Orvieto Festivals

Though nightclubs are virtually nonexistent in Orvieto, the city has no shortage of festival fun. Look for craft fairs, food- and wine-tasting events, antique car shows, and theater and music festivals. Spring brings the Palio dell’Oca, which has tested equestrian skills since medieval times. On Pentecost Orvieto celebrates the Festa della Palombella. At noon, Campo della Fiera lights up with fireworks when a white dove descends across a wire to ignite the explosives. The dove, which symbolizes the Holy Spirit, is entrusted to the last woman married in the church. First Communions and confirmations, sacraments in the Catholic Church, are also celebrated on this day. In June the Procession of Corpus Domini celebrates the Miracle of Bolsena when a communion wafer was transformed into flesh and blood. A week of medieval banquets and dancing precedes the 700-year-old procession. From December 28 to January 1, Umbria Jazz Winter swings in theaters, churches, and palaces, with the grand finale in the duomo. For details and pamphlets concerning festivals, contact Servizio Turistico Territoriale IAT dell’Orvietano, P. Duomo 24 (☎0763 34 19 11 or 34 36 58), or Informazioni Turistiche (☎0763 34 17 72; fax 34 44 33), at the same address.