From 9 p.m., the historic centre of Castelfiorentino (FI) will light up with
the “Open Air” Magic Festival. From the afternoon onwards, exhibitions.
OPEN SHOPS – FREE ADMISSION
Manipulation, illusionism, fire and dance. From tomorrow evening (Friday 26, 9.00 pm) “In/Canti e Banchi” lights up with “open air” magic, through a sequence of shows on fixed and itinerant stations that will take over the streets of the historic centre, while the “food festival” will continue in Piazza Gramsci, with street food and a special set-up of thirty wooden games that recover ancient popular traditions.
In the upper part (via Tilli), it will be possible to have “close encounters with the magician”, a magician skilled with cards, who will wander around with his travelling theatre, or to bump into “Lumì”, a sweet luminous fairy who gives dreams by lighting up people’s eyes. In the former arena gardens, the Magical Turra will perform a series of hilarious numbers: from objects that disappear to coins that multiply, while at the big Holm-oak you can be immortalised by Antonio D’ambrosio with the ‘minutero’ process, the technique used by travelling photographers a century ago.
A tragicomic dinner that is supposed to anticipate a marriage proposal will be the plot of the show “Just Married” in Piazza del Popolo (9.15 pm, repeated at 10.40 pm), while illusionism and ventriloquy will be the protagonists in Piazza delle Stanze operaie (10.10 pm) with Tino Fimiani, in a show that will overturn the spectator’s convictions, leaving him with the doubt of ever having owned a watch or a wallet.
In the streets of the low town centre, shows and itinerant entertainment with the “horse brothers”, two clowns who will bring joy and laughter, and “second line”, an unusual band made up of married couples-musicians, while in Piazza Gramsci (9.45 pm) “dancing with the flames”, a fire and dance show, refined and elegant, with a grand finale.
Finally, some exhibitions will be open from Friday afternoon: in the “events space” of the Circolo “Il Progresso” (Corso Matteotti) there will be at 5.30 p.m. 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 p.m. 30 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 you may recall, Vinicio Berti’s works are also on display at the Ridotto of the Teatro del Popolo until 11 June. In the evening (Via Tilli sala 1, 9.00 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.
The Festival will continue on Saturday and Sunday with new shows and the 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 e figlio, 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.
