The history of the Feast of St. Anne in a nutshell
The link between Ischia and art is renewed with cine tourism in Messina
How to attend the Festival
How to reach the village
To reach the village of Ischia Ponte, – which will be off limits to all means of locomotion for the evening – a service of the free shuttle Zizì has been set up, departing on a continuous loop from the free Fondobosso parking lot. Alternatively, it is advisable to find parking in Ischia Porto and walk or take a bus to the ancient village.
How to witness the construction of the allegorical boats
The four allegorical boats in the competition are usually anchored at the foot of the Aragonese Castle in Ischia Ponte to finish the final touches to the scenery, and it is possible to watch these ancient rituals of the craftsmen from the Aragonese Wharf in the days leading up to the festival
The four allegorical boats of the 2024 parade
The four allegorical boats, whose order of parade will be determined on July 24 with a tandem canoe race in the stretch of water in front of the Aragonese Castle organized by the Auras Club (thanks for this to Pres. Carlo Piccoli and team rappr. Vincenzo Trani) and in which students from island educational institutions will participate, will be as follows:
- ISCHIA, A LAND OF ENCHANTMENT AND VIRTUEby ANS Diving Ischia.
The boat “Ischia, land of enchantment and virtue” was made with the support of the ANS Diving Ischia association, with a group composed of experienced builders and someone at the first experience, always harried but nevertheless, with love and dedication, trying their hand at the preparation of the float, with the desire to tell and pass on what can be considered a social custom, a custom that has long distinguished the population of this beautiful island, in times now past.
The tradition of “cala cala” is one of the oldest on our Island and undoubtedly represents a peculiar way of experiencing the area through its authenticity and contact with its people. In this word derived from the Greek verb kaleo, there is all the essence of the people of Ischia, of the soul of Ischia, encapsulated in its being a land of sea and land. This now lost tradition actually still lives on in the alleys of our Island, where ladies still use u’canist for their shopping. However, an ambivalent meaning is hidden in it. If for some areas of our territory, the action was understood as a barter, expressed in the act of sending something down, from the top down, waiting to receive something else in return, for other areas of the Island, the cala cala had a more negative meaning, also dictated by the different social conditions and represented theft. With this float we wanted to represent what the cala cala has been for the island of Ischia with a little anecdote that we hope will make all those here to enjoy the ninety-second edition of the Feast of Sant’Anna laugh and have fun - THE LEGEND OF VIRGILIO’S EG GS by the Aldebaran Tourism and Culture Association.
Representation of three figures ( St. Gennaro, Parthenope , St. Virgil) that take up the Neapolitan and Ischitan culture with Virgil’s egg in the center. The figures dance like a music box and thus are destined never to reach each other. - THE MEDUSA DANCE by the P.I.D.A. Association.
The sea is possible horizon of dreams and desires, an elsewhere where to be free and express one’s uniqueness, playing with the other.
The jellyfish becomes, thus, a symbol of fragility that is transformed into beauty, its dance a spectacle that enchants and drags along with it our most secret aspirations.
The allegorical boat is a tribute to the sea on our island, but more importantly, it is a hymn of hope for all young people entering life.
The boat has been designed with environmental sustainability and circularity in mind. Made of bamboo, it will be powered by photovoltaic panels and batteries and will have a positive CO2 balance in its life cycle. After the festival it will be transformed into a floating soundbox for concerts and events and will tour the island until September. - A GIANT INSIDE OF US by Pro Loco Lacco Ameno.
The boat represents Ischia, an island united and cohesive, not fragmented into municipalities, but compact in its essence. It is an island that is told through legends, traditions and customs of yesterday and today, revealing a people steeped in resilience. This is the real secret to protecting their beloved land: inner strength and determination to preserve what is dear.
The jury and the awards
Judging the allegorical boats, which will parade in their usual 20-minute allotted time, will be the authoritative panel of judges chaired by Lucia Fortini, Regional Councillor for School and Social and Youth Policies Campania Region. Other members will be the Hon Giovanni Legnini, Extraordinary Commissioner for post earthquake and post landslide reconstruction on the island of Ischia, Bruno Barbieri, a multiple Michelin award-winning chef with 7 career stars, TV host and Italian entrepreneur, Germano Bellavia, actor known to the public for playing Guido Del Bue in the soap Un posto al sole , Luisa Amatucci, an actress known to the public for her role in the soap Un posto al Sole,, Marina Fumo, Architect and consultant Scabec (in-house company of the Campania Region).
AWARDS.
– Funiciello Award. Island artist whose hallmark of his works are the vibrant combination of bright colors that find expression especially in his famous collages with fabric. It is awarded to the best artistic sketch and this year will be divided into two sections: Funiciello Prize for the best sketch of the competing boats and Funiciello Prize sez. Scuola Viva for the commitment of young artists.
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Premio Andrea Di Massa (alla memoria di uno dei migliori costruttori)
Awarded by a technical jury based on the evaluation of the complexity of implementation and the greatest scenic innovation
– Nero Award (born Giovan Giuseppe Sorrentino)
The award named after him is given annually by the Sorrentino family, who evaluate each time the boat that has best interpreted the Spirit of the Festival
– Domenico Di Meglio Award, in memory of the master of local journalism.
To assign it will be, as always, the people attending the festival who will vote for their favorite boat by turning on the flashlight of their smartphone: a way to give the Festival’s setting an even more beautiful moment: the bay will light up with many small lights.
– Mario Mazzella Award dedicated to the memory of the artist famous for the figurative and stylistic essentiality of his works with typical island architecture and pastel colors. It will be awarded by the heirs of the island artist appreciated all over the world, to the boat that respects the balance between form and color.
– Social award and voting from home (new for this 2024 edition): judging the boats will be the 5 guest influencers and the audience from home who will be able to vote for their favorite boat through a poll that will be opened among the stories of the instagram page @visitischia.official (where live content about the festival will be published) in a window of 20 minutes starting from the end of the last performance. The public vote will contribute to the influencer ranking that will award the new “social” prize
How to help keep the bay clean
The beauty of this event is linked to the uniqueness of Cartaromana Bay, which necessarily needs to be protected and guarded, so it is advisable not to leave garbage among the rocks and especially in the sea. It would be advisable to be equipped with small garbage bags. It will in any case be forbidden to carry glass bottles. Those who would like to actively clean up the bay can take part in the event organized by the Marine Protected Area Kingdom of Neptune: the appointment is for Saturday, July 27 at 8:30 a.m., meeting point at Ristorante da Cocò
