The ‘Borgo Museo Festival’ at Castagno di Piteccio, from 24th to 27th June 2021, offers an imaginative programme of creative and cultural activities out in the open air, between art and nature, scattered around the hamlet and the woods, for both the young and not so young.
From morning to evening, there are an endless row of activities waiting for you: many are free or with a voluntary donation, some are on payment (from 5 to 15 euros). This is the second edition of ‘Borgo Museo Festival’ (after the first one which took place in 2019 on one day only), lasting four days and which spreads over the boundaries of Castagno and Pistoia and sometimes even into another region……..To make moving around even slower, you can travel on the Porretta railway line (the first railway through the Apennines connecting Tuscany to Emilia Romagna) which offers a special night ride between Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th.
The ‘Borgo Museo Festival’ 2021 opens on Thursday 24th with the ‘Castagno Walk’, a two day, formative walk from the experimental and educational Park of the Chestnut at Granaglione (Alto Reno Terme, Emilia Romagna) to Castagno di Piteccio, with one night spent at Pracchia, organized together with Bologna University’s Study Course PROGESA (Projection and Management of the Territory). In the meantime, at the Pro Loco (Recreational Association) at 6 p.m. the book ‘Sisino’ will be presented, the Maigret of canvases or, in other words, the biographical exhibition of Tommaso Paloscia so as to get to know the founder of the outdoor Museum at Castagno. On Friday 25th, once again at 6 p.m. the ‘Castello Ritrovato’ will be celebrated, a sculpture realized by Matteo Raciti for Castagno which will then enter the collection of the ‘Borgo Museo’ di Pistoia.
Various guided visits are available, some which depart from Pistoia Station and some from the Santa Maria Novella Station in Florence (because, to arrive in Castagno and to be welcomed into its tiny, pastel pink coloured Station, in the midst of the green of the woods, makes the experience even more magical). So, you can walk slowly through the hamlet’s works of art or amongst the gigantic, century-old chestnut trees in the woods, and then: a special visit to Casa Paloscia, an extemporary art exhibition for the ‘Premio Castagno’ – the Castagno Award – laboratories of animated narration or creative dance, the space for graphic literature as well as that of photography, open restoration projects and nocturnal lantern-lit tours….And at the Pro Loco, the cultural centre seat of the ‘Borgo Museo’, a series of meetings on the two anthropological themes (not only): ‘Dialogues on Women’ opens on Friday 25th with the sociolinguist Vera Gheno and her book ‘Femminili singolari. Il femminismo e nelle parole’, while ‘Borderless Apeninnes’ opens on Saturday 26th with the author Giuseppe Lupo, co-author of ‘Civiltà Appennino’. L’Italia in verticale tra identità e rappresentazioni’, preceded by the Chorus at sunset! that is, the sound performance of the Val Curisca Chorus (that we can hear in the teaser video of the ‘Borgo Museo Festival 2021’ with ‘Andiam sulla Montagna’ the event’s poster). A chorus for breakfast! instead, on Sunday 26th, at the Policarpo Petrocchi Literary Park at Castello di Cireglio (Pistoia).
Some moments for refreshment: for lunch, a picnic in the ‘Giardino degli Ulivi’ – the Olive Garden – with a sweet surprise signed by Bruno Corsini; in the evening, slow aperitifs and soft music, then pizza or tortelli ‘alla castagnola’ – in the Castagno way; and to end, a tasting of some products from the Pistoia mountains.
Moreover, at Castagno, you can take a swim in the Residence swimming pool or you can play tennis at the Pro Loco court.
The ‘Borgo Museo Festival’ is an event organized by the ‘CCT-SeeCity per la Pro Loco di Castagno’, realized with the co-participation of the Muicipality of Pistoia, various organizations and many, many people from the local community (resident) and the temporary one (guest), amongst which are Mister Wizard and ‘The FAI (Italian National Trust) Group of Pistoia.
Online registration is compulsory for every activity, including lunch, aperitif and dinner: this way we can welcome everybody, while completely adhering to anti-covid rules, safely and serenely. Registration is open from 24th May at this link: borgomuseofestival2021.eventbrite.it.
