“Anteprima Corti Circuito” from 8.30 pm with TeatroCastello, Contrad’Arte, and the Municipal School of Music. Piazza Gramsci hosts street food. Friday afternoon sees the opening of several exhibitions.
In/Canti e Banchi heats up the engines and also the… cookers. From Thursday evening, the open-air Magic Festival will begin to invade the streets of the centre with the first shows and the opening in Piazza Gramsci (from 6 pm) of the “Food Festival”, while from Friday afternoon a number of exhibitions will be inaugurated, which have always enriched the event with new proposals.
Start therefore from 6 pm. with the Food Festival (Piazza Gramsci), animated by a DJ Set and twelve Food Trucks that will offer many specialities of the gastronomic tradition of the various Italian regions (and not only): from Angus burgers to Chianina burgers, from fried fish to Abruzzo arrosticini, from Neapolitan fried pizza to fried coccoli, from stuffed potatoes to potato tortel, from Fagotto dì Chianti to fried polenta in a thousand variations; and then Sicilian cannoli and arancini, Thai ice cream, 4 craft beers, and cocktail bars. Also on Thursday, from 8.30 p.m., the streets of the lower historical centre will host “Anteprima Corti Circuito”, which in view of Sunday’s theatre marathon will offer visitors some shows such as “Chiassate alla finestra” by TeatroCastello, “Sister Act” by Contrad’Arte and a double performance (the Bandina and Squiibrass) by the Municipal School of Music of Castelfiorentino.
Friday afternoon inauguration of several exhibitions. In the ‘events space’ of the Circolo ‘Il Progresso’ (Corso Matteotti), at 5.30 p.m. there will be the opening of the photographic exhibition by Stefano Longhi, well known to the Castelfiorentino community for his evocative black and white images, and the presentation of two volumes by Alessandro Verdiani (‘Vecchia scuola mia’ and ‘La piena del 4 novembre 1966’) with the participation of the journalist Marcello Mancini and the Deputy Mayor, Claudia Centi; at 6.30 p.m. the Oratorio di San Carlo (via Testaferrata) will host a “vernissage” on the Vinicio Berti exhibition (curated by Exponent) with speeches by Deputy Mayor Claudia Centi, the President of the Vinicio Berti Archive, Giuseppe Chiarello, and art critic Francesco Funghi. As will be recalled, Vinicio Berti’s works are also on display at the Ridotto del Teatro del Popolo until 11 June. In the evening (Via Tilli sala 1, 9 p.m.), the ‘Giglio Rosso’ Photographic Group will open the ‘Fashion Day’ exhibition, with the most beautiful images of the event held in Castelfiorentino a few weeks ago.
Lastly, on Friday evening, “Magic” will raise the curtain through the first “close encounters” with magicians and conjurers, the marching band of an unusual married couple-musicians, the captivating choreographies of “fire and dance”, clowns on horseback and some bizarre characters, while those who wish can dedicate themselves to playful activities or be immortalised in a ‘minutera’ photo, according to the technique adopted by street photographers a century ago. The “Food festival” will also continue with many gastronomic delicacies representing the best of the Italian food tradition. The entire historic centre will also be embellished by the beautiful installations of Davide Dall’Osso’s diffuse exhibition “Community”, while the shop windows will host the works created by the children and young people involved in the “metamorphosis” project.
Saturday and Sunday In/Canti e Banchi will continue with magic shows and a market.
In Canti e Banchi is promoted by the Municipality of Castelfiorentino (artistic direction Terzostudio) in collaboration with numerous associations. Sponsors of the event: Banca Cambiano 1884 Spa, Toscana Energia, Unicoop Firenze, Ati servizi, and also Scotti Ugo, FC Cornici, Dani Marmi, Accademia Italia, Tamburini Srl, Beauty at Home, Lorenzo Ciapetti and his son, L’Accento, Assicurazioni Generali, Errebici, Calugi Tartufi, Masterelectric.
For detailed information on the programme and show times (which we recommend you consult): www.incantiebanchi.it; www.comune.castelfiorentino.fi.it; and the dedicated facebook page, or contact the Tourist Office (0571.629049).
