MUSIC AND FESTIVAL
Potatoes, lattarini, white fish, gnocchi, snails, lamb, steaks, pancakes,
biscuits, wine, beans,
chestnuts, hazelnuts, olive oil, cherries and garlic bread are
the products for which the province of Viterbo offers every year
festivals with music and fire works. The list includes religious feasts in honour
of Saints as for instance S. Antonio celebrated in Sutri and
religious processions as that of the Redeemer going on in
Tarquinia and Vetralla at Easter. The churches of Vetralla, S.
Francis' and the cathedral, are the seats of the Easter concerts
performed during the holy week. Worth mentioning are also some
pagan celebrations which take place every year in some
villages of the province as for instance Acquapendente,
Civitacastellana and Ronciglione. These places, with an
historical background dating back even up to the Etruscans,
celebrate the carnival with allegorical carts and fancy dresses
on show through the decorated streets. Probably the most
spectacular ones are the peasant parade of La Barabbata on
every May 14th in Marta and the show of I Pugnaloni in
Acquapendente where several floral panels praising freedom go
through the streets of the old town. Bolsena deserves being
visited in June for the procession of Corpus Domini when
the holy host, taken by the local priest goes across the streets
turned into a carpet of multi colored flower petals and for the
misteries of Santa Cristina, taking place on every 23rd and 24th
July, illustrated on pictured boards on show in the main
squares. On every september 3rd, Viterbo celebrates the carriage
of the Macchina di Santa Rosa a 30metre high structure
about 5 ton heavy carried by 100 sturdy porters through the dark
streets of the town. Tuscia cavalli, an exhibition of
horses, S. Pellegrino in fiore, a fantastic decoration of
the medieval quarter with hundreds flowers, the summer
festival in the roman theatre of Ferento and the Festival of
Baroque music of Viterbo, complete the carnet of the
appointments at summer. At the end of october, Viterbo
welcomes the national antiques fair which is housed for about
twenty days inside the papal palace.
