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CALENDIMAGGIO

May Day
It reminds the traditions of ancient people and the medieval Kalende of May, when merry parties of young “gaudentes” used to welcome the return of the spring with songs, dances and love serenades, in the town’s streets and squares.

ORVIETO      

PALIO DELL'OCA

Goose Palio
The game of skills on a horse is played every year, on the first Sunday after Pentecost, in Piazza del Popolo, on a dirt track, when the two ancient quarters contend for the Palio di Contrada and the Paliotto, awarded to the best rider of the game.

SPOLETO

FESTIVAL DEI DUE MONDI

Festival dei Due Mondi
It takes places every year, between the end of  June and the middle of July, in the heart of Umbria. After the first edition, inagurated by G.Carlo Menotti in 1958, the Spoleto Festival becomes a center of progressive interest for dance, drama and opera performances, and today it is a worldwide attraction, which gives the Umbrian town an international renown.

TERNI

CANTAMAGGIO

May Songs
It celebrates the return of the spring and the awakening of nature from winter sleep; the origin of the celebration may be traced back to pagan and tribe rites, linked with rural practices aimed at welcoming the return of the nice season and, in a way, at getting into the Gods’ good graces, to get an abundant summer harvest.

ORVIETO

FESTA DELLA PALOMBELLA

Festa della Palombella
It has taken place, quite ceaselessly, since 1404, when it was started by the ancient and noble Monaldeschi family on Whit Sunday, and represents the descent of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles. The “Palombella”, a white dove, tied with red silk ribbons, with the wings opened, goes down the Cenacle. When it gets there, at noon, some small flames are lighted on the Apostles’ heads, as a sign of the Holy Spirit’s descent, accompanied by loud cracks of fireworks.

BETTONA

SAGRA DELL'OCA

Goose Festival
A gastronomic and popular festival meant to keep and rediscover, by traditional dishes, ancient flavours. Started in the late 70’s, it was an instant success. Roast goose is the main dish, cooked as some years ago, when geese were kept in farmers’ barnyards, to be enjoyed for the most important events.

PERUGIA

EUROCHOCOLATE

Eurochocolate
The event,  which takes place in October, is dedicated to the culture of chocolate and hails Perugia as the European capital of chocolate. During nine days, the Umbrian capital is turned into a huge open air confectioner’s, for gluttons’ and cocoa victims’ joy.

FOLIGNO

GIOSTRA DELLA QUINTANA

Quintain Joust
It is an equestrian competition in the period costume, which takes place in May-June, inspired by a  horseshow dating from the 17th century, which was meant to determine the knights’ order of priority for their loyalty to the prince or the loved lady. Ten knights, representing the town’s quarters, meet at the local stadium, for a race of great tension and spectacularity.

PERUGIA

UMBRIA JAZZ

Umbria Jazz Festival
Umbria Jazz Festival is one of the most important jazz events in the world. It lasts ten days (in July), during which, uninterruptedly all day long, in the historic centre of Perugia, tens of concerts take place, with any sort of music, in order to meet a  heterogeneous public.

GUBBIO

MOSTRA DEL TARTUFO

Truffle Show
The National White Truffle Show (in October-November) is an event not to be missed for the extraordinary quality of the local white truffle and the delicacies desplayed on the stands (cheese, selected meat, olive oil, honey, typical cakes).