Once again this year we visited San Gimignano (the town of towers) located in Tuscany so we could experience the fun of Ferie delle Messi or Harvest Festival. It is an easy drive from Florence or Rome, a walled city with plenty of shops, food and towers to climb. But the festival is worth planning your trip around. This year was no exception-they even added several extra events.
This Medieval Festival dates back to 1255 and includes over 500 townspeople, wearing costumes, banging drums, dancing, competing, offering music, drama, arts and crafts, parades, games, and of course food.
Put on each year by the Association of the Knights of S. Fina, it is organized every June-a two day, all day gathering of the four contradas (neighborhoods). The green, red, blue and green flags represent the contradas of San Giovanni, San Matteo,Castello, Piazza. The competition is fierce. Tug of war, fencing, jousting on horseback. Even the ladies get into the action with the medieval “braid” competition. Why? To win the Golden Sword of course! The Sword represents wealth and fertility to the winner.
The Festival (only 6 euro’s) begins on a Saturday with a HUGE drum, horn and costume parade through the town into the piazza, where the townspeople line up on the Doumo’s steps with their appropriate “color” flag. They introduce each “rider” or competitor for the group -who arrive on horseback with a cape! Although many of the games are in a group fashion-this “rider” will be the final competitor in the jousting, accepting the Sword for his entire contrada.
I have so many pictures to share. I will break this up to many posts…
Let’s first focus on the parade and cast of characters….
I hear the drums!!! Here comes the parade!
Men of all ages!
This year’s “maiden” was lovely-the rider’s will try to win her affection.
The “rider” is presented with their horse at the foot of the cathedral steps.
The San Giovanni (blue) dark curly haired man was who I cheered for this year!
Hubby has cheered for this lovely grey haired charmer for two years-he is an amazing horse rider…
One more pic of my guy…ha !
This young man was not a “rider” but participated in all the group events-we called him “Superman” because I thought he looked like Clark Kent.
This young drummer in red was also a drummer when we were there 3 years ago-he was nicknamed “Taylor’s boyfriend” because she thought he was cute and he still is!
The Master of Ceremony was very good-the horns announced we were starting the weekend’s festivities.
The parade participants lines up on the steps of the cathedral…we will see them all weekend -they really work hard!
The audience!!! There is no room to spare…it seems as if the entire town is in the festival yet there are hundreds left to watch!
The “riders” get blessed….Isn’t his horse lovely!
All the “riders” are now ready for an exciting weekend of historic competition!
