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Pitti Immagine Returns
Duomo Clock Repaired
Delivery Service 055 386 03 11 www.mrpizzafirenze.it
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San Gimignano Hosts Elliott Erwitt
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Tips to Survive a Florentine Summer
WWW.FLORENCENEWSEVENTS.COM SUMMER EDITION 2014, NO. 8
Via Pietrapiana, 82/r Piazza Duomo, 5/r
Remembering Ferragamo EUGENIO GIANI, FORMER PRESIDENT OF FLORENCE CITY COUNCIL
HOT STUFF Florence and Tuscany Beat the Summer Heat with Cool Events A summer bursting with cultural and artistic events has Florence sizzling, so get ready for some truly “hot stuff” in the coming months— from rock, blues, and opera to art exhibits and festivals galore. An aquatic spectacle under the newly-lit Ponte Vecchio kicks off the season on June 16, followed by the international fashion event, Pitti Immagine, from June 17 to 20 at the Fortezza da Basso (page 10). At Palazzo Pitti, observe the natural world in extraordinary detail as captured by Jacopo Ligozzi, a late-Renaissance painter in the Medici court (page 4). See the events section for a rundown of ongoing art shows (page 24) and movies (page 25).
Soccer fans can catch the World Cup games in various locales throughout town. And calcio storico will thrill even the non-enthusiasts: this series of matches in costume takes place every year in Piazza Santa Croce, in which teams representing Florence’s historic quartieri go head-to-head in a brutal mix of football, rugby, and wrestling (page 12). One of the highlights of the Florentine summer, calcio storico culminates with a final match on June 24, the feast of Saint John the Baptist, Florence’s patron saint and the city’s most significant holiday—full of parades, costumes, and fireworks (page 4). Moving beyond the walls of Florence, Pistoia Blues returns from July 10 to 17, with Robert Plant
among an exciting line-up of rock, blues, and folk groups (page 26); while Siena’s ancient bareback horse race, the Palio, will charge the town’s medieval streets with civic pride and fervour as each contrada cheers its horse on July 2 and August 16 (page 23). Check out our Surviving Summer page for information on nearby beaches and local shady spots (page 29), or escape to the green hills of the Mugello region for water sports on Lake Bilancino or a relaxing day at the Mugello Pool Center (page 28). Enjoy this special summer issue of Florence News & Events. Our next issue will be out in September. Buona estate!
August 7 marks the 54th anniversary of Salvatore Ferragamo’s death and this year’s Pitti Immagine is a perfect reminder of how influential style has always been in the city. Born into an impoverished family in 1898 as the 11th of 14 children, Salvatore Ferragamo created his first pair of shoes at the age of seven. Too poor to afford a formal education, Ferragamo spent most of his childhood observing the local cobbler in his home town of Bonito, in southern Italy. Learning the trade throughout his adolescence, Ferragamo opened a small shoe shop in Naples, but immigrated to Boston in 1914, when he was only 16 years old. Eventually Ferragamo moved to Santa Barbara, California, and finally to Hollywood, where he met the high-profile clientele and American movie stars who fell in love with his trademark shoes. When he decided to come back to Italy, he set up shop in Florence (Via Minnelli), and it was here that he copyrighted his extra-luxury brand of shoes. In 1929, Ferragamo bought and converted the Spini Ferroni palace, making it his headquarters. The Salvatore Ferragamo brand eventually expanded to include other luxury products such as bags, clothing and perfumes, always maintaining a sense of excellence and refinement. Ferragamo died in 1960 at the age of 62 in Pietrasanta, a small town in Tuscany. Ferragamo’s myth is destined to last forever, kept alive by the success of his family and by the Salvatore Ferragamo museum at Palazzo Spini Ferroni.
Florence Dance Festival JULY 1 TO 26
‘Estate Fiesolana’ June 16 TO August 2
PISTOIA BLUES JULY 10 TO 17
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