July’s event calendar has plenty to offer. In Trasaella, Sant’Agnello, the festival of the Madonna delle Grazie is held on 11 July, with the now traditional Festival of the “Friariello” (Neapolitan broccoli). Sorrento offers two long-standing traditions: on the 16th the Festival del Carmine and on the 26th the Festival of Sant’Anna in Marina Grande. Religious festivals here have always been accompanied by fun, entertaining events which over the years have tried to maintain their original spirit. However, their continuation has also means a sincere, profound religious devotion that has always been strong among the Sorrentines. Once upon a time the Festival del Carmine was the “village” festival, for the part of Sorrento with a life beyond the town walls which until the mid-19th century surrounded the historic centre of Sorrento. Not forgetting the Sorrentines’ great affection for the Carmelite Madonna. For two days Piazza Tasso will be the setting for extraordinary song and band concerts. From 11 to 17 July both the square and the stretch of Corso Italia (the “Village” will have artistic illuminations, and to close the celebrations on the 17th a spectacular fireworks display will seem to burst directly from the Sanctuary of Madonna Bruna. More important perhaps is the Festival of Sant’Anna in Marina Grande, expressing the seagoing tradition and vocation of a Sorrento that lives by and from the sea. In its over two hundred yearold history it has always kept its special features which now are almost a complete combination: religion, folklore and games & sport. The religious part of the event is the Novena, the procession carrying the statue of Sant’Anna. The folklore aspect is covered by the many stalls offering watermelon, sweet lupins, coconut, nougat and a variety of sweetmeats, the characteristic illuminations that light up the whole of the village, the concert with a delightfully Neapolitan repertoire and the amazing fireworks display from the sea. The final feature is games and sport, with traditional games where participants try their best to gain favour in the eyes of the thousands of spectators filling the harbours ramps or thoroughly enjoying this show of force from bygone days from aboard the typical Sorrentine “gozzi”. The various games such as tug-o’-war, sack race, the evil “slippery pole” not only relive the vestiges of traditional games but also take us back to our carefree adolescence when these games were, or maybe still are, something spontaneous, genuine and authentic that today we seem to have lost.

Antonino Fiorentino