San Michele Day is so called because of its patron Saint Michele Arcangelo, whose festivity comes on September the 29th. But this Carmignano festivity, according to historic records, it has never been, since the very first beginning, an exclusively religious festivity. In fact, as years went by, it has become one of the most significant folk and touristic event around the areas of Prato, Pistoia and Florence.
For 3 days the streets of Carmignano, Etruscan stronghold of Prato’s area, become a real and unique stage: “Street’s Theatre”, where all four quarters in which the area is divided, called rioni, perform suggestive choreographies, dances and different exhibitions to bring on stage, each year, a different and unique theme. Each quarter works several months to put together this show, and people work very hard to perform at their best and be more creative every year.
Each day a selected jury will judge all performances to select the winner of Saint Michele Day. To winners go an amazing award.
At the end of the shows, as traditions, all quarters will challenge each other in the historic donkies racing “palio dei ciuchi”: one rider from each quarter will be riding the donkies, twice, around a circuit in the main plaza of Carmignano. On Saturday night, is now tradition the “Party after the party”, a nice occasion for the all the neighbors and the tourists to get together and have a good time.
San Michele Day, planned and arranged exclusively by “The board festivities of San Michele”, it is a unique and an extraordinary event of this kind, as it mixes together recitals, dances, theatre, figurative arts, and homemade crafting.
If you need any further information about San Michele Day please visit our website and our official facebook page.