Around April 29-May 4, 2020, We plan to stay in a villa near Assisi and Perugia(still looking ). There is a four day medieval festival end of send week of May. Has anyone been there for the festa? Is it worthwhile it to move our villa days to include a couple of days for this? Or is it better to enjoy the town of Assisi and also the pilgrimage sites outside of the town like the hermitages and St. Francis footsteps on Mt. Subasio when there is not the distraction fo the festa?
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Seattle, WA, USA
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I was in Assisi for two weeks in April/May 2015 which included the complete Calendimaggio festivities. It was a highlight of my five weeks in Italy and one that I will treasure for the rest of my life. The "distractions" of the festival take place in different parts of the town during different parts of the day. Some of them don't begin until after 9:30 pm and some of those are restricted to people in costumes - no spectators allowed.
The photo ops during the festival are amazing, with hundreds of people in medieval costume all over the place. If you want to watch from the bleachers in the main piazza, you have to buy tickets in advance.
Here's the calendar from 2018:
2018
Wednesday 2 may
"Consegna delle Chiavi"
3.00 p.m.
Upper Part - Blessing of the Banners in the Cathedral of St. Rufino
Lower Part - Blessing of the Banners in the upper Basilica of St. Francis
3.45 p.m.
The ringing of the City Hall Bell announces the start of the Festival
4.00 p.m.
Piazza Santa Chiara
The start of the Ente Calendimaggio procession
Piazza del Comune
Choir of the Parts - Execution Inno del Coprifuoco
The “Maestro di Campo” takes on supreme authority
Arrival of the historical parades. Restitution of the “Palio”
Greeting of the President-Magistrate -Presentation and investiture of the Jurors
The two Parts challenge each other
Parade along Corso Mazzini and Piazza St. Chiara
9.30 p.m.
Re-enactment of medieval life in the “Upper Part”*
Thursday 3 may
"Madonna Primavera"
3.00 p.m.
Piazza del Comune
The ringing of the City Hall Bell announces the start of the Festival
Arrival of the historical parades. A contest of games:
Crossbow competition, the log sled race, tug-of-war
for the proclamation of “Lady of Spring”
Madonna Primavera parade
Parade along Corso Mazzini and Piazza St. Chiara
9.30 p.m.
Re-enactment of medieval life in the “Lower Part”*
Friday 4 may
"Lo Spettacolo"
3.30 p.m.
Piazza del Comune
Challenge between the Drummers of the Parte de Sopra and Parte de Sotto.
Performance “Gruppo Nuovo Piccolo Teatro”
Performance of the Flag-Wavers of Assisi
“The Competition”
9.30 p.m.
The ringing of the City Hall Bell announces the start of the Festival
Arrival of the historical parades
saturday 5 may
“The Challenge”
3.30 p.m.
Piazza del Comune
The ringing of the City Hall Bell announces the start of the Festival
Arrival of the historical parades
Parade along Corso Mazzini and Piazza St. Chiara
“The polyphonic competition”
9.30 p.m.
The ringing of the City Hall Bell announces the start of the Festival
Choral contest between the two Parts
Awarding of the “Palio”