Friuli Venezia Giulia has a rich and varied cultural life. There
are a number of local and international events in music, art,
history and sport.
List of International events
There are many high-quality international events that
bring performers and attract audience from all over the world. Some
of the most popular are:
- Barcolana (Trieste): an
international regatta with a boating festival;
- Villa Manin Centre for
Contemporary Art (Codroipo): it annually organises exhibitions with
artists from all over the world in collaboration with some of the
major international museums (website available only in
Italian);
- Mittelfest (Cividale del
Friuli): a festival of theatre, music, dance, poetry and cinema
from Central Europe (website available only in Italian);
- Folkest
(Spilimbergo): an international folk music festival which takes
place not only in Friuli Venezia Giulia, but also in Austria and
Slovenia;
- Le Giornate del
Cinema Muto (Silent movies festival) (Pordenone): the main
international event dedicated to the conservation, diffusion and
study of the first 30 years of cinema (website available only in
Italian);
- Far East
Festival (Udine): the largest European exhibition entirely
dedicated to Asian cinema);
- No Borders Music
Festival (Tarvisio): a musical festival with major
international protagonists that 'spills over the border' of Friuli
Venezia Giulia into Austria and Slovenia.
Traditional appointments
Friuli Venezia Giulia is rich in such traditions which
have been kept alive by the local inhabitants.
Epiphany (the winter solstice) is the time of
'pignarûl' or 'pan e vin' (bonfires) to
propitiate the fertility of the land. In Cividale del Friuli the
'Messa dello spadone' is celebrated, a special mess in
memory of the investiture that the patriarch received by the
Emperor.
In Carnia the rites of fire coincide with the feast of the patron
saint or other saints on or around the summer solstice: the hurling
of lis cidulis, flaming wheels, is accompanied by wishes
for prosperity.
Religious rites such as the Rogations have almost disappeared,
together with the farming way of life of which they were part.
However, a number of processions have survived.
The most famous is the 'Perdon di Barbana' in Grado:
during which a statue of the Virgin Mary is carried around on board
of a boat from Grado to the island-sanctuary of Barbana. Popular
are the holy performances of Good Friday and the celebrations
and feasts for the various patron saints in a large number of
villages around the region.
Another ancient event, is the 'Sagra dei osei' (Bird
Festival), which every August attracts huge crowds to Sacile to
listen to the birdcalls and the 'singing competition' engaging
birds at dawn.
Wine & Food events
In Friuli Venezia Giulia traditional foods and wines are
very important.
Indeed, there are events that highlight regional culinary
specialities as well as the excellent wines almost everywhere.
Among the most important: Friuli doc (Udine), Festa della Zucca
(feast of the pumpkin) (Venzone), Gusti di Frontiera (Gorizia),
Aria di Festa (San Daniele - Udine).
Moreover, there are a lot of local feasts around the region, mainly
in summer, where it is possible to taste local specialities.
Source: Agenzia
Turismo FVG, Autonomous
Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia