Local Tradition

Giochi di Balestra del Calendimaggio

Medieval Crossbow competition in Barga Vecchia - Giochi di Balestra del Calendimaggio - held every year in Barga during May The Associazione Contrade di San Paolino Lucca have been organising these events in Barga since 2001. Il Comune di Barga e la Associazione Contrade San Paolino Lucca indicono un torneo multiepoca di tiro con la Balestra Storica da braccio tra i Balestrieri della Lucchesia, Toscana, Centro/Nord Italia e Baden(D). Le gare tradizionali sono il Tiro agli Anelli, alla Celata e il Tiro in Rotella in base al Regolamento Lucchese del 1443 . Altri Gruppi della Lucchesia animano un mercatino medievale, scenette di vita e vi è spazio per un piccolo Campo Militare con tende e artiglierie. Continue reading ‘Giochi di Balestra del Calendimaggio’

Pentolaccia in Barga Vecchia

A wonderful clear crisp sunny spring like day in Barga Vecchia - the perfect setting for the traditional pentolaccia festa to mark the end of the carnival.  Children (of all sizes) were in costume today and nobody was safe from the confetti or spray. Adults, children, dogs even women in fur coats were liberally covered in foam by groups of screaming children enjoying the cries of their victims as today anything goes - all is possible. Continue reading ‘Pentolaccia in Barga Vecchia’

Befana as far away as Australia

For what is probably the last time this season we run yet another Befana story - this time it concerns not one but two Befana and with quite literally, a world of difference between the two. The first one is down the valley from Barga close to the river in an area called Arsenale. Continue reading ‘Befana as far away as Australia’

Befanotti take to the streets

The narrow streets of Barga Vecchia this evening were full of shuffling, scruffy, well aged and generally dirty looking specimens of humanity and all where having a singularly wonderful time - the Befana and her Befanotti were celebrating. Nobody is really sure of how or when this tradition started but for generations on the evening of January 5th, groups of people dressed up as the Befana and her badly dressed followers - the Befanotti would move from house to house singing the praises of the Befana. Continue reading ‘Befanotti take to the streets’

A damp Befana arrives in Barga

The weather which ruined many of the outside celebrations in Barga last year (articles here) tried once more to upset one of the festive highlights of the year but even though the skies opened up and threw freezing rain in the faces of all - nothing could stop the enthusiasm and joy of the waiting crowd as the Befana arrived in Piazza Angelio this afternoon. Continue reading ‘A damp Befana arrives in Barga’

Natalecci of Gorfigliano Garfagnana

Palio dei Natalecci; every year on the 24th December the night sky in certain parts of Garfagnana is lit up with large fires. These are the Natalecci. Huge circular towers, often 10 to 15 metres tall and sometimes even as high as 20 metres, made up of trees and covered with branches of juniper which are then set alight. Continue reading ‘Natalecci of Gorfigliano Garfagnana’

La Befana arrives early in Barga

Although not officially due in Barga for at least another week or 10 days, a surprise appearance this morning by an old woman with a patched shawl, black rimmed glasses and a pair of very old boots could only mean that the Befana was in town. Continue reading ‘La Befana arrives early in Barga’

Tradizionale “doppio” dell’Immacolata

  The Gruppo Campanari of Barga - the bell ringers of Barga were in action this evening in the Duomo high above the city for the "doppio dell'immacolata" The three bells are rung for an hour.

