By Pamela Dorazio Dean, Italian American Museum of Cleveland
The main event in Italy each August is Ferragosto, which occurs on August 15; and for Catholics, it’s the day when the Virgin Mary ascended into heaven, body and soul.
It has become a national holiday in Italy, not only for its religious significance, but also because it hits at a time in the summer when Italians usually take a vacation and find some relief from the heat at the beach or on a picnic at a shady spot in the countryside.
The month of August in Italy, however, is full of many other amazing events and happenings. Commemorating and honoring the past and getting together to enjoy cultural food traditions are themes of many Italian festivals, and you will find those themes weaved into the festivals highlighted below.
Te La Uliata Feast
Caprarica di Lecce, Apulia, Italy
August 2-3, 2022
This festival celebrates the Uliata, a special type of bread made in Caprarica using black olives from the Salento region, also in Apulia. There is some variation in the methods and ingredients that go into the Uliata, depending on family tradition, and visitors can try them all at this festival along with other regional specialties like turcinieddhri (grilled lamb rolls), pittule (fried dough balls), and stumpatu(wheat with vegetables.) What makes the food even more tasty is pairing it with the local Apulian vino. The wine from this region is said to be among the most delicious in Italy, particularly the reds which are full-bodied highlighted with fruity notes. Besides food stands, visitors can shop in the marketplace, view an exhibition of historic carriages, and listen to traditional regional music.
Montelago Celtic Festival
Colfiorito, Umbria, Italy
August 4-6, 2022
Colfiorito is a town located in Umbria on a plateau amidst the beautiful Italian Apennine Mountains. Its roots are ancient, dating back to the Romans in 178 BC. The original inhabitants, however, abandoned it in the 10th century. In the 13th century, it was resettled by people from nearby Foligno who built the Castle of Colfiorito in 1269. It provides a beautiful and enchanting backdrop for the Celtic Festival during which attendees dress as fairies, pixies, hobbits, and druids who camp out and live as Celts for the duration of the festival. During the festival, workshops teach participants the art of ancient crafts, like knot tying with grasses, processing leather, carving wood, and mosaics. Lessons in falconry, Irish and Scottish Dances, and medieval cuisine are other programs offered during the festival. Numerous stages offer a variety of Celtic music and dancing. There is a lot of fun to be had, and much to learn about the past, in pretending to live in a long-ago century. The thousands who attend this festival each year are a testament to that.
Fusillo and Beef Chop Festival
Pietradefusi, Avellino, Italy
August 12-13, 2022
For 49 years, the medieval town of Pietradefusi, located between Avellino and Benevento, has hosted a festival that celebrates the regional specialties of handmade fusillo pasta, which has a corkscrew shape, and the uniquely seasoned beef chop. A meal would not be complete without wine, and the locally made Aglianico wine pairs well with the beef and pasta. Besides enjoying the food, music, and shopping the festival offers, visitors also get to explore the historical center of Pietradefusi where the festival is located. This includes the Aragonese Tower, built in 1431 on the town’s highest point, and the Chiesa Maria SS. Annunziata, a beautiful baroque church built in 1728.
Feast of St. Agatha
Catania, Sicily, Italy
August 17, 2022
The Feast of St. Agatha is celebrated two times each year, once in February and once in August. St. Agatha (231-251 AD) is the patron saint of Sicily, and this feast is one of the most popular in all of Italy. The August celebration commemorates the 1226 event when the remains of St. Agatha were brought back from Constantinople (now Istanbul) to Catania. Even though this celebration is smaller and shorter than that which occurs in February, it is an important religious event and attracts thousands of people, both who are devoted to the saint and those who just want to attend the celebration. The highlight of the feast day is the amazing fireworks display blown off over the Catania harbor in honor of St. Agatha.
This article first appeared in La Nostra Voce, ISDA’s monthly newspaper that chronicles Italian American history, culture and traditions.
