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On September 7th, the Festa della Rificolona fills Florence’s streets with paper lanterns in a procession that dates to the seventeenth century — one of the city’s oldest popular festivals, almost invisible to international visitors.
Date
September 7
On September 7th, the eve of the feast of the Virgin Mary’s birth, Florence carries paper lanterns — rificolone — through the streets in a procession that dates to the seventeenth century. It begins in Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, steps from This Time Tomorrow, and moves through the city until late. The oldest lanterns follow traditional patterns; the newest are improvised from whatever was to hand. A local festival, genuinely observed, and almost invisible to international visitors.
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Last modified: Wed, Sep 2, '26
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