It’s not as famous as Carnivale in Venice or Viareggio, but this charming Florentine festival featuring paper lanterns is not to be missed. La Rificolona is celebrated on the 7th of September and only in Florence and the nearby towns.
The festival is thought to have begun in Florence in the 17th century with the celebration of the Nativity, or birth, of the Virgin Mary on September 8th. Farmers from the Pistoia region would make the pilgrimage to Santissima Annunziata, which contains the miracle-working statue of Madonna della Grazia, on September 7th for the holiday’s vigil and to sell their goods (cheese, dried mushrooms, and the like) in the city. The farmers and their wives would carry lanterns on poles to light their journeys from the Tuscan hills and their stay in the Piazza SS. Annunziata. Florentines, with their boisterous humor, would tease the country-folk, tossing watermelon rinds into the farmers’ lanterns to break them, and commenting on the well-fed appearance of the farmers’ wives and their unusual style of clothing which did nothing to hide their generous endowment. With time a tradition emerged among young Florentines of making paper lanterns shaped as farmers and their shapely wives to further taunt the country pilgrims. The name of these strange lanterns? Rificonole – derived in part from fierucola, the farmers markets at which the country products were sold, and from colone, which translates as either female farmers or pioneers, or along the lines of ‘large posterior.’ (The singular of the word, rificolona, is still used today to refer to a woman that is garishly dressed or too made-up.)
Though the pilgrims no longer camp out in the Piazza della SS. Annunziata, the colorful and festive celebration with paper lamps continues into modern day. In the ‘50s a new tradition began of floating the lanterns on boats on the Arno: a custom still performed on the morning of September 8th. Even the old Florentine tradition of destroying lanterns is maintained in modern day, especially outside of the historical center, where lanterns are often placed on windowsills instead of being paraded around town. Though these days, instead of tossing watermelon rinds into lanterns, young boys use blow guns and paper arrows to pierce and set fire to displayed lanterns (and put tears in a few young girls’ eyes). Also, in the last century or so lanterns have taken on the forms of the sun, the moon, stars, and even pieces of watermelon instead of the farmer- and wife-shaped puppet lanterns of yore. And, while it was common only 20 years ago for children to make their own paper lanterns, today mass-produced, imported Chinese lanterns bought from a shop are more common than homemade.
Where to go
If you’re in Florence or the nearby communities (Greve in Chianti, Signa, Scarperia, etc.) on September 7th, definitely take the opportunity to check out the lanterns! In Florence, head to Piazza Santissima Annunziata on the evening of September 7th. The lantern parade is scheduled to arrive at the Piazza SS. Annunziata around 9:45pm, followed by performances of traditional dances. The lantern parade continues on the water in the evening of September 8th, when the lanterns will be taken to the Arno near the Ponte Vecchio to be floated on boats starting around 10:30 pm. Smaller communities of the region also celebrate La Rificolona, and their events are listed on Florence’s official tourist info site and can be found by conducting a search on the events calendar. Additional treats for the holiday include the opening of the SS. Annunziata cathedral’s terraces to the public and special evening hours (7:30-11:30 pm) and free entrance at the adjacent National Archeological Museum of Florence and its garden.
Over the Tuscan Moon 