Il Mercato delle Gaite – Bevagna, Umbria
Umbria is a beautiful region with many green areas and quaint villages, ideal for hiking, enjoying a genuine and savory cuisine, not to mention the excellent wine and olive oil production of this area, with the prestigious Sagrantino of Montefalco and the exquisite extra virgin olive oil.
This region has so much to offer in the field of art and culture as well.
It is a land based on strong roots and its joyful and welcoming inhabitants love celebrating their traditions and origins. This is how many events take place, whether they’re intended to promote this fantastic region or its products.
Between food and historic festivals, it never gets boring.
Each town, even the smallest village, has its own festivals. Whole towns get down to work with great passion and commitment and make these festivals real, which become great social gatherings too. It’s like in a team, everybody has the same goal: have fun and entertain visitors.
Among them, “Il Mercato della Gaite” is worth mentioning. It takes place in Bevagna, a beautiful village built on the ancient Roman road, via Flaminia, which rediscovers its ancient Medieval charm during the 10-day festival.
The festival aims at representing the village’s life in Medieval times, through craftsman workshops, where you can see paper and glass making, dyeing of fabrics, etc., shows, parades, banquets and competitions. All of this is carried out with great attention, accuracy and respect to the ancient practices.
Bevagna is divided into 4 contradas, called “gaite”: Gaita San Giovanni, Gaita San Giorgio, Gaita San Pietro and Gaita Santa Maria. They face several competitions such as the market competition where some spots of this lovely village turn into real Medieval markets with animals and local products, the workshop and gastronomic competitions and the final one, the archery competition which is very exciting and suggestive.
It’s up to the jury to decide who wins and the winner will keep the embroidered tapestry given as a prize, called “palio”, until the competition unfolds the following year.
For any further information please visit the festival’s official website: http://www.ilmercatodellegaite.it/