Events
Massa Marittima is a city extraordinarily rich in history and culture, that organizes numerous festivals and local fetes that truly deserve to be appreciated and experienced. Below is a list of some of the most important yearly events, in chronological order, from January to December:
January:
-“Le Giornate dell’Olio d’Oliva” (The Days of the Olive Oil): begun in 1997, this festival is dedicated to locally produced oil and was organized to promote these products and award those of the highest quality.
-“La Festa di Sant’Antonio Abate” (The Festival of St. Antonio Abate): a traditional local festival held on the Sunday after the 17th. During this popular manifestation, the people of the town and neighbouring countryside bring their animals to the principal piazza of the town to be blessed by the parish priest.
-“Befana nel Terziere”: with no literal English translation, the Befana is much like Santa Claus for the Italians and is depicted as an old lady who brings gifts on the day of the Epiphany. The festival’s purpose is therefore to honour the festivities of the Epiphany, held on the 5th of January.
-“Canti Maggerini” (Maggerini Chorals): a popular tradition in the Maremma, it occurs on the day of the Epiphany with the men of the town walking through the streets and alleys singing and dancing to celebrate the Epiphany.
February:
-“Il Carnevale Massetano” (the Massetano Carnival): during this festival, held on Holy Thursday and Shrove Tuesday, the streets of the historic centre of Massa Marittima are decorated with masks and filled with various musical shows and attractions.
March:
-“Festa di San Ciriaco” (Festival of St. Ciriaco): held on the 18th, this festival celebrates the patron saint of Terziere of Cittavecchia and includes a solemn mass in honour of the saint and an interesting flag throwing show.
May:
-“Canti Maggerini per la Primavera” (Maggerini Chorals for Spring): a popular festival with very ancient roots. Held on the night of the 30th of April and 1st on May, this celebration consists of a group of men who walk through the streets and countryside singing and dancing in honour of the May harvest.
-“Il Balestruzzo”: held around the 18th, it is a wonderfully exciting crossbow contest, during which the competitors represent the smallest of the traditional social groups of Massa Marittima. The festival also includes a masked procession and interesting shows.
-“Il Balestro del Girifalco” (Falcon Crossbow Contest): held on the first Sunday after the 20th (if the 20th itself is not a Sunday), this is the most important manifestation in the town and is organized to celebrate St. Bernardino. During the festival there are flag throwing shows, as well as a crossbow contest between the three traditional town neighbourhoods.
June:
-“Toscana Foto Festival” (Tuscan Photo Festival): displaying a large demonstration of unique and extraordinary works of art.
July:
-“ Mostra Mercato Scambio del Minerale” (Market Display of the Exchange of Minerals): an interesting mineral exhibition dedicated to exchange and acquisition. The event is organized on the last Sunday of July in the Cloister of St. Agostino.
-“Mostra dell’Artigianato” (Handicraft Display): an enchanting display of ancient objects and modern handicrafts held in the streets of the historic centre of Massa Marittima.
August:
-“ Lirica in Piazza” (Lyrics in the Piazza): an important cultural manifestation held in Massa Marittima during the first week of August. During the festival there are many musical shows organized in the piazza opposite to the Duomo of St. Cerbone.
-“Calici di Stelle” (Chalices of the Stars): a grand manifestation organized in the streets of the town on the night of St. Lorenzo. On display are the typical products of the territory, including Extra-virgin Olive Oil and the wine Monteregio DOC.
-“Notte d’Irlanda” (Irish Night): a delightful festival that creates a Celtic-Irish atmosphere in the streets of the city. An incredibly important celebration for the entire Maremma, the town organizes various shows of Irish music and interesting markets and stands.
-“Balestro del Girafalco” (Falcon Crossbow Contest): celebrated for the second time, this festival honours the time in which Massa Marittima was a Free Commune and is held on the second Sunday of August. A crossbow contest between the three neighbourhoods of Massa Marittima, it is one of the most interesting manifestations of the year, embellished by flag throwing shows and various entertainments.
September:
-“ Fiera del Bestiame” (Cattle Fair): held at Ghirlanda, a small section of Massa Marittima, in the first days of September, it is an interesting argozootechnical display of the typical horses and beasts of the Metalliferous Hill territory. Interestingly the event is also dedicated to the famous local wine Monteregio DOC.
October:
-“Festa in onore di San Cebone” (Festival in honour of St Cerbone): a festival dedicated to the patron saint of Massa Marittima
November:
-“Cinema d’Autore a Massa Marittima” (Film writers at Massa Marittima): an important cultural manifestation that divulges the motion picture culture and shows a variety of interesting films each year.
December:
-“Calici d’Inverno” (Chalices of Winter): an important gastronomic exhibition that promotes the local wines and typical products of the area.
Must see events:
“Balestro del Girafalco” (Falcon Crossbow Contest): the most important and interesting manifestation held in Massa Marittima, it occurs two times each year, on the first Sunday after the 20th of May in honour of St. Bernardino, patron saint of the village together with St. Cerbone, and on the 2nd Sunday of August commemorating the date in which Massa Marittima was named a Free Commune.
It is an absolutely magical and spectacular event, that manages to stir up curiosity and excitement year after year.
The event consists of a crossbow contest between the three traditional neighbourhoods of Massa Marittima: Borgo (Village), Cittavecchia (Old City) and Cittanuova (New City), and is held in the principal piazza of town.
The contest is called the “Balestra del Girafalco”, because its participants cast their arrow at a target, known in Italian as “Corniolo” that is decorated with the symbol of the falcon.
Like every game of darts, the winner is the one who manages to place the arrow closest to the middle of the target.
The winning neighbourhood is then given a hand painted cloth, something of great honour and pride.
“Notte d’Irlanda” (Irish Night): one of the most exciting and unique manifestations in Massa Marittima, it is considered very important throughout the Maremma and is something of great pride for the town itself.
The festival on held on the last Sunday of July, bringing Massa Marittima, an ever rising number of tourists and aficionados, who come to enjoy this fascinating manifestation whether they are Irish or not.
Held throughout the streets if the historic centre, this festival stirs up quite a bit of interest and excitement simply because it is the only one of its kind in the entire Maremma.
During the day there are various markets and stalls selling traditional Irish objects, as well as relics that retell the history and culture of the country and numerous shows and displays filled with music and dancing, celebrating the unique customs and traditions of the Irish.