ona ona ona… che bella rifricolana

Another wonderful celebration, the Rificolona, it’s held on my mother-in-law’s birthday,September 7th, so brings back lovely memories. It’s a sort of neighborhood party, so ask around. During the day, there are workshops for the kids to build their own lanterns and the larger party is held in the evening. Which is to celebrate the Birth of the Virgin Mary, which is September 8th.

You can buy a lantern in small local “cartoleria” paper shop or they have small build your own lantern workshops in some of the neighborhoods.

The lanterns originally had small candles inside and you parade around town at the small parties held in the various piazze.

The “dark side” of the festival, is that you can buy a small tube and make spitballs to shoot into the lanters and break them, hoping they catch fire.

So my husband tells me!

There is a large festival in Impruneta and they head down to Florence and the festa is in Piazza SS Annunziata.

The Duomo in Florence is called Santa Maria del Fiore, and they celebrate by opening the ramparts of the church to the public.