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Events and
Festivals in Mantua
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Mantua main information page)
January:
February:
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The King's Speech.
Also a gnocchi?s sagra. City: Mantova
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Bigolada,
on Ash Wednesday a great spaghetti festival takes place,
served in ancient chamber pots. This takes the place of the
usual Carnival celebration. City: Castel d'Ario
March-April:
May:
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Saint Bernardino.
During this festival the residents celebrate his wisdom and
goodness with parades, antique fairs, folklore
demonstrations and fireworks. There is also a palio with
competitive games (running, racing and athletic ability) for
the preceding five days. City: the cities of Roncoferraro
and Rodigo.
June:
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Rice Festival
- this celebration exalts the offering of rice dishes. Also,
rides are organized down the 'rice road' to show everyone
the flooded countryside farms. City: Villimpenta
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Feast of San Pietro
and Paolo (Peter and Paul) -
this celebration exalts a true Italian triumvirate:
prosciutto (with melon), cantaloupe and Lambrusco wines.
Inside the seventeenth century church hangs a painting of
the town patron surrounded by melons. City: Viadana
July:
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Outdoor activities and
exhibitions to celebrate the big river (the Po).
City: Viadana
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Big festival of the
Patron Saint with lots of risotto (rice), sausages,
polenta and fish. City: Governolo
August:
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Celebration of the
Sacred and of the Profane - this festival lives up to
its name as these two opposite sides of life meet up for
three days of contrast and consummation. This fair is famous
in importance and historical significance. One of the
highlights of the festival (aside from the longest pork
sausage in the world) is the international meeting of the
Madonnari - who are pavement artists that come from every
corner of the world to create their chalk images of faith on
the sidewalks, piazzas and streets of the city center.
There's great food, large markets, and the voices of the
street vendors mingle with liturgies from the sanctuary,
sacred music and romantic walks along the banks of the
Mincio. Every year, thousands of people make the pilgrimage
to the church of Grazie.City: Grazie di Curtatone
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Live chess game
with costumes that vary each year. City: Ponti sul Mincio
September:
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Grape festival
with free grapes. City: Mantova
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Festivaletteratura
(literature?s festival), with reading, author discussions
and open air bookshops.
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Millenaria
Livestock Exhibition - this
massive 'State Fair'-type of festival has been repeated in
continuity since the year 1640 when a brotherhood of friars
built a 'trading post' next to their convent to promote the
free barter of farm animals.. Enjoy live music, an abundance
of food, plentiful wine tasting provided by local producers,
exhibitions and demonstrations of farm machinery and
equipment, booths selling farm and livestock related items.
It's held at the fairgrounds (Fiera Millenaria). City:
Gonzaga
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Vivalpo Regatta
- open to anyone with a rowing type boat. Is a
non-competitive trip takes place on the Po River between
this town and Castelmassa. Follow the trip along the banks
by bike or on foot as well.City: Revere
October:
November:
December:
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Little
shepherd-girl torchlight
parade with traditional songs. City: Canneto
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S. Lucia
is celebrated with stalls of presents and sweets City:
Roncoferraro and Felonica
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On Christmas Eve,
the town people await the arrival of Santa Claus who, of
course, arrives with his bag full of gifts for the children
of the town. At exactly midnight, there is a live
re-enactment of the Nativity Scene. City: Villimpenta
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