The appointment with tradition returns again this year, on the occasion of the 2016 edition of Figline's Feste del Perdono. Many initiatives are scheduled from September 2 to 6, organized by the Pro loco "Marsilio Ficino" in the city's historic center. It starts on Friday from Piazza San Francesco at 9 p.m., with a solemn procession in which the city's contrade and the Sbandieratori dei Borghi e dei Sestieri Fiorentini will also take part. At 10 p.m., however, there will be a move to Piazza Ficino, to watch the music show of Lorenzo Baglioni and his band, ready to perform the show "Selfie."
Spotlight on Ficino Square on Sept. 3 as well, starting in the afternoon. It is there in fact that, smartphone in hand, the meeting point is set for participants in the second "Enigma live Game" treasure hunt. It is a route in stages through the streets of downtown, which for the occasion will be dotted with clues and riddles that can only be accessed via QR code. The afternoon will then continue to the sound of music, with a concert by the Valdarno Youth Orchestra and the Alessandri Chorale (5 p.m., conductors: Franco Berti and Paolo Mugnai). This will then be followed by theperformance of the Flag-wavers of the Borghi and Sestieri Fiorentini (9 p.m.) and the historical re-enactment with floats (9:30 p.m.), which will officially mark the start of the first of the five competitions in which the contrade of Porta Aretina, Porta Fiorentina, Porta San Francesco and Porta Senese will compete for the 44th Palio di San Rocco. The other competitions, as usual, will consist of the bigonce race, the cart palio and the tug-of-war (all of which will be held on Sept. 4, at 5, 6, 7 and 9:15 p.m., respectively) and will conclude on Tuesday, Sept. 6, with the Contrade parade, the horse palio, the final awarding of the winners (complete with the presentation of the banner, signed by artist Paola Imposimato) as well as the customary fireworks display.
Returning to the events scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 4, there will also be room for sports activities, with the charity walk by the "Il sorriso di Enrico" association (9 a.m., Piazza Ficino) and the ninth edition of the "Piccolo giro del Valdarno" bicycle race, organized by theCiclistica figlinese association (departure at 9:30 a.m. from Viale Galilei).
Events on Sept. 5 start as early as the morning, with the opening of the 15th Songbird Fair (6:30 a.m., organized by Federcaccia Figline in the Misericordia gardens) and the opening of the stands of the Pardon Fair (8 a.m.-8 p.m., Piazza San Francesco and Via XXIV Maggio) and the craft, collectibles and modern antiques market (9 a.m.-24 p.m., on Corso Mazzini and Corso Matteotti). The day of events will end under the banner of charity, with a show in favor of Calcit Valdarno Fiorentino entitled " Stelle in Piazza" (Piazza Ficino, 9:15 p.m.).
Finally, for the final day on Sept. 6, the 39th Giro del Valdarno is scheduled, organized by the Gs Nuovo Pedale Figlinese (bicycle race starting at 1 p.m. from the Circolo Arci in Incisa and finishing in Piazza Ficino around 5 p.m.).
Also planned are many side events such as the Spiga Association's "Al Cassero, produttori in piazza" farmer's market (Sept. 3 and 4, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Piazza Serristori), the Valdarno Fiorentino Rally (with service park from 2 p.m. Saturday 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday 4; the regrouping is scheduled instead in Via Di Vittorio from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday 4) and the Literary Cabaret, included in the Perlamora Festival but hosted at Palazzo Pretorio (Saturday 3, 6 p.m.).
Also open for the duration of the event will be the amusement park (in Freedom Square), the Don Bosco Oratory charity fair (Via Roma 18), the "Clouds" painting exhibition by Dr. Cuccuini (Palazzo Pretorio; opening Sept. 3 at 10:30 a.m.), the photo exhibition on the 1900s (by the Arno Photographic Circle, in Piazza San Francesco), along with the first edition of the painting competition of the Insieme per il Meyer association (Fanin circle; 6-10 p.m.) and the Aseba fundraiser (in Piazza Ficino).
Tickets for Saturday and Tuesday evenings are available at theTourist Office in St. Francis Square (Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m.) and during the festival days in Ficino Square. For info: 055.9153509.
See www.fiv-eventi.it or www.prolocofigline.it for the full program.