IN MUGGIA

19/2-25/2

CARNIVAL OF MUGGIA 2009 – 56^th edition

The carnival tradition of Muggia is very ancient. We find traces already in the Citizen- Statutes, established for the carnival entertainments, It goes back to 1420, in the Statutes,in which it’s said that there were societies and that awarded a contribute of a ducat for every three that were spent for the musicians

After the two world wars, the Carnival of Muggia was committed in 1952 thanks to the local administration guided by the mayor Giordano Pacco.

Also today this event is characterised by its genuineness, its ironic and self ironic  spirit and its pungent satire: all elements that connect the Carnival of Muggia with that of Venice (Muggia shared in fact the fates of the Serenissima till 1797).

The Carnival of Muggia has a calendar rich of manifestations and very old traditions.

The last Thrusday of Carnival opens this event with the arrival of King Carnival, who is embodied by the holder of the “Golden Crown”, the award for the best costume of the previous edition.

In the presence of King Carnival starts the “Ball of the vegetable” (“Ballo della verdura”), which choreography makes it unique in the surroundings. Abandoned for many years, it was presented again in 1981 to embellish the ceremony, that welcomed the historical boat of the Serenissima, arrived to ratify the twinning between the Carnival of Venice and that of Muggia.

The dance steps, that are performed according to the modalities described by Nicolò Manzuoli in “Nuova descrittione della provincia d’Istria” (“New description of the province of Istria”) in 1611, are put into the hands of couples of dancers, members of all the carnival companies.

How that made it very unique is the costumes parade with allegorical floats at Sunday with start at 1.30 p.m.

This is a very expected moment for the Companies, because they can show them work, where fantasy and dedication proceed at the same pace. The aim is to offer always new themes for the parade, with always richer and monumental allegorical floats near always more wonderful costumes.

The big costumes parade of the Muggia’s carnival is different from the other important manifestations because it goes back over the “commedia dell’arte”. The Companies create choreographies and funny original sketches, where everyone holds a precise role and every allegorical floats, also the minor, offers a very movable scenography.

Another important thing is the music, that is performed live by the bands.

At the end of the carnival , all the allegorical floats are distroyed and not recycled, as happens in similar italian manifestations.

June

THREE GULFS INTERNATIONAL WEEK

The Circolo della vela, (sailing club) of Muggia, organize since thirty years the “Muggia- Portorož- Muggia” race, also known as “ yacht race without borders”.

Since 2005 the memorable yacht race has been introduced in a extensiver manifestation, that increases the value of the yacht races with the “San Rocco Cup” and the “Primavera Cup” in the first weekend.

This was also a good way to start a collaboration with the other nautical societies of Muggia, Slovenia and Croatia, like those of sportfishing and rowing.

The ideal path between the sailing club and Porto S. Rocco, delimited from the wonderful seafront, will be also colored by the presence of  vending stands of any kind.

The Week of the Three Gulfs combines sailing and entertainment, taking place at Muggia (last coast town of Friuli Venezia Giulia before the border to Slovenia), in the Gulf of Isola (Slovenia) and the Gulf of Portorose (Slovenia).
From June 8 to 18 the programme includes regattas (at the starting line more than 200 sailing boats), an exhibition of food and wines, a series of events and entertainment. Being part of the event, from June 16 to 17, the Muggia-Portorose-Muggia regatta "without borders" between Italy and Slovenia.

July-Aug.

MUGGIA UNDER THE STARS

Since July till august the most square of Muggia hosts shows of any kind: live concerts, theatrical performances (also in dialect) and folklore.

Moreover since 2006 has begun the initiative “Muggia Live”, that counts the musical animation in the old town centre to increase the value of striking unknown places of Muggia.

July-Aug.

SUMMER CARNIVAL

This is a memorable cultural event, that offers exhibitions of wine and food and entertainments of any kind.

At Saturday mid July are presented a summer mask parade and a rash of appointments like “the giant pasta” and “staffetta de Muja” (the meter relay of Muggia), organized by the various companies.

October

OPENED CASTLES

November

SAN MARTINO and AUTUMN OLD FLAVOURS

S. Martino’ s day and the tasting of wine and food in the restaurants of Muggia are proposed in order to recover the istrian tradition of Muggia, revaluing the rural origins of this site.

S.Martino’s day is also an incentive for the turism in the low season and it’s a way to improve the local producers, offering the opportunity to expose and to market their specialities. With the initiative “Autumn old flavors” throughout the week the restaurateurs have the opportunity to let know their restaurants and their activities.

The harvest festival and tradition of S. Martino’s day goes back to the ancient agricultural cycles, when the rural year finished with the so-called “Summer of S. Martino”.

The purpose of the organisation is that to augment the participation of the exhibitors, in order to suggest a large variety of  wine and food products of the Euroregion, to fix the S. Martino’s day in the annual planning of the cultural events and to offer to the gourmets an important moment of tasting and marketing of products, that increase the value of this territory.

 December

DECEMBER ON THE SQUARE

Christmas entertainment with Advent market and animations.