It's Festa Season in Davoli

All over Italy, there are feste (festivals) in tiny towns all summer long. We're so busy with the ones in Davoli that we don't have time (or energy) to check out any others!

La Festa di San Vittore

Italy loves its saints. You can find statues of them in every church. And each town has its patron saint.

In Davoli, that saint is San Vittore, a Christian martyr who died in the 4th century. But the really sweet story is this: during World War II, the American troops bombed Davoli. The people of the village prayed to San Vittore to protect them, and though a shell fell right on the town, not a soul was hurt.

The shell is now in the church, underneath the statue of San Vittore. So, even today, the Davolese revere this saint who protected them.

In July, there's a festival just for good ole Victor. It's a traditional festival, with food for sale (always, ALWAYS panini con salsiccia here in Calabria), a few vendors selling sweets and ceramics, and music.

I absolutely adore tarantella, so I get excited for this festa, because there's always great music. But even after just one dance (there are specific dance moves), I'm absolutely exhausted. Happy, but tired.

On to Sonore Alchimie

The next event is the following weekend. No time to rest! This is Sonore Alchimie, an art festival. Last year, I exhibited some of my art, but this year, with all the work on the new house, I didn't have time to participate.

Works of art are spread throughout the historic district. It's so fun to seek them out, like Easter eggs. They're often in abandoned buildings (of which there are many), striking a contrast between history and creativity.

There's music. Food. Cocktails. Friends. Entertainment. The recipe for a festa in Davoli!

Catoi Sotto le Stelle

I'd say between Sonore Alchimie and this event, I'd have a hard time choosing my favorite. A catoio is a cellar, once used to make wine (and still sometimes now). We have two, and they're basically garages filled with junk. But some people have theirs beautifully decorated and/or store their wine barrels there.

For this event in August, people open their catoi and invite locals and visitors to taste their homemade wine, which they sell for the unbelievable price of €1 a glass! They also sell snacks like zeppole, lupini (a type of bean that's baked until it's crispy. Yum!), french fries, and fruit. We wander through the streets, stopping for refreshments and to listen to the street musicians.

We always end up at our cousin Giacinto's catoijo, which is by far the most popular. Lucky for us, it's just steps from our house, so we can easily stumble home!

Festa della Misericordia

In September, we have the last of the festivals, that of the church of Misericordia. Fra is on a committee that hosts both this and the San Vittore event, so he's always busy before and during the event.

This one's bigger; there are fair rides and games for the kiddos, and a big stage with music for three nights, as well as fireworks.

It's a nice wind-down to a busy summer!