The many posters on the side of the road announce it: Summer is here! Because summer is the time of the festivities. Feasts with such wonderful names as "Festa del Fungo," "Musica in Piazza" or "Sagra dei Fagiolini."
"That's exactly what we're going to do," I tell the man who always wants to teach me "La dolce vita."
Said, done! But, of course, it all starts with a big mess. Daring and angly waving with the pilot's trowel, we are led into a roadside parking lot – felt 20km from the village. But you can hear and smell – the festival place: Sometimes the village piazza under ancient plane trees, but also simply the local football pitch – is not far away.
And anticipation is rising: There will be good food and good wine. By the way, mostly by the members of the local cooperative "Pro Loco."
But go! If you want to eat and drink, you first have to buy tokens. The proceeds will later be used to support a village project.
Importantly looking and concentrating, the honoraries sell tokens, the "marche," which one exchanges at various stations for delicious, mostly locally typical specialties – conveniently served on plastic plates and in plastic cups.
And already during the meal begins the actual highlight of the festival: il ballo – the dance! And so the village's piazza transforms into a giant dance hall and the gray tarmac into gleaming parquet. The whole village is on its feet, young and old, locals and tourists swing the dance leg, to live music and always classic: Discofox, waltz, foxtrot, rumba, cha-cha-cha, tango and – formation!!! A social dance – a must for most! A must that can make you happy! Everyone dances happily but nonetheless amazingly disciplined according to the instructor's instructions.
And then he comes: Rudolfo Valentino – just aged a bit! I will never forget the sparkle in the eyes of the old man, who dances in a suit, with plugged cloth and polished shoes, along with many others the perfect formation, having previously sat alone and somewhat lost on a bench.