MUSIC/Kurt Rosenwinkel Trio at FLOWER
August 4, 9.30pm
FLOWER, piazzale Michelangelo, Florence
Rendering of the new summer space FLOWER in piazzale Michelangelo
Piazzale Michelangelo’s revival continues this month with the opening of FLOWER (For Living On a Wonderful Ecological Resource), a new alfresco summer venue and one of the official event spaces of Estate Fiorentina 2016. From August 4 until September 30, the made-for-sunset square will host jazz concerts, a Controradio talk show, dialogues with prominent authors and more, with a food and drink service by local favorite Amblé. The party begins on Thursday with a 9.30pm concert by Kurt Rosenwinkel and accompanying musicians; Rosenwinkel is an influential American jazz guitarist who’s played with the likes of pianist Brad Mehldau.
SIP/Calici di Stelle
August 6–14
Various wineries in Florence province, throughout Tuscany & all over Italy
Raise your glasses! This beloved weeklong tradition takes place in numerous wineries around the whole Boot, toasting to San Lorenzo, whose feast day is August 10 (see the event below). Organized by the Movimento Turismo del Vino Toscana, Calici di Stelle’s program features sunset tastings, nighttime openings of wineries, tours and talks, with many of the highlights taking place in the Brunello production area in the Val d’Orcia. For the first time, designated wineries are teaming up with street food producers from across Italy, who will offer up samples of their tastiest treats—think Sicilian arancini, fried delights from Le Marche or lampredotto from Florence. View the full list of participating wineries near Florence on the Movimento Turismo del Vino Toscana website.
TRADITION/Festa di San Lorenzo
August 10
Piazza San Lorenzo, Florence
The San Lorenzo neighborhood comes to life every year on the 10th for a celebration of its namesake saint. Concurrent with the Perseids meteor shower and Calici di Stelle, an Italy-wide wine event that marks the occasion, piazza San Lorenzo hosts a dance and dinner party after a morning parade (10am, from piazzetta di Parte Guelfa to piazza San Lorenzo and back). Beginning around 7pm, locals dish out free pasta (generally lasagna) and watermelon. At the dance party that follows, expect a fun mix of families, confused but captivated tourists and the few Florentines who’ve spurned the beach and stayed in the city. Don’t feel like dancing? Fix your eyes on the skies and focus on the evening’s astronomical wonders at Di Cultura in Piazza (5pm–midnight; official Facebook event here).
