A month filled with music, street festivals, medieval parades and delicious food and wine. These are the July events in the Garfagnana you don’t want to miss.
The Garfagnana is a valley formed by the river Serchio and its tributaries, enclosed between the mountain ranges of the Alps and Apennine Tosco-Emiliano in the Province of Lucca. The area offers a wide variety of landscapes, from a pristine mountain area, rocky Apuan Alps that transform into smaller hills with meadows and cultivated fields of a particular scenic beauty.
An overview of the best July events in the Garfagnana:
Accordion Festival
When: Friday, July 1 to Sunday, July 3 – from 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm
Where: Piazza al Serchio (LU)
The 13th edition of the Accordion Festival with performances of accordion players of national and international fame.
PROGRAM
Friday, July 1 – 9:30 pm
Big show in collaboration with major international accordionists: Daniele Carapetta (youngest world champion), Raffaele Crusco (vice world champion), Fabio Ceccarini (Italian Champion), David Salvi (performer), Stefano Domenichini (accordionist). Guest of the evening Fabio Nocchi, stand-up comedian.
Tickets € 8.00
Free admission for children under eight years old.
Saturday, July 2
7.30 pm – Tastings of seafood specialties
9 pm – Performance of “contafole” Tatone
9.30 pm – Great evening of dancing with the show orchestra of Sonia Borghesi
Free entry
Sunday, July 3 – 9.30 pm
Performances of various dance acts under the stars.
Free entry
Spettacolando
When: Saturday, July 2
Where: Camporgiano (LU)
Spettacolando is an international festival of street theater with performances of mimes, acrobats, stilt walkers, and puppeteers from Italy and Europe. The artists will offer free performances in the streets and squares of the old town.
PROGRAM
Saturday, July 2 – 9 pm
Exhibition of waders, acrobats, puppeteers, jugglers and mimes in the streets and squares of the village.
Sunday, July 3
5.30 pm – Art Shows and various exhibitions of young artists who have participated in the workshops and a street band.
6.30 pm – A show of circus artists
10 pm – Cabaret show
During the two days of the event, there will be a craft market and tasting of local food and wine products.
Free admission
Live in Barga
When: July 14 – July 25
Where: Barga (LU)
Twelve Days of gastronomy, music and entertainment make Live in Barga one of the most popular summer events in the Serchio Valley.
During the festival, more than forty concerts will be held in the main squares of the historical center (Piazzale del Fosso, Piazza Annunziata, Angelio Piazza, Piazza Salvi, the Terrace Rooms memory, Orto della Misericordia, Piazza delle Mura). With a range of new, popular and well-known groups and as well as some notable guests such as Nick Becattini and the Meez Pheet that opened the Van Der Graaf concert at Pistoia Blues.
Every year thousands of visitors flock here to take part in this high-quality festival. Live in Barga means good live music thanks to the artistic consultation and experience of Barga Jazz Club.
Palio of San Jacopo
When: July 16 and July 25
Where: Gallicano (LU)
The Palio of San Jacopo is an event where the three districts of the village (Borgo Antico, Buffalo, and Monticello) challenge each other in an extraordinary match of creativity. Each year the organization of the event assigns a theme, and the various districts have to build a story around that theme and perform their story complete with allegorical floats, music, and choreography. The districts spend months working on their performances. The exhibitions take place on two different nights. At the end of the evening of July 25, six judges (three per night) decide which district is the winner based on three criteria: pertinence to the theme, best parade, and best allegorical floats. The winning district receives the “rag”, a banner symbolizing the victory.
The event is very much alive for the inhabitants of the village, and throughout the duration of the contest, the three districts will tease each other as a tradition. There are also various related activities, from sports where, again the three districts, compete in competitions such as running, soccer tournament and a relay race.
Medieval Festival
When: Saturday, July 23 – from 7 pm to 11:30 pm
Where: San Michele – Piazza al Serchio
III edition of the Medieval Days Festival
PROGRAM
Saturday, 23 July
7 pm – Start Event
7:30 pm – Dinner in the streets of the village
Guests of the evening: Falcomania MMXV; Fire Games with Auree group Phoenicians; Balestrieri Vicar of Val di Lima; The historical group La Vergine di Ferro (Iron Maiden), medieval dances, medieval themed scenes.
Battle of the Bridge
Sunday, 24 July
4 pm – games for adults and children and snacks at Osteria del Brigante;
Performances by: Balestrieri of Vicaria Val di Lima; The historical group La Vergine di Ferro (Iron Maiden); Historical flag wavers group Sbandieratori di Fivizzano.
7:30 pm Dinner in the streets of the village
Throughout the festival there will be a medieval craft market.
Bandits of Sillico at the time of Ariosto
When: July 30 – from 8 pm to 11:30 pm
Where: Sillico – Pieve Fosciana
8 pm – historical fest and gastronomy through the streets of the village with extras dressed in medieval costumes.
