CASTIGLION FIORENTINO
“An average of ten thousand people per evening in the first three dates. The goal? To reach fifty thousand attendees during the entire event”. The latest edition of the Vintage Festival in Castiglion Fiorentino, which is coming to an end today with its last evening, has had record numbers. The deputy mayor of Castiglion Fiorentino with responsibility for Tourism Devis Milighetti explained: “A great event with free admission that has now become a reference event for the August holiday period for the whole of Tuscany”. However, the variable bad weather, which hit Tuscany yesterday as well as today, had an impact. The event attracted visitors from all over Italy, thanks to the performances of nationally and internationally renowned artists such as Kellie Rucker, one of the most popular figures on the American blues scene, and The Velvet Candles, beloved in the vintage and doo-wop music circuit. The grand finale of the Festival is expected this evening, with the return of Marco Di Maggio and the “Di Maggio BROS” (Marco Di Maggio, Massimo Di Maggio and Sasso Battaglia). The trio, known for their collaborations with American and English Country and Rockabilly stars, has participated in major events such as Viva Las Vegas and the opening of the Jackson Rockabilly Museum in Tennessee, USA. Last night, the medieval village, transformed into a 1950s atmosphere, welcomed the quartet led by Ricky Rialto (vocals and guitar), Al Compassi (double bass), Emanuele Luzi (lead guitar) and Lollo Francocci (drums). The Vintage Festival saw the participation of over ninety exhibitors in the three locations dedicated to vintage, art and craftsmanship: the evocative Piazza del Comune, the historic Parco Presentini and the new location of the Gardens of Piazza Matteotti in Porta Fiorentina.