This weekend was festival weekend here in town. Well, it really started on the 16^th when we had the Festa della Madonna del Carmine. We have what we call the Collegio below town which was once a monastery, then a school for priests, and is now where the priests live. It has always been the Madonna del Carmine Sanctuary and contains a statue of her. Following the tradition here in town, there is a procession on the 16^th and she is carried up to the main church in town, accompanied by the townspeople carrying candles and often, fireworks. She remains there until the 27^th of July when she is returned to her proper place.

The festival starts on the 26^th of July, when the town celebrates the Festa di Santa Anna. That evening there is usually a musical event – this year it was a concert with Paolo Vallesi. Then the 27^th starts bright and early, usually with fireworks although they were cancelled this year due to the fear of fire. Mass is held and the statue is carried throughout the village. Afterwards, she is followed up the main streeet in town by the “Pacchianelle”. This is a parade of offerings to the Madonna. People prepare carts, baskets, etc. and parade them up the hill. Some of them are very elaborate. The carts are decorated in a traditional theme and pulled up the hill on tractors. There was one built like the kitchen of an old house and the woman inside was making pasta. Another was made with the various implements used to weave cloth. And, of course, we had one with a festa theme – a barrel of vino cotto and some ventricina and cheese to be passed around.

Porchetta

Making pasta

Small cart

Festa

Everyone then gathers in the park, there are ventricina pannini for sale and just general visiting before mass at 11. Then, in the afternoon is the auction. All the items offered are auctioned off in the piazza (Piazza Marconi that is). They range from baked goods to watermelon, whole porchettas to baskets full of prodotti tipici. There are even live animals – rabbits, sheep, pigs, goats. I wanted to bid on the cute little goat, but we didn’t have anyplace to put it. Next year maybe we’ll put up a fence out in the garden and bid on some of the animals. Of course, those bidding on the rabbits are probably planning on eating them. I like rabbit, but could never cook it after having looked at it. A weakness, I guess.

Do you see the goat?

That evening the Madonna is returned to the Collegio with another procession. Afterwards everyone files by (well, this is Italy, so it’s nowhere near as organized as that sounds) and pays their respects to the Madonna before making the long trek back up the hill to town.

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