The Festa in Torre Orsina has ended. It lasted two weeks and celebrated the town's partons - Saint Rocco and Saint Teodore. You'll have to look them up on the Internet to see exactly what each saint was known for. The entire town participates in the celebration and each night there is something new. The festivities usually begin around 9pm and end at 1am. The plus is that it's cool then, but the negative is that taking pictures at night isn't always easy.
The first night was highlighted by a dinner served in the main street at a table for 200 people. Very nice and we got to meet several friends and relatives. Somehow I think if you took the time to do the research you'd find that I'm related to most of the townspeople. Most nights contained music and everyone, young and old, came out to watch. Chairs were provided so people stayed up late and enjoyed themselves.
Not all nights included a dinner. One night was highlighted by a dessert competition. Our cousin Daniela had won 1st place in this event twice but was on vacation this year and could not compete. Once the winners were announced everyone stormed the tables to fill their plates. Our friend Mara won 1st place. Here you can see Cinzia and Elda getting plates of dolce for us.
Not all nights included a dinner. One night was highlighted by a dessert competition. Our cousin Daniela had won 1st place in this event twice but was on vacation this year and could not compete. Once the winners were announced everyone stormed the tables to fill their plates. Our friend Mara won 1st place. Here you can see Cinzia and Elda getting plates of dolce for us.
One night was gnocchi night. Same set-up with a long table running the length of the main street. Volunteers served the food and had roles in many of the festa's traditional events. Each night contained some antipasta, pasta, meat, and dessert. We were served pecora (sheep) one evening. Everything was always delicious and the communal tables always lively.
Another night they ran a card tournament. The game was Briscola which is played with 2-person teams using Italian playing cards. The weaker players were quickly routed in the best of 3 matches before a winner was crowned sometime after midnight.
There was an archery display one evening with the nobles, dressed in period costumes, looking on. Many nights included the Tamburini, traditional drummers who lead many of the processions. The Tamburini are made up mostly of high school volunteers. Twice there were processions for San Teodore -- once with a local motorcycle club and again during the finale where he was carried through the streets. The status of San Teodore contains bones visible in the leg and chest.
Perhaps one of the most fun nights was when the town recreates life in medieval times. Townspeople dress as basket makers, bread makers, blacksmiths, lace makers, fishermen, cleaning women, notaries, lepers, and a coffin maker. There are tables with people offering wine, pasta, and desserts. There are even bandits roaming the streets as well as women of the evening who tempted passersby. We even found the gallows. Everyone dressed the part and enjoyed themselves entertaining the crowd.
One night a comic play was put on by the people of Torre Orsina who has enrolled in an acting class back in January just so they could entertain the crowds during the Festa. While we couldn't understand what was said, we enjoyed seeing people we had met during our stay up on stage getting applause from the crowds. The last day of the Festa featured the final procession of San Teodore complete with a band and the townspeople trailing along behind the nobels. It was truly as memorable 10 days in Torre Orsina enjoying our first Festa.