GROCERY/Esselunga “Supermostra”
Until April 21
Stazione Leopolda, viale Fratelli Rosselli 5, Florence
Ph. Marco Badiani
Supermarket chain Esselunga brings the kitsch this month with a new anniversary exhibition spanning all 60 years of its history, documenting the store’s evolution as well as shifts in Italian consumption, advertising and style. Complete with period-costumed clerks and a strawberry-shaped throne (alluding to the “Punti Fragola” that loyalty card customers accumulate), the show is campy yet cultural, chronicling everything from the frenzied 1957 opening of the first Milan post to the finer points of contemporary food processing. Admission is free; the show is open every day from 10am to 7pm (extended to 8pm on Saturdays).
LITERARY/Shakespeare Week
April 16-20
British Institute, Harold Acton Library, lungarno Guicciardini 9, Florence
A beloved British Institute tradition, Shakespeare Week is a celebration of the definitive English dramatist. The new edition’s theme is Measure for Measure, one of the Bard of Avon’s most complex comedies, particularly fit for discussion in the current climate, given its exploration of morality, sexuality and power dynamics. A public reading of Measure for Measure is an early highlight (April 17, 3-6pm); the following day, Eric Nicholson will give a lecture defending Shakespeare’s script, often described as a “problem play”, by suggesting that many male critics have missed its points about the hypocrisies of patriarchal government (April 18, 6pm). For pint-sized playwrights-in-the-making, a Shakespeare-themed Storytime session inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream will take place in the Children’s Library (April 19, 5pm). See the full program on the website.
SPORTY/Campi di Marte
April 6-8
Viale Pierluigi Nervi (behind Franchi stadium)
Tie up your trainers and take a walk to the stadium for open-air athletics village Campi di Marte, now in its second edition. Kickboxing, rhythmic gymnastics, baseball, tai chi and fencing are just a few of the sports up for sampling at this free-entry festival, which aims to spotlight lesser-known activities in the shadow of one of Italy’s “holy temples”: the football stadium. Sporting associations from around the neighborhood will set up play areas spanning 3,000 square meters; for an energy boost, food trucks will serve a variety of Italian and international treats (no bland breakfast bars here—expect to see Panino Tondo, Pescepane, and Phil’s Slow Smoked American Barbecue among the pickings). Free courses in first-aid will also be offered. For more information, see the Facebook page.
DINING/Conviti e Banchetti
Until January 6, 2019
Stibbert Museum, via F. Stibbert 26, Florence
Museo Stibbert
Tradition and lore have long swirled around the ritual of the banquet meal. Step in to what feels like a still-life documentary on three centuries of dinner parties: the Stibbert exhibition Conviti e Banchetti. L’arte di imbandire le mense highlights trends and transformations in table-setting, feast-hosting and food-serving from the Renaissance to the 19th century. On display is a broad selection of silverware, china, table linens and other dining accessories, some from within the Stibbert, others on loan from private collections; fine porcelain and glitzy glassware abound. Behind the scenes are Marist-LdM MA in Museum Studies students, who contributed to the exhibition’s planning and presentation. For more information, see the museum website.
CULTURE/Middle East Now
April 10-15
Cinema La Compagnia & Cinema Stensen, Florence
Our Syria | Ph. Liz and Max Haarala Hamilton
Calling Middle East Now a “film event” sells it short: this interdisciplinary festival shows movies, yes, but also features in-depth presentations on cultural identities, culinary traditions, political issues, language and much more. “Hashtag #Middleast” is the theme of the ninth edition, aiming to focus audience attention on the contemporary realities of the region. Approximately 40 films are on the program, with many of them making their Italian premiere. Special attention will be given to Director in Focus and guest of honor Annemarie Jacir of Palestine; her film Wajib will make its Italian premiere on April 10 (9pm, La Compagnia). Other highlights at this edition: introductory Arabic lessons with YouTube star Maha Yakoub (April 14 & 15) and a photo exhibition, The People’s Salon, spotlighting hairdressers in Beirut, Gaza and Ramallah (April 12-May 31, Studio Marangoni). See the full program here.
SHOP/Spring Vintage Market
April 14 & 15
Serre Torrigiani, via Gusciana 21, Florence
Add some vintage whimsy to your wardrobe while giving back to a worthy cause. Palliative care organization FILE is hosting an open-air vintage market with high-quality donated garments, accessories and jewelry for women, men and children. Leaf through the high-street pickings in the lush setting of Serre Torrigiani, a hidden oasis only open to the public on special occasions, just a few minutes’ walk from Porta Romana. Apart from scavenging for high-fashion scores, sip on fresh fruit juices and refuel with street bites or even a full brunch (April 15 only). Workshops for families will run on both days and an illustration exhibition, Si Può, exploring the emotions of children who’ve suffered a familial loss, will showcase one element of FILE’s mission. For more information, see the FILE website.
