THE PARADE OF THE 100 + BEFANAS! @ 06 Jan 2025

 

THE PARADE OF THE 100 + BEFANAS!

An Italian expression says: Epifania tutte le feste le porta via” (Epiphany takes all the parties away) as the Feast of the 6th January officially ends the Italian Christmas holiday season. According to tradition, Italian children received their presents from an old witch (La Befana) at Epiphany. That was before Santa Claus with his red coat and reindeer hit the scene and established a new custom.

La Befana, however, was not supplanted. Instead she has flourished and in some cases she has become a popular tourist attraction. The small town of Urbania in the Marches region (7000 population), organizes a four-day event every year, with the help of an army of local “Befanas” who parade through the streets, carrying a gigantic knitted stocking and distributing sweets to all the children present.

Highlight is the twice daily descent of a Befana from the local belfry, when a more athletic Befana descends down a rope with a sack of goodies over her shoulder.

The spectacle of the Befana's daring descent from a tower is also staged, however, in a few other spots....notably at Ariccia, one of the Roman Castelli towns some 30 kms from the capital. The popular events draws crowds from Rome, who combine the show with a hearty meal of porchetta (whole roast pig), the town's gastronomic speciality, served in local shops and in the many local small eateries, known as the “fraschette”.

  1. STENHOUSE

Info: Urbania Tourist Info: Tel. +39.0722.317211 www.visitlazio.com


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