Illusionism and theatrical improvisation shows. Close encounters with magicians, alchemists and storytellers. Acrobatic games and light choreography. Animation and games for children, figurative exhibitions, a market, street food, and music. From Friday 24 to Sunday 26 May, Castelfiorentino will light up with “In/Canti e Banchi”, Italy’s first “Open Air” Magic Festival, which for three days will see the old town centre turn into a huge open-air “natural stage”, where fantastic characters, illusionists and magicians will perform, intent on astonishing the public with their acts, surprising them with their imagination and skills.
The festival opens on Friday evening (24 May) with performances in the streets and squares of the upper town centre: from the “bubbles with LEDs” of a modern alchemist to the magic of Sirio Alfieri; from the travelling cartomagic theatre to figure theatre and contact animation, and the great illusionism show (not without tense moments) in Piazza delle Stanze Operaie, while in the lower part there will be travelling shows and marching bands (from the “La Vedova” company to the “Fantomatik Orchestra”), to emotional poetry parades, a chorus of miniature theatres (“Grande Leccio”), fantastic characters, acrobats, bubble and wood workshops, and “sparks of magic” (in front of the Be. Go Museum).
On Saturday 25 May, the historical centre will come alive from the afternoon (4.00 pm) with the “Mercato d’Incanti”: craftsmen, flowers, vintage goods, street games for all ages, together with local associations, while the Filarmonica “G. Verdi” will hold a parade through the streets of the centre on the occasion of the bicentenary of its birth, accompanied by the Filarmonica di Signa and Impruneta.
In the evening (from 9 p.m.) unmissable events in the upper part with “doves and great illusions” (Piazza del Popolo), an eclectic magic show (Giardini ex Arena) and light dance and juggling by Lux Arcana, which after the fire show held at the last edition of ‘Peace after Montaperti’ will perform a “Lights dance”, with rhythmic choreography, fast-paced music and a “grand finale” with Led visualisers. In the lower town centre, the second evening in the company of touring shows and marching bands, soap bubbles and games of logic, the theatre choir in Corso Matteotti, acrobatic performances and the magic show in Piazza Gramsci.
On Sunday 26 May, the “Mercato d’Incanti” will be open from the morning, the “Leggere fuori” events of the Vallesiana library (Piazza Gramsci and the Grande Leccio), the prize-giving ceremony in the library of the art competition promoted by the Filarmonica “G. Verdi” (10.00 a.m., with an exhibition of watercolours by Niccolò Niccolai), and in the afternoon, from 4.00 p.m., the 2nd edition of the mini marathon of amateur theatre organised by TeatroCastello, with eight different locations in the upper town centre. Eight companies are involved, three of which will go through to the final scheduled at 7.30 p.m. (Piazza delle stanze operaie).
From Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 May, Piazza Gramsci will also be enlivened by the flavours of “street food”: from fish to chicken fritters, from Chianti fagotto to Angus hamburgers, from arrosticini to cuddles, Thai ice cream, crepes, doughnuts and so on.
Lastly, as in every edition, from Friday to Sunday there will be numerous exhibitions: that of the Giglio Rosso on “Chinese New Year” (Via Tilli), that of Stefano Longhi and Alessandro Verdiani (“Sei di Castelfiorentino se”) on “Faces and places” (Spazio eventi Corso Matteotti), and finally an exhibition of the works of the project “Metamorfosi: un’esperienza di comunità”, organised by Cetra and Atelier Dall’Osso (Oratorio di San Carlo)
In/Canti e Banchi is organised by the Municipality of Castelfiorentino in collaboration with Terzostudio Progetti per lo Spettacolo and under the patronage of the Region of Tuscany and the Unione dei Comuni Circondario Empolese Valdelsa. Sponsors of the event: Banca Cambiano 1884 spa, Unicoop Firenze, Toscana Energia, Accademia Italia, Lorenzo Ciapetti e Figlio, Masterelectric, Dani Marmi, Stefania Calugi tartufi, Errebici, L’Accento, FC Cornici, Brico Io.
For detailed information on the programme: www.incantiebanchi.it, the dedicated Facebook page, and the Castelfiorentino tourist office (tel. +39 0571.629049 – opening hours 9:30-12:30 / 15:30-18:30 Monday to Sunday).
