Posts Tagged ‘Donazione della Santa Spina’
Drums, Flags & Sausage: Festa in Montone!
It’s August, so it must be Ferragosto, and if it’s Ferragosto, then it must be festa time in Montone! We are in the midst of our annual, week long medieval festival, the Donazione della Santa Spina.
August 15 is the official Ferragosto holiday in Italy, but one can go ‘on ferie’ (fair-ee-a) or vacation, anytime during the summer. We can all thank Emperor Augustus who, back in 18 B.C., thought it was a great idea to take a little break from work during the dog days of summer.
Read MoreDonazione della Santa Spina 2012
Congratulations to Borgo del Monte on winning this year’s Palio! Maybe we didn’t win…but we sure had a good time!
Being a part of the community of our del Verziere rione is a precious honor. Being the Castellana of our rione will be a memory I cherish forever.
OK, and now it’s time to start planning for next year! Viva del Verziere!!
Read MoreAnd the winner is…
Congratulations to del Borgo for winning the 2011 Palio!
We lost by one single point, but the jury gave us high points for our ‘nearly cineographic’ performances.
Read MoreMontone, the Palio and A Waiting Game
Everyone has given their all, and it is now a waiting game.
Who will win the Palio this year?
Montone: In the service of Dionysus
By most accounts, our del Verziere spettacolo was a grand success. It came off as a powerful, dramatic piece, and that was the intent. Five all-out rape scenes in a very challenging (as in STEEP) setting also took its toll on us. Skinned knees and elbows, bruises, banged shins, jammed fingers, and scraped toes, all in the service of Dionysus, the Greco-Roman god of wine, theater and ecstasy.
Read MoreMontone Donazione della Santa Spina: In Bocca al Lupo!
Lavinia In bocca al lupo!
Crepi!
In the mouth of the wolf!
I’ll murder it!
And that’s how you wish an Italian good luck. You tell them to look into the mouth of the wolf and they return with full bravado and machismo, “I’ll murder that wolf!”
Read MoreMontone Marathon: Day 2 of Donazione della Santa Spina
Tues morning, Aug 16
Town is a beehive of activity. Those little 3 wheeled Api’s are buzzing around town hauling sets and props, garbage, chairs and what ever else needs to be transported through our tiny medieval streets. Anything larger and Jeff is hauling it around in our trusty-rusty pick-up truck.
Clusters of people with clipboards gather, confer, and separate like so many drops of mercury, endless reorganizing according to the task at hand.
Montone in Festa!
It’s that time again! Donazione della Spina in Montone!
A full week in August where the town of Montone remembers Braccio Fortebraccio, our illustrious mercenary ancestor who survived many a battle against the Pope. His equally illustrious son, Carlo, as a reward for his heroic efforts, was given a precious thorn from the crown of Christ. As he rode into town with his prize, bells miraculously rang without someone yanking their chain, flowers sprang into blossom, horses genuflected as he passed and …. there was unbridled partying for seven days.
We are on the eve of unbridled partying.
Read MoreOur Italy: Recommendations for Wine, Events, Restaurants, Places to Stay
Traveling to Friuli? Great Wine, Food, Mountains and People. Bring your bike. -A beach in Puglia more your style? Can you keep a secret? Go to the Gargano. –Or a gorgeous, rocky beach with outstanding mussels? Go to Monte Conero in Le Marche -Umbrian Wines and Vineyards: Enologica Montefalco Festa: an amazing annual tasting…
Read MoreCountdown to the Palio
This post is for everyone who follows Montone news.
It’s been a helluva festa week in Montone! It’s our annual Donazione della Santa Spina or the Celebration of the Gift of the Holy Thorn.