ICON/Bob Dylan and his band
April 7, 9pm
Nelson Mandela Forum, piazza Enrico Berlinguer 5, Florence
Bob Dylan “back in the day”
Songwriter, poet, radical, overrated mumbler, Nobel Prize winner: whichever label you assign to him, Bob Dylan will be back in Italy for the first time since 2015, taking the stage at the Mandela Forum between three shows in Rome and stadium gigs in Mantua and Milan. Joined by his band, Dylan will be promoting the recent release of Trouble No More: The Bootleg Series Vol. 13, 1979-81, which features unreleased live and studio recordings from an era marked by his evangelical Christian change of tune in Slow Train Coming. At publication of this article, limited tickets are still available.
SLIDE/The Florence Experiment
April 19-August 26
Palazzo Strozzi and the Strozzina, piazza Strozzi, Florence
Palazzo Strozzi is bringing new meaning to that tongue-in-cheek term “Renaissance playground.” The courtyard is preparing to host two towering slides taken straight from our childhood fantasies. But The Florence Experiment, title of the exhibition, is far from child’s play: it’s an innovative research project carried out by German artist Carsten Höller and plant neurobiologist Stefano Mancuso. Visitors will have the chance to slide down the structure from a height of 20 metres; their emotional reactions will be recorded and compared with those of plants to examine the empathetic possibilities between humans and plant organisms. The project won’t be confined to the courtyard: the undercroft will host a cinema component, still related to Stefano Mancuso’s studies on plant intelligence. For more information, see Palazzo Strozzi’s website.
BITES/Finger Food Festival
April 6-8
Visarno Arena, viale del Visarno 14, Florence
Estragon Club of Bologna and Le Nozze di Figaro have teamed up to bring the traveling Finger Food Festival to Florence. Sample a range of regional delights from around Italy—think supplì from Lazio, bombette from Puglia, local lampredotto—as well as a variety of international treats. Entry is free at the three-day festival, which will be “soundtracked” by Estragon’s music experts. More info via Le Nozze di Figaro.
BLOSSOM/Gardens, flower markets and more
Throughout April and May
Various venues in Florence
Florence gets flowery this month with the reopening of the Iris Garden, a seasonal spectacle open April 25 to May 20 (access it from viale Michelangelo 82). Got a green thumb or just looking to up your garden game? Head to the customary spring flower and plant showcase at the Giardino dell’Orticultura (April 25-May 1). Dreaming of a Dutch-style tulip garden? Scandicci’s former CNR area (via Pantin 63) will inaugurate a temporary tulip park on April 9; through the Wander and Pick program, visitors will be able to take home two tulips by making a 3 euro contribution (hours are 10am-7pm throughout the month of April). Stay tuned to TF for more news of super-seasonal openings.
COOL/Gelato Festival
April 20-22
Piazzale Michelangelo, Florence
Preliminary rounds of the 2018 Gelato Festival, a traveling (and competitive) affair spotlighting Europe’s top gelato m̶a̶g̶i̶c̶i̶a̶n̶s̶ makers, will get underway in Florence first (where else?) Participants will then move on to successive rounds in Rome, Turin, Milan and around Europe before returning to the Renaissance city (believed to be the birthplace of gelato) in September for the finals.
SIP/Florence Cocktail Week
April 30-May 6
Various venues in Florence
Cin cin to the return of Florence Cocktail Week, a celebration of craft cocktail culture and a city-wide stage for the town’s top bartenders, now in its third year. Save the date and read up on last year’s edition for a small taste of what’s to come – we’ll keep you updated as more information is released.
PLUS
Festa Kids: Free to Be You and Me/April 22, 3pm/Tasso Hostel, via Villani 15, Florence
Watch the small wunderkinds of Florence English Speaking Theatre Artists (FESTA) Kids put on an affirming, family-friendly and free-admission show on April 22. The production is based on Marlo Thomas’ book of the same name.
Florence Bike Festival/April 13-15/Cascine Park, Florence
Seasoned cyclists and recent training wheel grads alike should pedal out to the park for this annual event, which this year has a new focus on e-bikes. More info here.
The Florentine events/April 6, 11 and 19
Join TF staff and friends as we celebrate the launch of issue three of our bilingual literary magazine TheFLR. The Florentine Literary Review: we’ll be presenting the new edition with members of the editorial board at L’Ora Blu bookshop on April 6 (details here) and toasting to it at wine shop Vino al Vino on April 11 (more here). Plus, TF Wine Club returns on April 19 for a special “Painting with Wine” session with instructor Maham of Big Red Cuppa and wine producers Casadei. Booking required via info@theflorentinepress.com; event info here.