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Garibaldi red in the streets of Barga

  On Sunday 26th August during a rally in Venice, the leader of the Lega Nord, Umberto Bossi declared that having Rome as the capital of Italy was an error made by Savoia and Garibaldi. He went on to call Giuseppe Garibaldi a cretin. Almost two months after this event, here in Barga came the reply to Bossi's accusations with a Garibaldi festa which filled the city with children, a 30 metre flag paraded through the streets and of course music and speeches  Continue reading ‘Garibaldi red in the streets of Barga’

Last stage of the vendemmia - grappa making

The grape picking season - the vendemmia which started last month (article here) on most of the vineyards around Barga is now over for 2007. The svinata - moving the crushed grapes after they had started the first fermentation, from the wooden barrels to the glass demijohn took place earlier on this week (article here)  The grapes have almost finished their story in the winemaking process either being thrown away or used as fertiliser - but not always, as in some cantinas they will be used as the prime ingredient for grappa making. Continue reading ‘Last stage of the vendemmia - grappa making’

Vendemmia - Svinata

The grape picking season - the vendemmia which started last month (article here) on most of the vineyards around Barga now moves onto the next stage. The crushed grapes have been sitting bubbling quite happily in large barrels for at least a week and now it is time to separate the juice and move on to the secondary fermentation. Continue reading ‘Vendemmia - Svinata’

More Cheese Rolling in Barga Vecchia

As we already reported last month (article here) - as the winter approaches it is the time of year for the Traditional Cheese Rolling in Barga Vecchia. Forget about the dangers of bull running in Pamplona in Spain, for the unprepared visitor to Barga, there is far more risk of being damaged  by a fast moving (and strong smelling) sheep's cheese hurtling down one of the narrow streets of Barga Vecchia. Continue reading ‘More Cheese Rolling in Barga Vecchia’

Building dams and pig roasts - fine tradition

Seems like the tv and newspapers have been harking on almost daily about the decay of society, vandalism and rampant bullying in Italian schools and the breaking down of family values with anarchy and destruction just around the corner. Continue reading ‘Building dams and pig roasts - fine tradition’

September - traditional Cheese Rolling

It's September. The nights are starting to draw in slightly, there is a colder snap in the air in the mornings and some of the older traditions of life in a small city based around a medieval castle come to the fore. September is of course, the time of vendemmia - grape picking (images here) but it is also the time for the September Cheese Rolling. Continue reading ‘September - traditional Cheese Rolling’

Umberto the knifegrinder

Every year at the annual San Rocco market you will see people arriving at Barga Giardino with small bundles wrapped up in newspaper in their hands or pulled out of shopping bags.  15th and 16th August is the traditional time to get the kitchen knives and scissors resharpened by Umberto the Arrotino - the knife sharpener.

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Procession Perdono di Assisi

The following is the text that has been used on barganews for the last couple of years to describe the events that take place during the procession Perdono di Assisi every 2nd August. In keeping with this tradition we have used the same words this year to describe the event as basically nothing has changed, all is the same with the exception that the local priest Don Piero is now no longer with us as he died earlier this year (article here) and the procession was led for the first time by new Proposto, Don Stefano Serafini

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11th Festa di Via della Madonnina

You know that everything is still right with the world when events like the Festa di Via della Madonnina can still take place every year no matter what.

A small back road in Barga Giardino is closed off once a year and tables and chairs take the place of the cars as banners, balloons and a few electric lights are strung across the road.

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San Cristoforo Procession through Barga

Celebrations for St Christopher the Patron Saint of Barga which started today with the "San Cristoforo d'oro" awards ceremony, continued this evening to its climax with a long torchlight procession through the streets of Barga up to the Duomo.

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San Cristoforo patrono di Barga

Celebrations for St Christopher the Patron Saint of Barga took place today with the "San Cristoforo d'oro" awards ceremony and a long torchlight procession through the streets of Barga up to the Duomo.

The Premio San Cristoforo d'Oro (Golden St Christopher medals) named for Barga's ancient patron, Saint Christopher, are presented each year to celebrate extraordinary contributions to the town and its people. 

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Festa della Trebbiatura

The folks down at San Pietro in Campo have really outdone themselves this year with the Festa della Trebbiatura. What started out as a small festa in the village to celebrate using the old machinery and tractors to thresh the grain and prepare bales of straw has this year blossomed into a full blown festival of the old traditions once used in this area with everything from bread making, grain preparing and even to playing music on a saw.

Continue reading ‘Festa della Trebbiatura’