Autumnia 2019, the event dedicated to agriculture, environment and food, is finally starting; this year, for the 21st edition, the organizing and promoting body, the Municipality of Figline and Incisa Valdarno, has chosen "let's change climate" as its theme and message (for the full program click here).
Nov. 8 will be the first of three days that will enliven the historic center of Figline. At 10.30 a.m. at the green area in Via del Nannicione, there will be a "Tree Festival" with elementary school pupils: a workshop curated by the municipality and the Carabinieri of the Forestry Department. From 3 p.m., booths will open with a wide range of handicrafts, food and other products (closing is scheduled around 10 p.m.). Also, at 4 p.m. in theCooking Show area in Marsilio Ficino Square, the Municipality, Tadà and Gola Gioconda will present the Autumnia Cooking Show program(click here to read more). This will be followed by speeches on "Coop.fi and Member Approval" (5 p.m.), on "The Products of Our Lands" with the participation of the Valdarno Rural District and ValdarnUp Companies (6 p.m.), and, to conclude, there will be anaperitif with Chef Giacolo Dini of the Valdarno Chefs Association and Caffè I Portici.
On Saturday, Nov. 9, the stands will open at 9 a.m. (and remain open until 10 p.m.); at 10:30 a.m. in Via Del Puglia, Gaib, ProCiv, Cri and Fire Brigade will hold an open exercise (at 4:30 p.m. Gaib and Prociv, together with the City Council, will inaugurate the new civil defense vehicles). To celebrate Autumnia 2019, the Sbandieratori dei Borghi e dei Sestieri Fiorentini (Flag-wavers of the Florentine Boroughs and Districts) at 3:30 p. m. will treat those present to a performance in Piazza Marsilio Ficino. At 6 p.m., the Misericordia gardens will host a folk music concert, starring the Edlynn Trio; at the same time, at the Marsilio Ficino Municipal Library at 15 Via Vittorio Locchi, Arturo Badii's "My Art in Iron" exhibition (which will remain on display until 07/12/19), curated by the FIV Municipality and the Gaville Peasant Civilization, will open. The cooking area will feature, from 10 a.m., chef Diego Babboni together with nutritionist Emma Balsimelli, pastry lessons with chef Damiano Carrara (11.30 a.m.), chocolates from the "Giorgio Vasari" Institute (2 p.m.), and "La cavolata" or 'winter panzanella' with the Valdarno Chefs Association and the Italian Sommelier Association (4 p.m.), the agricultural address of the "Giorgio Vasari" Institute, which will present the use of snail slime (5 p.m.) and, finally, with the Colli Superiori del Valdarno e Val di Sieve-Valdarno Fiorentino will talk about climate and food, with a low-impact cooking show, "We can save the world, before dinner" (6 p.m.).
On the last day, Sunday, Nov. 10, booths will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; there will be another civil defense drill at 4:30 p.m. In the cooking area , the shows will start at 10 a.m. with Chef Luca Menoni and Ivana Vamp, followed by: the presentation of the Piantiamola Committee (11 a.m.), Chef Diego Spatari Tironi with astrophile Aline (11:30 a.m.), Chef Cinzia Re with cartoonist Fausto Gelormini and influencer Sara Innocenti (2 p.m.), the presentation of the app that helps in the kitchen "Pimp my chef" (3 p.m.), Chef Marco Gamannossi, Chef Marco Tombereli and nutritionist Valentina Guttaduro (4 p.m.), the presentation of the Burchio Committee formed by active environmental volunteers (5 p.m.), and, to conclude, home cooking with Maria Rosaria De Luca (6 p.m.).
One of the new features this year is the Baby Pit Stop on the ground floor of Figline City Hall (in Piazza IV Novembre). Moms, dads and children will be able to stay in the nursery Equipped with changing table, small chair and toys, Friday 8 from 3 to 8 p.m., Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.