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Summer in Tuscany features many a sagra, or food festival. Small villages throughout Tuscany host Sagras for specific foods each weekend like the Sagra di Porcini of Monte Catini in August. At these festivals you have the opportunity to sample the featured food in a variety of different typical recipes and often for free.

Summer also brings the Florentine nightlife outdoors-several major piazzas like Santo Spirito and Santissima Annunziata host nightly live music concerts and an open bar. A particularly popular local summer haunt is Piazza Poggi located just below Piazzale Michelangelo. Situated behind a medieval watch tower, a restaurant and bar features live music of all genres from jazz to folk every night!

Arezzo. Arezzo's Piazza Grande is the setting of the Giostra del Saracino, or Saracen Tournament. Held twice a year, a night version the third Saturday in June and on the first Sunday in September, this tournament dates back to the Crusades during the Middle Ages when all Christendom dedicated itself to driving the Moors out of Europe. There is a lively and colorful procession preceding the event in which eight costumed knights charge towards wooden representations of the Saracen, aiming to hit the Saracen's shield with lances. Each pair of knights represents one of Arezzo's four rival districts and their supporters each occupy a side of the piazza. They are quiet when their own district knights are jousting, but make as much noise as possible to distract the opposition. The winner receives a gold lance. If you know some Italian, the official site Giostra del Saracino has a lot of information on its history and procedures.

Florence. June is Florence's golden month. There are several things happening here in Florence. Fabulous fireworks on June 24th celebrate St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of Florence, and the historical football match, the Calcio Storico, is held on Piazza Santa Croce every summer. There are two semi-finals, then the final, towards the end of June, beginning of July. The Calcio Storico commemorates a similar match played by a soldier trapped in the city in 1530. This Renaissance soccer game is played by teams from four neighborhoods in Florence: Santa Croce, Santa Spirito, Santa Maria Novella, and San Giovanni. The game is a combination of soccer, rugby, and big time wrestling, all played while wearing 16th century costumes. For 2005, the matches are on the 24th and 26th of June and the final playoff on the 3rd of July.

Every summer, the Florence Dance Festival takes place (from June 19 to July 28 this summer) at the Teatro Romano in Fiesole on the hill just over Florence as part of the wider Estate Fiesolana program of music, poetry and cinema. It is really a magnificent experience to enjoy a concert in a Roman amphitheatre thinking of the thousands, if not millions, who have shared in the experience over the course of the past centuries.

Also close to Florence, in Sesto Fiorentino, the Sesto d'Estate Music Festival offers several outdoor concerts in from June 15 through July 12, 2005 at the beautiful gardens of Villa Solaria. The summer festical includes theater, dance, music and cultural events. Highlights of this summer's festival include Elvis Costello, Francesco de Gregori and Tori Amos. Visit the festival website for the latest details.

Lucca. This summer if you are in Lucca you can enjoy the 8th edition of the Lucca Summer Festival during the month of July. Artists this summer include Lauryn Hill, Jamiroquai, James Brown, Van Morrison and others. Concerts are in the open in the central Piazza Napoleone within the city walls. More information at the festival's website.

Pisa. The Gioco del Ponte, or game on the bridge, is a sham fight between the people leaving the opposite sides of the Arno takes place on the last Sunday in June, on the ponte di Mezzo. After a colorful procession in 16th and 17th century costumes, the combatants use contraptions on rails in attempts to take the bridge. The "Gioco del Ponte" is the high point of "Giugno Pisano", which also includes a regatta and the "Festa di San Ranieri", a candelight festival on the banks of the Arno commemorating the city's patron saint. See teh city's website for more details.

Pistoia. After a magnificent procession held on the 25th of July every year, 12 knights take part in the Giostra dell'Orso, a medieval jousting tournament. The knights' goal is to hit two stylized bears with their lances to the sound of drum rolls and fanfares. The bear (orso) is the heraldic animal of Pistoia and the Giostra is the highlight of the towns's "Luglio Pistoiese" festival. The city's website has details on the event and other activities that lead up to the tournament, but unfortunately only in Italian.

Also part of the summer events occuring in Pistoia is the Pistoia Blues Festival from the 8th to the 10th of July this year. Check out the site for complete program details.

Sansepolcro. In the last Sunday in May, the crossbowmen of Sansepolcro travel to Gubbio (Umbria) for the Palio dei Balestrieri, or crossbow contest. On the second Sunday in September, the crossbowmen of Gubbio return the visit to Sansepolcro.

Siena. The Palio is Tuscany's most celebrated festival and is held on July 2 and August 16 every year in the Campo (the main Piazza in Siena). Its roots can be traced back to 1283. The jockeys represent 10 of the 17 contrade or districts within the walled city of Siena, the horses are chosen by the drawing of straws and are blessed at the local contrada churches prior to the race. These bareback horseraces are preceded by heavy betting and pageantry, but only last about 90 seconds each. The winning contrada is awarded a palio (banner) which then displays it proudly until the following year's palio.

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