The beer festival

THE BEER FESTIVAL 

Each year the "beer festival" takes place in Pontedera.

This festival is usually held in summer and it lasts one week in June.

In this festival the inhabitants of Pontedera can volunteer to serve as waiters.

The food that the people eat is typically German, such as: sausages, sauerkraut, pork ribs and especially beer. The people who drink a lot.. . take a mug of beer after another.

This festival is cute, because not only the adults have fun... but also the children because there are some rides and a little stage where a German band sings a typical song from Bavaria.

THE FESTIVAL OF FRIED POTATOES

In the village where I live the famous festival of fried potatoes is celebrated every year from 15th to 25th August.
During these days, Victory Square is filled with the finest fruits of the surrounding countryside: the Tosca and the Monnalisa, two potato varieties that have characterized the place and its inhabitants, known for a long time as "patatai" (potato harvesters), for decades. 
A tradition linked to the particular flavor that the tubers receive from the sun and from the land of the hills of this area, thanks to the mild climate offered by some slopes, especially in places like Pregiuntino, Falorni and Cerretti. 
At the end of the 19th century they had already started to export their potatoes before many other farmers who were growing potatoes in the plains of the Arno valley. The festival of fried potatoes, which is organized by the committee of the Assunta Fair, has been celebrated for 43 years. During the festival every day the famous frying pan is on in Victory square where you can taste fries at your own will. Around the square there are many food stands and stalls where the tourist can buy typical foods and souvenirs. 
Finally every evening musical events are organized. 



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                                            Campinotti Giulia

The "Palio dei Ciui" in Santa Maria a Monte

From May 29 to June 2, the "Palio of Donkeys" takes place.
The event takes place in a sports facility in the Municipality of Santa Maria a Monte.
The race is a competition involving a donkey and a jockey with no experience of this type of racing.
The path is an oval track on the grass of the field of the local soccer team, about 350 meters long.

The first two qualifying heats, each with four participants determine the four finalist districts, based on the first two donkeys that cross the finish line (even without their rider) at the end of two full laps of the track.
The donkey who first manages to cross the finish line at the end of three laps of the final race determines the winning "contrada".
Year after year this competition has become an attraction not to be missed for many people from all over Tuscany and tourists in the area at this time.
Cheering linked to districts becomes more and more choreographed so as to create a spectacular backdrop to this delightful event.
Falls, donkeys which shake unlikely jockeys and peculiar taming techniques make the atmosphere extremely enjoyable and unforgettable.

http://www.toscanatascabile.it/ios/event/palio-dei-ciui/


Samanta Recce

THE MACCHERONE FESTIVAL

This festival takes place in my village, Buti, in the two last weeks of July. This festival is situated in the medieval castle of Buti. During this festival you can have dinner there and try some typical products. The highlight of the festival is "maccheroni", a typical type of pasta with meat sauce. After dinner there are a lot of people that drink a lot and sing all the time. Until midnight there are special guests like DJs, singers and dancers. This festival is organized to raise money for the village and in January they use this money for the most important event of the year, a horse race called "PALIO".

"Palio de' Ciui" in Lugnano

The Palio de' Ciui is an old tradition that developed in the locality "La Noce" near Lugnano where it is held today. This festival is celebrated every third Sunday of September in Lugnano.
Lugnano has been divided in five districts for centuries:
- Monte Bianco (white mountain) whose colors are red and white. The coat of arms of this district is the eagle. 
- Pozzo Antico (ancient well) whose colors are yellow and black and the coat of arms of this district is the gull. This is my district and it is very beautiful.
- Poggio (knoll) whose colors are white and light blue. This district is represented by the snake.
- San Giorgio (S. George) whose colors are dark blue and red and the coat of arms of this district is the dragon. 
- Canneto (cane-brake). This district is now out of the competition because there was an argument with the other districts. The colors of this district were green and white and its coat of arms was the otter. 
This competition begins whit the parade of each district. Then they play a small scene created by them. 
In the afternoon, at about six o'clock, after the allocation of the donkeys to all districts, there is the donkey race that takes place around a hill. Each donkey is galloped by a jockey. After a few laps the winner of the Palio is elected!

The Frate Festival

                      THE FRATE FESTIVAL

The Frate festival is organized by S. Nicolao, a district in Buti, where it takes place the friday, saturday and sunday of the first week in September.

During these days the locals help their district to organize the festival.

Some people cook and other set up the stands and organize the district street where the festival takes place in the evening.

For dinner there are some typical local dishes and as a dessert the frate, a small and roundish cake with a hole in the middle, made with a soft dough covered by sugar.

In the evening some guests such as two DJs and a small band play music to entertain the participants.
On Sunday, at the end of the festival, as a tradition a small wood dove, which is lit up on a wire suspended in the air, is launched, with some fireworks as a decoration.

Fabio Baldanzi