a Catholic holiday celebrating the arrival of the three wise men bearing gifts for the newborn Jesus. According to legend, the three wise men stopped during their journey and asked an old woman for food and shelter. She refused them and they continued on their way. Within a few hours the woman had a change of heart but the Magi were long gone. La Befana (which is a corruption of Epiphany) still wanders the earth searching for the Christ Child. On Epiphany Eve (January 5th) the good witch flies from rooftop to rooftop on her broomstick (some say she rides a decrepit mule) bearing gifts for children. Like Santa, she enters through the chimney and leaves presents for good children and pieces of coal (carbon) for the naughty ones. All stores, banks, public offices, bars and most means of public transportation are closed on this day in observance. If this holiday falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday, the Monday or Friday in-between is treated as a ponte (bridge) holiday and most retail stores and public services remain incapacitated.
Web Link: www.fabrisia.com/befana.htm
Web Link: www.jolahusid.com/engl/befana.htm
Umbria Jazz Winter Festival
Date:December 30th through January 3rd
Where:Orvieto
Umbria Jazz Winter - for this weeklong celebration of jazz, Orvieto transforms itself into an mini New Orleans set into some of the most beautiful countryside Italy has to offer. Concerts run from mid-day to midnight anywhere from the beautifully restored Theater Mancinelli (built in 1863) to the 13th century Palazzo del Sette or in any of the many coffee shops and historic piazzas. You can revel in the beat of international jazz greats like Bill Frisell, Larry Hamilton, Roy Hargrove, Charlie Haden and others. Umbria Jazz also features many unknown virtuoso musicians from all over the world. More information at 075-5732.432.
Web Link:www.umbriajazz.com/
Web Link:www.ijm.it/en.html
Web Link:www.slowfood.com/
Antiques and Flea Market
Date:first weekend of the month
Where:Arezzo
An antiques and flea market is held in the main piazza
Sagre dei Olivi - Celebrations of the Olive
Date:Various all month long
Where:Umbria and Tuscany
There are many small festivals held in countless villages in Umbria. At any one it is possible to find a guided tour of the olive pressing process. One can taste "olio novella", the newly pressed, virgin olive oil in it's most delicious state... as it drips from the press. For more information on specific locations call: 011-39-0577.27.16.51 (from the United States).
Web Link:www.davero.com/faq.html
Web Link:www.alfanet.it/oliodioliva/englishversion.html
The Hawthorne Flowering
Date:
Where:Gualdo Tadino, near Gubbio
"Hawthorn flowering" is an extraordinary event that coincides with the anniversary of Beato Angelo's death. Saint Angelo is the patron saint of Gualdo Tadino.
Sagra di Salsicce and Polenta
Date:January 6th
Where:Ferentillo
The town offers a sagra of sausages and the white polenta of Friuli.
Antiques and Flea Market
Date:every second Sunday of the month
Where:Todi
An antiques and flea market is held in the Piazza del Popolo
Antiques and Flea Market
Date:every second Sunday of the month
Where:Spoleto
An antiques and flea market is held in the Piazza del Mercato
Antiques and Flea Market
Date:second weekend of the month with an annual fair in the spring
Where:Assisi
An antiques and flea market is held in the main piazza
Feast Day and Procession for the Patron Saint Anthony
Date:January 17th
Where:Borgo di Montemigiano
Montemigiano is a tiny borgo just outside Umbertide on the road between Niccone and Cortona. The borgo consists of seven houses rebuilt on ruins that date back to the thirteenth century. Three of the houses and the chapel are built into the original fortification wall. The little chapel in this town is dedicated to St. Anthony and the people from the surrounding communities participate in a solemn parade to the tiny borgo. After mass is said in the piazza, there is a blessing of the animals, and everyone sits down to a picnic of wine and sandwiches.
Web Link:wwte.com/europe/italy/giardino.htm
Web Link:www.krenet.it/comuni/Umbertide/niccone.html
Web Link:saints.catholic.org/saints/anthonyabbot.html
Saint Antonio Abate's Blessing of the Animals
Date:January 17th
Where:Cascia
Saint Antonio Abate's festival with the blessing of the animals.
Web Link:saints.catholic.org/saints/anthonyabbot.html
Antiques and Flea Market
Date:third weekend of the month with an annual fair in the spring
Where:Gubbio
An antiques and flea market is held in the main piazza
Antique Furniture Market
Date:third weekend of the month, with an annual fair at the end of August
Where:Cortona
An antiques and furniture is held in the main piazza
Antiques Market
Date:third weekend of the month
Where:Citta di Castello
An antiques and flea market is held in the main piazza
Festival of Saint Emiliano
Date:January 27th
Where:Trevi
In the evening a solemn, illuminated torchlight parade celebrates the patron Saint Emiliano.
Web Link:www.trevi.org/protrevi/e_processione.asp
Festival of Saint Costanza, Patron Saint of Perugia
Date:January 29th
Where:Perugia
Saint Costanzo's festival, the patron saint of the town.
